PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Irving Sweetwater (ranked 3814 p4p, 25125 weight class) and Zag Zag (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sweetwater
vs
Zag

170 cm
25
144
1 - 0 - 0

225 cm
26
145
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Irving Sweetwater!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zag Zag!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Peter Branson and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sweetwater fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zag manages to avoid it.
Sweetwater lands with an overhand left.
Sweetwater misses with a body shot.
Sweetwater throws a looping overhand right but Zag ducks down to avoid it.
Zag circles away from the clinch attempt

and Zag decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sweetwater's guard.

Sweetwater manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Zag dives in and scores a takedown into Sweetwater's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zag loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Sweetwater looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Zag content to stall in guard here.

Sweetwater looking for a guillotine here but Zag defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sweetwater is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sweetwater being controlled here, momentarily.
Sweetwater trying to keep a closed guard but Zag is proving a slippery customer.

That's two 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.
Zag controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sweetwater is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sweetwater misses with a looping left.

Zag fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sweetwater to the ground. Zag is now in Sweetwater's guard.

Sweetwater pushes Zag off and gets back to his feet.

Zag gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zag escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sweetwater is looking to clinch but Zag is avoiding it.
Zag now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Sweetwater scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Sweetwater throws the left hand but Zag avoids the punch easily.

Zag clinches up with Sweetwater and pushes him back against the cage.
Sweetwater goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Zag's coach down at A Standerâ€™s Paradise was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Zag's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Zag pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zag is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sweetwater blocks the body kick.
Irving Sweetwater is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Zag closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sweetwater quickly recovers to half guard.
Sweetwater manages to get to full guard.
Sweetwater manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zag manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sweetwater trying to control but Zag is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sweetwater stopping the sweep attempt from Zag.
Sweetwater works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zag is not content to let Sweetwater control the position.

Sweetwater is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Zag trying to control here.
Sweetwater looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Zag with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Irving Sweetwater 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.

Zag has managed to clinch.
Sweetwater tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zag is trying to drag Sweetwater to the mat but Sweetwater just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Zag takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Zag's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sweetwater throws a shot from downtown. Zag moves away and avoids it.
Sweetwater misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zag.

Zag shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Sweetwater is trying to defend but Zag finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sweetwater regains full guard. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sweetwater is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Zag in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sweetwater has his hands on Zag's head, controlling the position.
Zag must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Zag wants to pass the guard but Sweetwater is keeping the position.
Sweetwater tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zag looking to sit in guard and control but Sweetwater gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Zag wants to sweep here but Sweetwater controlling him for the moment.

Sweetwater drops back looking for a leg! Zag is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zag manages to kick Sweetwater off! Sweetwater jumps back into Zag's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sweetwater prevents Zag from getting back to his feet.
Zag looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zag can't keep his opponent in guard - Sweetwater advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Sweetwater is looking to take a break and control but Zag is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sweetwater blocks the strikes from Zag.
Zag is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sweetwater wants to control but Zag is keeping him busy.
Zag is looking for a sweep. Sweetwater is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Zag wants to control but Sweetwater is keeping busy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Zag shoots for a double leg takedown but Sweetwater sprawls well. He's pushed Zag's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sweetwater fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zag with a lazy takedown attempt
and Sweetwater counters with a left to the body.
Irving Sweetwater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zag Zag.
Sweetwater stuffs the takedown.
Zag is breathing heavily.
Sweetwater swinging wildly here.
Sweetwater tries to clinch up.
Zag tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sweetwater misses with an uppercut.
Zag tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Sweetwater misses with a double jab
and Zag counters with a one-two to the body.
Sweetwater misses with an uppercut. Zag saw that one coming.
A combination from Sweetwater does no damage.
Sweetwater cracks a nice hook into Zag's ribs.
Zag ducks under a wild hook from Sweetwater.
Sweetwater fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sweetwater gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Sweetwater manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Sweetwater throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zag blocks it with crossed arms.
Zag jumps guard but Sweetwater stands there with Zag around his waist. Zag gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zag managing to block the knees to the body from Sweetwater.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Irving Sweetwater dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Sweetwater looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Zag uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sweetwater.

Zag fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sweetwater, pushing him back against the cage.
Sweetwater throws a punch but it's blocked by Zag.

Zag jumps guard.
Sweetwater passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Zag is not content to let Sweetwater control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sweetwater taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sweetwater passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Zag!
Sweetwater punching from mount but Zag doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Sweetwater trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Zag keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Zag tries to hold on but Sweetwater postures up.
Sweetwater moves to the back position.
Zag tries to escape but Sweetwater has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sweetwater is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Zag knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Zag for a finish.
Zag prevents Sweetwater from getting a body triangle.
Zag is in bad spot here.
Zag trying to control but not successfully.
Zag prevents Sweetwater from getting a body triangle.
Zag looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Irving Sweetwater overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zag is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Sweetwater is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Zag looking to control the position.

Sweetwater is persistently looking for the submission but Zag is defending it well.
Sweetwater keeps control of the position as Zag tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Zag is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Zag tries to break free.
Irving Sweetwater is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sweetwater is looking to control Zag but Zag is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Zag trying to control the action but Sweetwater just sinks the hooks in.

And that's the end of the fight!
Irving Sweetwater showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sweetwater, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Irving Sweetwater!
Our winner, Irving Sweetwater, 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.