PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ridley Carver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonas Zebrutis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Carver
vs
Zebrutis

185 cm
25
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ridley Carver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jonas Zebrutis!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Josh West and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zebrutis wants to clinch
and Carver counters with a left to the body.

Carver drives through with a takedown into guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Zebrutis being controlled here, momentarily.
Carver knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zebrutis on the ground.
Zebrutis wants to control but Carver passes easily into half guard.
Zebrutis is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Carver's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Carver's back!

Zebrutis is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Carver knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Carver for a finish.
Carver controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zebrutis not allowing Carver to control his hands.
Carver tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Zebrutis throws some wild stikes that Carver manages to avoid easily.
Zebrutis is landing with some decent strikes but Carver is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Carver is looking to get to half guard.
Zebrutis wants to control the pace but Carver is squirming around nicely.
Carver tries to lock up and control but Zebrutis gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Carver is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carver tries to hold on but Zebrutis pushes him away.
Carver is desperately trying to improve his position but Zebrutis has a good base and remains in mount.
Carver takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Carver has given up his back here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Carver wants to control his opponent's hands but Zebrutis gets his hands free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zebrutis lands shots from the back.
Carver manages to reverse the position and now he's in Zebrutis's guard. Nice work there by Carver.
Zebrutis trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zebrutis wants to sweep here but Carver controlling him for the moment.
Carver stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zebrutis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zebrutis is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Zebrutis is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Carver is aware though and is defending well.
Zebrutis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Carver wants to get up but he can't break Zebrutis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zebrutis is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Carver looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Zebrutis controls Carver momentarily but Carver frees himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Carver shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jonas Zebrutis will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Zebrutis with a poor takedown

and Carver counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Zebrutis's guard now.

Carver avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Carver seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Zebrutis is trying to keep Carver in close.
Zebrutis controlling the position.
Carver stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zebrutis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Carver tries to stand but Zebrutis is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zebrutis trying to keep a closed guard but Carver is proving a slippery customer.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Ridley Carver has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Zebrutis gets caught flat footed, as Carver shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Carver stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zebrutis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zebrutis 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.
Carver wants to control from the top but Zebrutis keeps moving.
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.
Zebrutis working a defensive guard here.
Zebrutis looking for a sweep. Not yet Zebrutis, not yet.
Carver has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Zebrutis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Carver loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Carver working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Carver landing with the ground and pound.

Zebrutis looking for a guillotine here but Carver defends easily.
Zebrutis is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Carver is looking to stand up but Zebrutis won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carver trying to control the position from guard on top but Zebrutis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carver tries to free his leg and advance position but Zebrutis is retaining full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zebrutis is on top in guard.
Carver is pulling down on Zebrutis's head. It's preventing any offense from Zebrutis, at least for the moment.
Zebrutis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Carver is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carver looking for a sweep. Not yet Carver, not yet.
Zebrutis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Carver looking for a sweep. Not yet Carver, not yet.
Carver is controlling Zebrutis's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ridley Carver wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Carver avoids a punch combination nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carver misses with a two punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ridley Carver dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Carver closes the distance and pushes Zebrutis back into the cage.
Carver taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Carver manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Carver as Zebrutis shoots in.

Carver dives in and scores a takedown into Zebrutis's guard.
Carver throws a big right hand that misses.

Zebrutis had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Carver defends it easily.
Zebrutis thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Carver pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zebrutis is keeping the position for now.
Carver scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zebrutis tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zebrutis wants to hit a switch here but Carver passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Zebrutis there!
Zebrutis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zebrutis tries to lock up and control but Carver gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Carver cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Zebrutis bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Zebrutis looking to sit in guard and control but Carver gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carver working some strikes from top position.
Carver content to stall in guard here.
Carver stops Zebrutis from standing up.
Carver looking to sit in guard and control but Zebrutis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Carver on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Carver tries to get out of the position.
Carver looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carver controls Zebrutis momentarily but Zebrutis frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ridley Carver.
Zebrutis doesn't manage to clinch there - Carver circles away.
Carver tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zebrutis swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carver looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zebrutis is fending him off so far but Carver persists. Nope, Zebrutis circles away and we're back to standing.
Carver shoots in for a takedown but Zebrutis shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Carver looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zebrutis misses with a body kick.
Zebrutis shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Carver pinned against the cage. Carver gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Carver stalks Zebrutis and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Zebrutis's face. Zebrutis staggers backwards, shaken.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zebrutis fails to land the takedown.
Ridley Carver has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonas Zebrutis.
Zebrutis fails with the takedown

and Carver counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Carver.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ridley Carver showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Carver has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ridley Carver!