PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Douglass Devine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julian Zarate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Devine
vs
Zarate

199 cm
21
225 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

185 cm
20
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Attliction

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Douglass Devine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Julian Zarate!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zarate closes this distance looking for a takedown but Devine circles away.
Devine shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zarate but Zarate pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zarate fails with the takedown

and Devine counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Devine won't allow Zarate to get back to his feet.
Zarate keeping moving, preventing Devine from controlling successfully.
Zarate looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Devine won't allow Zarate to sweep him here.
Devine will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Devine trying to control but Zarate is working from the bottom.
Zarate has control of Devine's left arm, preventing Devine from doing any damage.
Zarate is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Devine is controlling him.
Devine has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Devine tries to stand but Zarate is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zarate with a lazy takedown attempt

and Devine decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zarate's guard.
Douglass Devine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julian Zarate.
Devine wants to control from the top but Zarate keeps moving.

Devine stands up from guard. Let's bang!
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Zarate has eaten all the pies!
Zarate with a poor takedown

and Devine counters with a single leg into guard. Zarate didn't expect that.
Zarate looks gassed!
Devine scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Devine scoring with some ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Devine throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Devine looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Devine wants to get up but he can't break Zarate's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Devine prevents Zarate from getting back to his feet.
Zarate keeping full guard, as Devine tries to pass.
Devine scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Devine is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Zarate uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Zarate misses with a takedown attempt

and Devine decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zarate's guard.
Devine pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zarate is keeping the position for now.
Zarate is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Devine is looking to escape.
Devine trying to control from the bottom.
Zarate trying to control from half guard but Devine is working away.
Zarate wants to stand up but Devine is controlling the position.
Devine is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarate is controlling the pace.
Zarate wants to stand up but Devine has a hold of him and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Devine shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zarate avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Zarate tries to keep at a distance but Devine has taken the fight into the clinch.
Devine tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Devine drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Zarate gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Zarate manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Zarate looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zarate keeping full guard, as Devine tries to pass.
Zarate wants to stand up but Devine is controlling him.
Devine wants to control from the top but Zarate keeps moving.
Devine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Zarate pushes Devine off and scrambles back to his feet.
Devine tries for a takedown but Zarate sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Zarate with a poor takedown

and Devine counters with a takedown into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zarate tries to escape but Devine is in control.

Devine is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zarate knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Zarate is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Devine's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Douglass Devine dominated that round.
That's time! Devine's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Devine tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zarate swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Zarate shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Devine here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Devine is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Devine looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Zarate puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Zarate passes into side control, despite Devine's attempt to control the position.
Devine struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Devine tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Devine manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Devine on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Devine tries to get out of the position.
Devine tries to roll over but Zarate keeps him under control.
Zarate is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Devine trying to control here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zarate looks to land a body kick but Devine moved away.
Zarate fails with the takedown

and Devine counters by moving into the clinch.
Devine jumps guard but Zarate stands there with Devine around his waist. Devine gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zarate is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Devine has had enough of the clinch but Zarate keeps him there for the moment.
Zarate is pressed up against the cage. Devine has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zarate down to the mat. Zarate avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zarate keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zarate shoots and misses

and Devine counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Devine.
Devine won't allow Zarate to get back to his feet.
Zarate is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Zarate looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Devine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Devine is working hard here to advance position.
Zarate missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Devine tries to roll over but Zarate keeps him under control.
Devine is looking to control Zarate's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Devine avoid being mounted?

Zarate escapes and gets back to his feet.
Devine will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Douglass Devine. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarate has his takedown stuffed

so Devine counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Douglass Devine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zarate looking to hit a scissor sweep but Devine is one step ahead there.

Devine drops back, looking for a kneebar! Zarate looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Zarate looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Zarate!
Devine is looking for a sweep.
Zarate tries to move into full mount but can't pass Devine's legs.
Zarate working the body and head with strikes.

Zarate stands up.
Zarate closes the distance looking to clinch

and Devine counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Devine jumps guard but Zarate stands there with Devine around his waist. Devine gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zarate trying to stall but Devine improves his position.
Devine tries to score a body lock takedown but Zarate shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zarate working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Devine is looking to break free of the clinch but Zarate has double underhooks.

Zarate breaks the clinch.
Devine with a lazy takedown attempt

so Zarate counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
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!
Zarate stops Devine from standing up.

Devine is looking for a triangle but Zarate pushes his legs off easily.
Devine is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zarate is controlling him.
Devine throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Devine is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Devine tries to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Julian Zarate will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Zarate with a poor takedown

and Devine counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Devine wants to take a breather but Zarate is having none of it.
Devine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Devine working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Devine tries to pass to full mount but Zarate defends it.
Devine prevents Zarate from standing back up.
Devine lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Devine wants to free his trapped foot but Zarate is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zarate wants to control but Devine is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Zarate has one foot on Devine's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Zarate shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Devine counters with a shoot takedown. Zarate fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zarate pushes Devine off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Zarate clinches up against the cage.

Zarate manages to break the clinch.
Zarate tries for a takedown but Devine circles away easily

and Devine counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Douglass Devine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julian Zarate.
Zarate is pressing down on Devine's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Devine with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Devine stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zarate swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zarate utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Devine accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Devine is in close to Zarate's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Zarate is rocked!

Devine stands up from Zarate's guard - Devine perhaps looking for a knockout.
Zarate is still on wobbly legs! Can Devine finish him?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zarate fails to land the takedown.
Douglass Devine is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Devine circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zarate seems to have recovered his senses.
Zarate misses the shot to the body.

Devine clinches with his opponent.
Devine throws a knee to the head but misses.
Devine tries a knee to the head but Zarate blocks it.
Devine changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Zarate fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Zarate tries for a takedown but Devine circles away easily

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarate pulls Devine in close to prevent any damage.
Zarate wants to sweep but no luck.
Zarate seems keen to control Devine's posture.
Devine looking to pass the guard.

Zarate scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Zarate misses with a takedown attempt

and Devine moves into the clinch.

Devine breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Devine misses with a series of wild punches.
Zarate wants to clinch

and Devine moves into the clinch.
Devine using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zarate has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Devine ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Devine no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Zarate sitting in guard here, content to control.
Zarate would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Devine working for submissions but it's allowed Zarate to get to half guard.
Devine tries to get to full guard but Zarate has control of the leg.
Zarate performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Devine on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zarate blocks the strikes from Devine.

Zarate stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Zarate falls off balance throwing a combination

and Devine counters with a single leg into guard. Zarate didn't expect that.

And that's the end of the fight!
Douglass Devine showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Devine has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Douglass Devine!