PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between David Zukerman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikel Skiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Zukerman
vs
Skiel

170 cm
22
132 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

155 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, David Zukerman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mikel Skiel!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Skiel drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Skiel working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Skiel sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Zukerman's guard.
Skiel with the ground and pound but Zukerman uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Skiel working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Skiel throws a strike but Zukerman rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Skiel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zukerman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Skiel looking to control.

Skiel pushes Zukerman off and scrambles back to his feet.

Skiel throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zukerman was covering up waiting for the punch and Skiel finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Skiel advances to half guard.
Skiel should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zukerman has hold of Skiel's hands but Skiel slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Zukerman keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zukerman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Skiel on the ground.
Zukerman regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Skiel.
Zukerman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Skiel.
Zukerman will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Zukerman wants to sweep but no luck.
Zukerman preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Skiel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zukerman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Skiel advances to half guard.
Skiel is just content to waste time from the top position. Zukerman takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Zukerman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Skiel slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Skiel is putting a hurting on Zukerman here, landing some big shots from side control.
Skiel looks gassed!
Zukerman takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Skiel looks up at the clock and then as Zukerman takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Skiel smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Skiel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Skiel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Skiel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skiel is looking to take a break and control but Zukerman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zukerman manages to work his way to half guard, despite Skiel's best efforts.
Zukerman wants to improve his position but Skiel is controlling well.
Skiel thows a huge punch but Zukerman dodges it nicely.
Skiel wants to control but Zukerman is keeping him busy.

That's four 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Skiel tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zukerman sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Skiel somewhat.

Zukerman throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Skiel was covering up waiting for the punch and Zukerman finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Zukerman throwing strikes from guard but Skiel blocks nicely.
Zukerman trying to control the position from guard on top but Skiel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zukerman throws a strike but Skiel rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Skiel is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Zukerman is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Zukerman has escaped and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Skiel dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zukerman has his takedown stuffed

and Skiel counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Skiel drops an elbow to the side of Zukerman's head.
Skiel lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Skiel not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Skiel is stalling here. Zukerman is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Skiel seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Zukerman has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Skiel manages to get back to half guard.
Skiel keeping hold of Zukerman's head, controlling as best he can.
Skiel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zukerman is working away from the top position though.
Skiel moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zukerman is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Skiel is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Skiel has escaped and now he's on top!
Skiel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Skiel passes Zukerman's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Skiel seems to be looking for submissions.
Zukerman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Skiel drops an elbow to the side of Zukerman's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Zukerman is in trouble now - Skiel has advanced to mount!

Skiel working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
A nice elbow there by Skiel.
Skiel punishing his opponent with strikes.
Mikel Skiel has got the better of the ground game so far.

Zukerman defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Skiel.
Skiel thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skiel with the ground and pound from mount.
Skiel working the ground and pound effectively.
Skiel trying to control but Zukerman is having none of it.
Skiel is landing with some decent strikes but Zukerman is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Skiel with good strikes from the mount here!

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.
Zukerman wants to hold on but Skiel pushes him away.
Skiel unloading with bombs!
Skiel scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Skiel scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Zukerman?
Skiel landing strikes, looking to finish!
Skiel landing strikes from the mount and Zukerman is in trouble!
Skiel scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Skiel is working for a guillotine from mount but Zukerman frees his head quite easily.
Skiel raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Skiel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Skiel throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zukerman was covering up waiting for the punch and Skiel finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Skiel scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Skiel wants to control from the top but Zukerman keeps moving.

Skiel has gone for a leg lock! Zukerman slips out almost immediately though and dives into Skiel's guard.
Zukerman works over Skiel with some ground and pound from guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zukerman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Skiel swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skiel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Zukerman gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Skiel closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Skiel lands in his opponent's guard.
Skiel trying to control but Zukerman is working from the bottom.
Skiel is working Zukerman over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Skiel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Skiel wants to control from the top but Zukerman keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skiel distracts Zukerman with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Skiel looking to sit in guard and control but Zukerman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Zukerman has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Skiel is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Skiel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zukerman.
Skiel throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Skiel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zukerman manages to get himself to full guard.
Zukerman seems keen to control Skiel's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Skiel drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Skiel jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Zukerman looking to control.
Skiel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zukerman is keeping the position for now.
Skiel preventing the sweep.
Skiel with a nice head shot there.
Skiel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zukerman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Skiel.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Zukerman lands a jab to the head.

Skiel shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Skiel showed some decent athleticism there.
Skiel passes the guard and advances to mount!
Skiel wants to control the pace but Zukerman is squirming around nicely.
Skiel with the ground and pound from mount.
David Zukerman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mikel Skiel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Skiel lands a heavy elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikel Skiel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Skiel winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikel Skiel!