PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Belial Zaapiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tanom Jaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jaa is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Advanced Training! from the movie Kick Boxer!. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Zaapiel
vs
Jaa

171 cm
24
155 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

172 cm
28
155 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Belial Zaapiel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tanom Jaa!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zaapiel cracks Jaa with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Zaapiel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zaapiel feints and then cracks Jaa's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Jaa down.
Jaa fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Zaapiel checks it well.
Jaa walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Jaa throws a head kick that misses

and Zaapiel moves into the clinch.
Zaapiel lands a shoulder strike.
Jaa presses Zaapiel against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Jaa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zaapiel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jaa misses with a low kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Zaapiel checks a leg kick.
Zaapiel fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaapiel throws a looping overhand right but Jaa ducks down to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Zaapiel.
Jaa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zaapiel misses with a series of wild punches.
Jaa moves out of range of the body kick.
Zaapiel swings for the body but Jaa moves out of range.
Zaapiel throws a combination that misses
and Jaa counters with a nice leg kick.
Jaa keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Zaapiel stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Jaa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaapiel swings for the body but Jaa moves out of range.
Belial Zaapiel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Zaapiel closes the distance and pushes Jaa back into the cage.
Jaa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zaapiel misses with a knee to the head.
Zaapiel's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Zaapiel blocks an elbow strike.
Zaapiel misses with an elbow over the top.
Jaa looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Jaa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zaapiel tries to clinch but Jaa moves away
and Jaa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Zaapiel throws a push kick but Jaa slaps the foot to one side.
Belial Zaapiel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zaapiel's jab looks to have found its range, popping Jaa under the eye.
A good leg kick by Zaapiel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaapiel connects with a jab.
Jaa blocks the body kick.
Zaapiel wants to clinch.
Zaapiel swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zaapiel throws a body kick that misses.
Zaapiel moves out of range of the leg kick from Jaa.
A punch combination from Zaapiel misses.
Zaapiel misses with a hook
and Jaa counters with a slapping leg kick.
Zaapiel throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jaa shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Jaa lands a slapping body shot.
Nice cross by Zaapiel.
Zaapiel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Jaa.
Zaapiel scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Jaa connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Zaapiel tries to clinch there but Jaa circles away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zaapiel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa checks a leg kick nicely.
Jaa blocks the body kick.
Zaapiel on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Jaa. Jaa obviously looking to wear him down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Belial Zaapiel dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Jaa displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zaapiel throws out the jab.
Jaa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zaapiel.
Zaapiel throws a wild body kick that Jaa sees coming a mile off.
Jaa steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Zaapiel. That one must have hurt.
Zaapiel swings widly with a right hand
and Jaa counters with a low kick, right behind Zaapiel 's knee.
Zaapiel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zaapiel connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Jaa momentarily.
Jaa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zaapiel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Zaapiel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zaapiel scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jaa. Zaapiel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zaapiel tries to clinch but Jaa moves out of range.
Zaapiel misses with a straight right.
Zaapiel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zaapiel tries to land a front kick but Jaa steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Jaa staying out of range there.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zaapiel.
Zaapiel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zaapiel throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaapiel throws a looping overhand right but Jaa ducks down to avoid it.
Jaa tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Zaapiel is able to avoid easily.
Zaapiel tried to score with a low kick but Jaa checks it.
Jaa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zaapiel just misses with a punch to the body.
Jaa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zaapiel.

Zaapiel clinches.
Jaa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Zaapiel misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jaa.
Jaa is trying to break free.

Jaa turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Jaa manages to end up in side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jaa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zaapiel keeps working.
Zaapiel tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Jaa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jaa trying to control the position but Zaapiel is working away.
Jaa cracks Zaapiel with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Jaa wants to control but Zaapiel is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jaa postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Jaa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zaapiel prevents Jaa from moving into mount.
Jaa throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Jaa working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaapiel gets back to half guard.
Jaa working the head and body with strikes.
Jaa wants to take a breather but Zaapiel is having none of it.
Zaapiel wants to get back to full guard.
Zaapiel won't allow Jaa to pass to mount.
Jaa perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tanom Jaa 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!

Jaa on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Jaa moves out of range of the body kick from Zaapiel.
Zaapiel throws a body kick that misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Zaapiel.
Zaapiel is looking to clinch but Jaa is avoiding it.
Zaapiel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jaa misses with a leg kick.
Zaapiel connects with an inside leg kick.
Jaa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zaapiel sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jaa somewhat.
Jaa walks into a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaapiel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jaa wants to slow Zaapiel down by chopping away at his legs.
Jaa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zaapiel as he avoids it easily.
Jaa moves forwards but Zaapiel connects with a nice, crisp jab.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Jaa checks a leg kick.
Zaapiel is looking to clinch.
Jaa avoids the body shot from Zaapiel.
Jaa looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Jaa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zaapiel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zaapiel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A solid leg kick lands there for Jaa.
Zaapiel is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Jaa keeps the fight on the outside.
Jaa slips under a jab from Zaapiel.
Zaapiel throws a sloppy head kick

and Jaa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zaapiel's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zaapiel is trying to keep Jaa in close.
Jaa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zaapiel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zaapiel keeping moving, preventing Jaa from controlling successfully.
Jaa forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jaa is pressing down on Zaapiel's thigh, looking to free his foot. Zaapiel is holding on for now.
Jaa trying to control from half guard but Zaapiel is working away.
Jaa is taking a breather. Zaapiel says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Jaa is trying to control. Zaapiel wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jaa controlling the action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tanom Jaa was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Zaapiel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaapiel lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Zaapiel fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Jaa gets tackled into the cage by Zaapiel. Zaapiel maintains the clinch.
Nice elbow from Zaapiel.
Zaapiel lands an elbow just above Jaa 's eye.
Zaapiel unloads a knee to the mid-section. Jaa lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Jaa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A big right from Zaapiel misses.

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 Belial Zaapiel.
I think Zaapiel 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Belial Zaapiel!