PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Badin Zenari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Badin Zenari has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Zenari
vs
Jones

175 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Badin Zenari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joseph Jones!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Glass and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones blocks a head kick by Zenari.
Zenari misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jones is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Zenari misses with a two punch combination.
Zenari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zenari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Zenari throws a right hand that Jones ducks under and follows up with a left that Jones also avoids with ease.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zenari throws a half hearted mid kick.
Zenari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jones tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zenari swivels and escapes.
Jones looks gassed!
Zenari misses with a head kick.
Zenari lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Joseph Jones has been cut.
Zenari throws a wild body kick that Jones sees coming a mile off.
Zenari throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Badin Zenari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A right-left combo lands from Zenari.
Zenari swinging wilding here.
Zenari misses with a head kick.
Jones closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zenari fails to land with a series of punches.

Jones gets the takedown into side control.
The strikes coming from Jones are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Jones working the ground and pound but Zenari is defending the strikes.
Zenari tries to improve position but can't.
Zenari might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Jones works to advance to full mount. Zenari defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Jones looking to control but Zenari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Jones unloads with some shots from mount but Zenari bucks and avoids them well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zenari is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Jones tries to control but Zenari wriggling away.
Jones sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Zenari swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

Jones wants to finish this one by submission but Zenari is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Jones.
You get the feeling that Zenari really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones punching from mount but Zenari doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Zenari is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Jones has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jones lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Jones throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Zenari because Jones loaded up on that one.
Zenari tries to hold on but Jones postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Zenari is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Jones wants to stand but Zenari is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Zenari really wants to buck Jones off and get back to his feet.
Jones can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zenari is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Badin Zenari dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joseph Jones's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zenari pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jones tries to clinch but Zenari moves out of range.
Zenari throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Jones.
Zenari pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A head kick misses from Zenari.
Zenari throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Zenari throws a push kick but Jones slaps the foot to one side.
Zenari keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zenari misses with a double jab.
Zenari throws a right hand that Jones ducks under and follows up with a left that Jones also avoids with ease.
Zenari throws a nice inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zenari throws a combination. Jones tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Jones scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Zenari is refusing to be controlled, as Jones sits in half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zenari is trying to stand back up but Jones is controlling him
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zenari keeps working.
Zenari is looking for a sweep. Jones is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jones seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zenari does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Zenari tries to kick Jones off but Jones keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Jones is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zenari fails to land with a series of punches.
Zenari misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zenari throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jones shoots in looking for a takedown. Zenari tries to sprawl out of it but Jones keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Zenari manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
No joy there for Zenari, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jones rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zenari moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Jones blocks a head kick by Zenari.
Zenari tries a head kick but it misses.
Jones moves out of range as Zenari throws a body kick.
Zenari throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Jones dodges the punch combination from Zenari.
Badin Zenari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Jones gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones passes to full mount!
Zenari tries to buck Jones off but he can't manage it.

Jones is working for a guillotine from mount but Zenari frees his head quite easily.
Zenari is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Jones looking to control but Zenari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Jones looking to secure an arm triangle but Zenari defends it well.
Jones thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph Jones showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joseph Jones's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Zenari misses with a head kick.
Zenari throws a series of punches but Jones moves out of range.
Zenari falls off balance throwing a combination

and Jones counters with a nice double leg into side control. Zenari won't be happy with that.
Zenari is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Jones has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Zenari knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jones on the ground.
The ground and pound from Jones seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Zenari is not content to let Jones control the position.
Zenari is pushing Jones's head away, looking to escape. Jones manages to hold on to the position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is looking to take a break and control but Zenari is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Jones is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Zenari is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zenari throws a series of punches but Jones moves out of range.
Zenari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jones avoids a punch combination nicely.

Jones changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Zenari looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Jones tries to move into full mount but can't pass Zenari's legs.
Jones misses with the ground and pound.

Jones tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Jones has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zenari tries to improve position but can't.
Zenari holding on.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zenari keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Jones showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zenari.
A head kick from Zenari lands but Jones takes it in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Zenari throws a right and a left that both miss.
Zenari throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Jones moves out of range of the body kick from Zenari.
Jones looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Jones avoids a punch combination nicely.

Jones scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Zenari tries to escape but Jones is in control.

Jones wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Zenari, who protects the arm well.
Jones moves into full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Jones comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jones has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joseph Jones!