PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gothic Line (ranked 241 p4p, 2016 weight class) and Yayi Zinsou (ranked 36 p4p, 254 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Line
vs
Zinsou

194 cm
27
243
10 - 2 - 0

199 cm
37
273
29 - 40 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Altitude Clothing

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gothic Line!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 40 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yayi Zinsou!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Skip Squint and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zinsou shoots for a double leg takedown but Line sprawls well. He's pushed Zinsou's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Line with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Zinsou fails with an attempt to clinch.
Yayi Zinsou seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zinsou is defended easily by Line.
Line throws a low kick but Zinsou moves out of range easily.
Zinsou blocks a jab.
Some wild striking there from Line.
Zinsou throws a hook to the side of Line's head but Line sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Line swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Zinsou tries to clinch up but Line circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Line gets caught flat footed, as Zinsou shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Line has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Line wants to stand and escape but Zinsou is having none of it.
Zinsou loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zinsou accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Line keeping moving, preventing Zinsou from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Line bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zinsou's guard.

Line is looking to stand up but Zinsou won't let him.
Zinsou managing to control the position.
Zinsou trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Line controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Line wanted to stand there but Zinsou had control of the position.
Zinsou wants to get back to his feet but Line is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Line has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Zinsou is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Line stopping the sweep attempt from Zinsou.
Line distracts Zinsou with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zinsou keeping moving, preventing Line from controlling successfully.
Zinsou looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Line puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Line stops Zinsou from getting back to his feet.
Line wants to stand up but Zinsou has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Well, if Line is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Zinsou wants to get back to his feet.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Line trying to control the action but Zinsou is working from the bottom.
Zinsou is looking for a sweep. Line is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Line wants to control but Zinsou is keeping him busy.
Line wants to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zinsou on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Line scores with a jab to the jaw.
Zinsou uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Line.
A slow jab from Line misses its intended target.
Line tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Zinsou manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Line misses with a leg kick.
Line feints and then cracks Zinsou's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Zinsou down.

Line gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Line lands a body punch.
Line lands with a left to the head.

It looks like Yayi Zinsou has been cut.

Zinsou turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Line is looking to get back to his feet here but Zinsou is keeping cool and he's managed to take Line's back.
We've been informed that Zinsou has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Line is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Zinsou not allowing Line to control his hands.
Zinsou throwing sloppy strikes.
Zinsou lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Zinsou throwing strikes and Line squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.
Zinsou misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Zinsou lands a big elbow.
Zinsou looking to finish with strikes here!
Zinsou throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Zinsou throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gothic Line dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yayi Zinsou's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Zinsou slips a jab from Line.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Line here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Zinsou has taken the fight to the clinch.
Zinsou is trying to drag Line to the mat but Line just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Line misses with a short punch on the inside.
Zinsou is trying to pull guard but Line has him pressed against the cage.

Line breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zinsou looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gothic Line has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yayi Zinsou.
Zinsou shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Line as he avoids it easily.
Line lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zinsou looks for a takedown but Line sprawls well.
Line slaps away a takedown attempt from Zinsou, before circling back to the center of the mat.
An attempted straight right counter from Line misses the target.
Zinsou shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Line defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Line's jab looks to have found its range, popping Zinsou under the eye.
Line misses with a straight right.
Zinsou chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Line can pounce on him.
Line connects with a single shot there.
Line ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Zinsou takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Zinsou gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Line counters with an inside leg kick.
Zinsou jabs Line to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Line tries to land a leg kick but Zinsou saw it coming and moves away.
Line throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Line manages to escape and get back to his feet!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zinsou misses with a takedown attempt - Line sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Line swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Line is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zinsou can do to turn this around?
Line lands an overhand right.
Line throws a jab when Zinsou was well out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Line. That snapped Zinsou's head back.
BOOM! Line lands a beautiful left hook that drops Zinsou. Zinsou tries to recover but Line is having none of it, landing more punishing shots from mount. One final crushing shot and Zinsou lies motionless on the canvas. The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gothic Line!
An out of breath Gothic Line thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.