PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mike Ziegler (ranked 1040 p4p, 1268 weight class) and Shu Fang Tzeng (ranked 75 p4p, 96 weight class). Tzeng has chosen Mantra Chant as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Shu Fang Tzeng has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ziegler
vs
Tzeng

160 cm
32
140
14 - 5 - 0

165 cm
40
127
30 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Brawler
Good gas tank

Furnace Performance 🔥
Shadow Realm Apparel

Northern Zombie

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 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mike Ziegler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Shu Fang Tzeng!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Steven Brown and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tzeng darts in and clinches Ziegler up against the cage.
Tzeng lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ziegler backwards.

Ziegler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ziegler throws a head kick that misses.
Tzeng tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tzeng doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Tzeng takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Tzeng throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Ziegler was covering up waiting for the punch and Tzeng finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Tzeng drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Tzeng jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Tzeng postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Ziegler is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tzeng, into his guard.

Tzeng is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tzeng looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Tzeng working for a triangle but Ziegler defends it easily.

Tzeng is looking for a triangle but Ziegler pushes his legs off easily.

Tzeng is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

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.
Ziegler content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tzeng escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ziegler gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Ziegler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ziegler showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tzeng had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ziegler defends it easily.

Tzeng has his foot on Ziegler's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ziegler works his way back into a safe position though.

Tzeng working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Ziegler has passed into half guard!
Tzeng is pressing down on Ziegler's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

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

Tzeng looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Ziegler has picked Tzeng up and slammed him! Tzeng can't keep hold of the triangle and Ziegler manages to pass to side control!
Tzeng tries to buck Ziegler off but Ziegler is having none of it.
Tzeng can't do much from the bottom here.
Tzeng being controlled for a moment.
Tzeng is trying to control Ziegler's posture but Ziegler avoids it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tzeng is looking to reverse the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shu Fang Tzeng dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tzeng takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Shu Fang Tzeng has been cut.
Tzeng shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Tzeng shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Tzeng pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ziegler is keeping the position for now.
Tzeng won't allow Ziegler to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tzeng drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ziegler looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ziegler looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ziegler!

Tzeng tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ziegler wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tzeng struggling a bit here.
A lull in the action here as Ziegler stalls from top position.
Tzeng manages to get back to half guard.
Tzeng tries to get to full guard but Ziegler has control of the leg.

Tzeng looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Tzeng is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ziegler pulls his head out easily.
Shu Fang Tzeng has got the better of the ground game so far.

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.
Tzeng trying to hold on to Ziegler's head to control him but Ziegler postures up.
Tzeng moves into full guard.

Tzeng looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Tzeng escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ziegler gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tzeng is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ziegler is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tzeng is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ziegler is aware though and is defending well.

Tzeng has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ziegler can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Tzeng had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ziegler defends it easily.

Tzeng working for a triangle but Ziegler defends it easily.

Tzeng escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ziegler gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four 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.

Tzeng looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Ziegler has picked Tzeng up and slammed him! Tzeng can't keep hold of the triangle and Ziegler manages to pass to side control!
Tzeng tries to buck Ziegler off but Ziegler is having none of it.
Ziegler controls the position from side control.
Tzeng can't do much from the bottom here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Shu Fang Tzeng will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Shu Fang Tzeng's cut.
That's time! Ziegler's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Tzeng tries to clinch but Ziegler moves away
and Ziegler counters with an outside leg kick.
Ziegler scores with the left hand. Tzeng knows he should have avoided that one.
Ziegler lands with a cross.
Tzeng tries to clinch up but Ziegler circles away and keeps his distance.
Ziegler quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Tzeng goes for a double leg but Ziegler avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ziegler continues to drive forward.
Ziegler throws out a powerful jab.
Ziegler with a hook.
Tzeng doesn't manage to clinch there - Ziegler circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tzeng gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ziegler counters with a nice uppercut.

Tzeng is rocked!
Tzeng walks into a jab.
Tzeng is still on wobbly legs! Can Ziegler finish him?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziegler slaps away a takedown attempt from Tzeng, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A little feinted left hand from Ziegler on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Mike Ziegler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shu Fang Tzeng.
Tzeng tries to close the distance and clinch but Ziegler swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tzeng seems to have recovered his senses.
Ziegler scores with a spinning back kick!
Ziegler scores with a shot to the body.
Tzeng takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tzeng changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ziegler tries to avoid it but Tzeng manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ziegler to the ground. Ziegler escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ziegler half committed to a counter leg kick.
Tzeng needs to keep his hands up - Ziegler had a free shot at his head there.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ziegler.
Ziegler swats away the attempt to clinch by Tzeng.
Mike Ziegler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tzeng scores with a takedown into Ziegler's guard.

Tzeng drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ziegler dives on top into guard.

The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tzeng is trying to keep Ziegler in close.

Tzeng is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ziegler is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ziegler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ziegler stays in close to Tzeng's body and controls the position.

Tzeng is looking for a triangle here but Ziegler uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Ziegler gets to mount! Tzeng was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

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.
Tzeng is trying to escape the mount.
Tzeng manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Tzeng wants to get back to full guard.
Ziegler seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tzeng does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ziegler is thwarting Tzeng's attempts to control the position.

Tzeng looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ziegler throwing shots but Tzeng is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Ziegler showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tzeng 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 Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Shu Fang Tzeng!
A determined Shu Fang Tzeng didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!