PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Luciano Maciel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Zivic (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.

Maciel
vs
Zivic

177 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Luciano Maciel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Johnny Zivic!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Santiago Holmes and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maciel throws a poor cross that misses
and Zivic connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zivic connects with a right hand. Maciel shakes it off.
Zivic lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Maciel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zivic sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maciel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Maciel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A punch lands to the side of Maciel 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Zivic digs a good hook to Maciel's body.
Zivic scores with a shot to the body.
Maciel throws a hook to the side of Zivic's head but Zivic sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
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!
Maciel on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Maciel misses the target.
Zivic ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Zivic scores with a crisp jab that stopped Maciel in his tracks.
A right-left combo lands from Zivic.
Donk. Zivic catches Maciel right on the button with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zivic lands a two punch combo.
Nice body punch from Zivic.
A nice leg kick lands there from Zivic.
Zivic feints and then cracks Maciel's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Maciel down.
Maciel needs to keep his hands up - Zivic had a free shot at his head there.
Zivic has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Zivic blocks a jab.
Zivic jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Zivic scores with a sloppy right hand. Maciel should have avoided that one.
Zivic smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zivic lands the left hand.
Zivic lands a glancing blow to the side of Maciel's head.
Zivic scores with a body shot.
Maciel misses with a straight left.
Maciel takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Zivic scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zivic doesn't manage to clinch there - Maciel circles away.
Zivic connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Johnny Zivic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Zivic.
Maciel throws a head kick that misses.
Zivic bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Maciel's head.
Zivic tries to clinch up but Maciel circles away and keeps his distance.
Zivic tries to close the distance and clinch but Maciel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maciel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zivic sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Zivic tries to clinch but Maciel moves out of range.
Maciel throws a jab when Zivic was well out of range.
Maciel throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zivic lands with an overhand left.
A cross from Zivic lands.
Maciel misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Maciel misses.
A nice side step and Zivic releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Zivic connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Maciel's hands.
Maciel is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
A nice combination there by Zivic.
Maciel takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Maciel moves forwards but Zivic connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Maciel thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zivic scores with a jab to the jaw.

Maciel is rocked!
Zivic lands a really nice looking cross but Maciel seems unphased.
Oh Maciel is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Zivic blocks a jab.
Zivic thuds his right hand into Maciel's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zivic darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Maciel takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Maciel with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Zivic to score with a decent uppercut.
Maciel misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Maciel misses.
Maciel seems to have got his legs back now.
Zivic lands a glancing blow to the side of Maciel's head.
Zivic keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Zivic lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Zivic uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maciel.
Zivic is working the combinations to good effect here.
Maciel throws a jab when Zivic was well out of range.
Maciel takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Johnny Zivic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zivic scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Maciel doesn't seem bothered though.
Zivic scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Maciel doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Zivic is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Maciel had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zivic fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Maciel, pushing him back against the cage.
Zivic lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zivic lands a shoulder strike.
Zivic lands a nice shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A jab from Maciel misses.
Maciel has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Maciel there as he acknowledges the shot.
The crowd cheers as Zivic lands an impressive looking overhand right. Maciel doesn't seem phased though.
Maciel walks into a jab.
Maciel is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Zivic works the jab nicely.
Zivic keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Nice body punch from Zivic.
Zivic looks to land a combination. Maciel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maciel takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nice uppercut there from Zivic.
Maciel throws out a loose jab but Zivic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zivic lands a nice shot to the body.
Maciel misses with a hook.
A countering left hand to the body from Zivic misses.
Maciel is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Zivic's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Maciel lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zivic circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zivic throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Zivic wants to clinch up but Maciel keeps it at a distance.
Maciel throws a jab but it's blocked by Zivic.
A little jabbing left from Zivic on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Maciel on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Zivic lands with a good body shot.
Maciel missing with a left hand there. Zivic was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Zivic appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Maciel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zivic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maciel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zivic moves away.
Zivic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zivic looks to land a combination. Maciel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Zivic changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Zivic.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maciel misses with an uppercut. Zivic saw that one coming.
Zivic let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zivic doesn't manage to clinch there - Maciel circles away.
Maciel throws an off balance right hand
and Zivic counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zivic scores with a shot to the body.
A nice combination there by Zivic.
Zivic tries to clinch up.
Zivic slips a straight right by Maciel.
Maciel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Maciel shoots in and gets a takedown into Zivic's guard.
Maciel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zivic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maciel is one step ahead there.
Maciel works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maciel throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Maciel thows a huge punch but Zivic dodges it nicely.
Maciel thows a huge punch but Zivic dodges it nicely.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Maciel in particular looking to stall.
Maciel has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Maciel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zivic defending well though.

Maciel is looking for a kimura but Zivic is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Maciel to get the leverage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maciel controlling the action here.

Maciel seems to be working for a kimura but Zivic defends the submission attempt.

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.
Zivic is looking for a sweep. Maciel is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maciel tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zivic knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Maciel has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maciel throws some wild stikes that Zivic manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Zivic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Zivic digs a good body shot into Maciel's ribs.

Maciel closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Maciel trying to control the position but Zivic is working away.
Zivic defending against the ground and pound.

Maciel looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Luciano Maciel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maciel sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Zivic is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zivic is trying to control Maciel's posture but Maciel avoids it.
Zivic really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Maciel. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zivic tries to control but Maciel manages to take his back.
I really don't envy Zivic right now.
Maciel struggling to land strikes to the head as Zivic covers up.
Maciel not allowing Zivic to control his hands.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Maciel controlling the positon.

Maciel is cranking Zivic's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Zivic! He's tightened the choke and Zivic is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Luciano Maciel!
Luciano Maciel seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.