PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ronaldo Messi (ranked 3383 p4p, 1504 weight class) and Zdeno Chara (ranked 404 p4p, 193 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Messi
vs
Chara

200 cm
28
255
8 - 2 - 0

206 cm
20
250
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ronaldo Messi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Zdeno Chara!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chara bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A head kick misses from Chara.
Messi was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Chara misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Chara scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Chara not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chara not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Chara not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Messi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Messi tries to get out of the position.
Chara slips a nice elbow through Messi's hands, connecting with Messi's forehead.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Chara connects with a nice short shot to Messi's temple.
Messi definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Messi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Chara is looking to stall here but Messi recovers full guard.
Chara controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Chara accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Messi keeping moving, preventing Chara from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chara passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Chara in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Chara tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Chara has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Chara scoring with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi trying to remain calm as Chara controls from the top position.
Chara looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Messi is avoiding damage well.
Messi is not content to let Chara control the position.
Chara working the ground and pound from side control.

Chara tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Chara has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Messi defending against the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chara lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Messi takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Chara cracks Messi with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Chara scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Messi to see if he's OK.
Messi is trying to escape the position but Chara is controlling the position.
Messi is breathing heavily.
Messi takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Chara scoring with punches and elbows.
The referee asks Chara politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Chara prefers to stall for the moment though.
Messi is trying to control Chara's posture but Chara avoids it.

Chara wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Messi, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chara working the ground and pound.
Chara in side control lands a decent elbow.
Chara is chipping away with strikes.
Chara working the body and head with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Chara scores with punches from side control.
Chara trying to control the action but Messi is working from the bottom.
Chara landing strikes.
Chara working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zdeno Chara dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Chara has Messi up against the cage in a clinch.
Chara misses with the head strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Messi as Chara tries to tie him up.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Messi.
Chara tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Messi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Chara has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Messi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Chara wants the takedown. Messi is fighting it off but Chara persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Messi's guard against the cage.
Chara throwing strikes from guard but Messi blocks nicely.
Chara throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chara working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Chara lands a couple of digs.
Chara sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Messi's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chara lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Messi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Chara is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Messi doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Chara.
Chara working over Messi with some ground and pound. Messi looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Chara lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Chara thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Messi's head.

Chara wants to work for an arm triangle but Messi is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chara is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Chara works his way into side control.
Chara lands a few punches from side control.
Chara in side control lands a decent elbow.
Zdeno Chara has got the better of the ground game so far.
Chara is looking to take a break and control but Messi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Chara is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Messi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Messi is working to avoid the ground and pound but Chara connects with a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Chara creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Messi sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Messi is working to avoid the ground and pound but Chara connects with a decent elbow.

Messi is rocked!
Chara connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Messi some visible discomfort.
Oh Messi is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Chara lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Messi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Chara on the ground.
Chara lands a strong strike to the head of Messi. That's dazed him! Chara looking to finish here. Messi is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Chara lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Zdeno Chara!
Zdeno Chara gave a mention to Arcticus University: London in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).