PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shaka Zulu (ranked 1760 p4p, 1318 weight class) and Aleksander Balkan (ranked 226 p4p, 163 weight class). Aleksander Balkan told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Zulu
vs
Balkan

200 cm
28
287
10 - 5 - 0

198 cm
27
274
8 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hardcore Alchemy
Brooklyn Threads

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shaka Zulu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aleksander Balkan!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A solid leg kick lands there for Balkan.
Zulu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Zulu lands with a hook. Balkan tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

It looks like Aleksander Balkan has been cut.

Balkan gets caught flat footed, as Zulu shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Zulu wants to control from the top but Balkan keeps moving.
Balkan being controlled here, momentarily.
Zulu pushing down on Balkan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Balkan trying to hold on to Zulu's head to control him but Zulu postures up.

Zulu is working for a submission of some sort.
Balkan trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balkan wants to get back to full guard.
Balkan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Zulu.
Balkan is looking to improve his position.
Balkan is doing well to control the position and prevent Zulu from advancing to side control.
Balkan is looking to control Zulu's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Balkan avoid being mounted?

Zulu is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Zulu is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Zulu is looking for a kimura here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zulu controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zulu prevents Balkan from improving his position.
Zulu is stalling here. Balkan is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Zulu seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Balkan has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Zulu is looking for a sweep.
Zulu is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zulu is not content to let Balkan control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zulu is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Balkan's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Zulu is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Balkan pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zulu tries to get to full guard but Balkan has control of the leg.

Zulu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Zulu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Balkan.
Zulu gets full guard.
Balkan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Zulu working a defensive guard but Balkan manages to pass into side control anyway.
Zulu is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balkan trying to control the action but Zulu is working from the bottom.
Zulu is looking to regain half guard here but Balkan keeps moving and retains side control.
Zulu sneaks back into half guard.
Balkan tries to pass to full mount but Zulu defends it.
Balkan is keen to just control but Zulu is a slippery customer.
Balkan is thwarting Zulu's attempts to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Balkan prevents Zulu from improving his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shaka Zulu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aleksander Balkan's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Balkan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Zulu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zulu throws out a powerful jab.
Zulu slips under a jab from Balkan.
Zulu looks to throw the jab but Balkan is out of range.
Balkan looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Balkan has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short right from Zulu on the inside.
Balkan lands with a left to the head.

It looks like Shaka Zulu has been cut.
Balkan lands a left hand.
I was talking to Zulu's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Balkan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Zulu jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Balkan walks away with a smile on his face. Zulu gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Balkan looks to score with a jab to the body but Zulu is just out of range.

Zulu clinches with his opponent.
Balkan is pressed up against the cage. Zulu has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Balkan down to the mat. Balkan avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zulu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balkan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zulu tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Balkan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zulu lands with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zulu looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Balkan manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Zulu keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Balkan is rocked!
Balkan is still on wobbly legs! Can Zulu finish him?
Zulu misses with the head strike.

Zulu drags the fight down to the ground.

Zulu is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Balkan frees his head nicely. Oh but Zulu has switched to an armbar! Balkan is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Shaka Zulu!
Our winner, Shaka Zulu, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.