PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Abdullah Zaire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sando Han (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sando Han is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Zaire
vs
Han

182 cm
19
183 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

181 cm
21
178 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Australian Xtreme - Elite Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Abdullah Zaire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sando Han!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Bruno Hogan and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Han has Zaire up against the cage in a clinch.
Han tries a knee to the head but Zaire blocks it.
Han with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zaire wants to break free but Han has control.
Han tries a knee to the head but Zaire blocks it.
Han with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Han tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Han misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zaire.
Han keeps control of Zaire as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Han using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zaire has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zaire avoiding damage as Han throws knees to the body.
Han with a knee to the head.
Han with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zaire tries to circle away but Han has him pinned against the cage.
Han throws a knee to the head but misses.
Han is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Zaire is defending well for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zaire pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zaire shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Han defending well as Zaire loads up on a big left hand.
Han slips a straight right by Zaire.
Han is looking to clinch.
Zaire throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaire throws a right and a left that both miss.
Danga de danga de dang - Zaire scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Sando Han has been cut.
Zaire throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Han fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zaire, pushing him back against the cage.

Zaire jumps guard.

Zaire pushes Han off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Zaire misses with a head kick.
Nice shot by Zaire.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Han, right into the meat.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Zaire, right into the meat.
Zaire thows a body shot but no joy.
Zaire lands with a shot to the body.
Zaire darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zaire throws the left hand but Han avoids the punch easily.

Han moves into the clinch.
Han using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zaire has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Han throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zaire blocks it with crossed arms.
Han misses with a knee strike.
Han is pressed up against the cage. Zaire has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Han down to the mat. Han avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A low kick from Zaire is predictable there
and Han counters with an inside leg kick.
Abdullah Zaire seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zaire loads up on a big right hand but Han slips the punch.
Decent striking displayed by Zaire there.

Han has managed to clinch.
Han looking to throw knees to the head but Zaire is blocking nicely.
Han is pressed up against the cage. Zaire has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Han down to the mat. Han avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zaire gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Han moves into the clinch.
Han throws a knee to the head but misses.
Han misses with a knee to the head.
Han looks gassed!
Han looking to throw knees to the head but Zaire is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Zaire's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zaire has Han pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Han manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdullah Zaire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Han misses with a knee strike.
Han throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zaire blocks it with crossed arms.
Han is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Zaire on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Han keeps control of Zaire as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Zaire is looking to break free of the clinch but Han has double underhooks.

Zaire decides to pull guard.
Zaire is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Zaire thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Zaire passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Han!
Zaire unloading with bombs!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Han squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Zaire scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Zaire jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Han manages to avoid the submission attempt.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Han can do anything to dispel that myth.

Zaire decides to stand back up.
Zaire throws a shot from downtown. Han moves away and avoids it.

Han gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Zaire drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
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!
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Han throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zaire blocks it with crossed arms.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Zaire pulls guard.
Han is looking to stand up but Zaire won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sando Han's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Han lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Abdullah Zaire is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Han gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Han misses with a knee to the head.
Zaire has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Han is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Han misses with a knee strike.
Han tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Han tries a knee to the head but Zaire blocks it.
Knees in the clinch landing for Han.
Zaire looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Han looking to throw knees to the head but Zaire is blocking nicely.
Han using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zaire has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Han using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zaire has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zaire wants to break the clinch but can't.

Zaire pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zaire throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Han sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Han is breathing heavily.
Zaire misses with a combination

and Han counters by moving into the clinch.
Zaire is trying to break the clinch but Han is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaire looking for a takedown.
Han misses with a knee to the head.
Han with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Han tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zaire tries to pull guard but Han won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdullah Zaire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Han misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zaire.
Han with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Zaire escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zaire throws a nice looking combination but Han bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Zaire jabs at Han's body.
Zaire misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Han.
Zaire explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Zaire lands a glancing blow to the side of Han's head.
Han is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Zaire.
Zaire listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaire misses with a body shot.
Zaire misses the jab.
Zaire tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zaire ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Han moves away.
Zaire thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zaire closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That has opened up Sando Han's cut even more.
The fight stays on the outside here - Han looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zaire misses with a combination

and Han counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Han.
Han scores with a knee to the head.
Han tries a knee to the head but Zaire blocks it.
Han throws a knee to the head but misses.
Han throws a knee to the head but misses.
Han tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zaire jumps guard.
Han wants to get up but he can't break Zaire's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Han stands up from Zaire's guard - Han perhaps looking for a knockout.
Zaire misses with a wild body shot.
Zaire throws a sloppy body shot

and Han counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Han.
Han with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Han misses with a knee to the head.
Zaire has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Han throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zaire blocks it with crossed arms.

Zaire breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zaire punishes Han's body with a nice straight punch.
Han takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaire scores with a jab to the jaw.
Zaire misses with a jab, cross combination.
Han slips under a jab.
Zaire goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Han tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Han misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zaire. Han does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zaire throws a chopping leg kick but Han manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Zaire throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Han.
Zaire throws a right and a left that Han avoids nicely.
Zaire misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Zaire throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Han dodges the punch combination from Zaire.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sando Han's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Han takes the fight into the clinch.
Zaire tries to break the clinch but Han is controlling the position.
Han misses with a knee strike.
Han throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zaire blocks it with crossed arms.
Han tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Han looking to throw knees to the head but Zaire is blocking nicely.
Han tries to land a knee to the head but Zaire blocks with his arms.
Zaire has had enough of the clinch but Han keeps him there for the moment.

Zaire breaks from the clinch.
Good standup being displayed there by Zaire as he connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Han takes one on the button.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Han tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Danga de danga de dang - Zaire scores with a four punch combination!
Zaire throws a nice looking combination but Han bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Abdullah Zaire is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaire swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zaire throws a right and a left that Han avoids nicely.
Zaire circles away from the clinch attempt.

Zaire tries to keep at a distance but Han has taken the fight into the clinch.
Han unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zaire lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Han connects with a nasty looking knee right to Zaire's face.
Han landing knees to the head.
Han throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zaire blocks it with crossed arms.
Zaire wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Zaire tries to score a body lock takedown but Han shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Han tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Zaire's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zaire looks to score with a jab to the body but Han is just out of range.
Zaire throws a combination that misses
and Han counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Han tries to clinch but Zaire is having none of it.
Han throws a left and a right that both miss
and Zaire counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zaire swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Han counters with a series of strikes. Zaire will be more careful next time no doubt.
Han slips under a jab.

Han rushes Zaire and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Han misses with a knee to the head.
Han tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zaire is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Han gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Zaire looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdullah Zaire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zaire takes a knee right on the jaw!
Han with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Han using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zaire has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Han tries to land a knee to the head but Zaire blocks with his arms.

Zaire breaks from the clinch.
Han lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zaire circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaire scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Han avoids the body shot from Zaire.
The crowd cheers as Zaire lands an impressive looking overhand right. Han doesn't seem phased though.
Zaire misses with a shot to the body
and Han counters with a thumping low kick.
Han checks a leg kick nicely.
A low kick from Zaire is predictable there
and Han counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Han checks the leg kick.
Zaire jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Han tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zaire swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Han finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Han throws a nice outside leg kick.
Han tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Han tries to close the distance and clinch but Zaire swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Han slips under a jab from Zaire.
Zaire throws a nice looking combination but Han bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Han moves into the clinch.
Han landing knees to the body.
Han tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zaire can't get the takedown.
Han throws a knee to the head but misses.
Han connects with a knee to the head.
Han using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zaire has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Zaire has hold of one of Han's legs. Han is fighting the takedown attempt but Zaire gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Zaire passes Han's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Abdullah Zaire is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zaire is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sando Han has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zaire can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Han is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Abdullah Zaire.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Zaire, 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdullah Zaire!