PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dale Dribble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Sherpard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Sherpard's choice of entrance music: Locust. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Dribble
vs
Sherpard

177 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

195 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dale Dribble!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick Sherpard!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sherpard takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Rick Sherpard has been cut.
Dribble tries to bum rush Sherpard with a series of wild strikes but Sherpard uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sherpard takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Dribble lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Dribble moves out of range as Sherpard throws a body kick.

Sherpard closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sherpard drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dribble wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sherpard landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Sherpard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Dribble gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Sherpard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dribble pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Dribble looks for the body kick but Sherpard saw that one coming.

Dribble drives through and clinches with Sherpard against the cage.
Dribble is trying to break the clinch but Sherpard has him pressed against the cage.
Sherpard jumps guard but Dribble stands there with Sherpard around his waist. Sherpard gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sherpard wants a takedown but no success here.
Dale Dribble has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Sherpard.
Sherpard looks gassed!
Sherpard keeps control of Dribble as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Sherpard is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Dribble can't fight it off and eventually Sherpard manages to take the fight to the floor. Dribble looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dribble seems keen to control Sherpard's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dribble pushes Sherpard off and gets back to his feet.
Sherpard misses with a takedown attempt - Dribble sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Dribble moves into range and clinches up with Sherpard.
Dribble is trying to break the clinch but Sherpard has him pressed against the cage.
Dribble wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sherpard has him pressed against the cage.
Dribble wants to break free but Sherpard has control.
Dribble wants a takedown.

Sherpard jumps guard and drags Dribble to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Dribble trying to control but Sherpard is working from the bottom.
Dribble could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Dribble content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dribble trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherpard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dribble chips away with some ground and pound.
Dribble keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sherpard's head.
Dribble works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Dribble slips a nice elbow through Sherpard's hands, connecting with Sherpard's forehead.
Dribble thows a huge punch but Sherpard dodges it nicely.
Sherpard desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Dribble 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.
Sherpard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sherpard controlling the position well.
Sherpard has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Dribble is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dribble wants to take a breather but Sherpard is having none of it.
Dribble tries to stand and escape but Sherpard is controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Dribble takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Sherpard keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Dribble.

Sherpard closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Sherpard breaks the clinch.
Dribble scores with a three punch combo!
Sherpard fails with the takedown.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sherpard looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Dribble stalks Sherpard and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sherpard's face. Sherpard staggers backwards, shaken.
Dribble doesn't manage to clinch there - Sherpard circles away.
Dribble misses with a kick to the body

and Sherpard decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dribble's guard.
Dribble is looking to stand up but Sherpard isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dribble keeping full guard, as Sherpard tries to pass.
Sherpard slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Dribble looking to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sherpard gets to his feet. Dribble looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Dale Dribble seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dribble tries to clinch but Sherpard moves away
and Sherpard counters with a right hand to the body.

Dribble tries to keep at a distance but Sherpard has taken the fight into the clinch.

Sherpard has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Dribble uses from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rick Sherpard will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rick Sherpard's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sherpard shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Dribble 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.
Dribble lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sherpard!
Sherpard is trying desperately to improve position.
Dribble tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sherpard is bucking up trying to escape but Dribble cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Dribble breaks from Sherpard's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Dribble in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Dribble looking to control but Sherpard is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dribble lands with some strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sherpard is in a horrible position here. Dribble smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dribble looking to control but Sherpard is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dribble with good strikes from the mount here!
Sherpard is looking to improve his position but Dribble isn't that keen on the idea.
Dribble looking to finish Sherpard with some ground and pound. This is bad for Sherpard!
Dribble trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sherpard is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sherpard throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Dribble is stalling here but it's allowed Sherpard to get half guard.
Sherpard is positioning himself well to prevent Dribble advancing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherpard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dribble.
Dribble scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Dribble is thwarting Sherpard's attempts to control the position.
Rick Sherpard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dribble lands strikes from half guard.

Dribble stands up out of the half guard.
Dribble changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Dribble feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sherpard's calf.

Sherpard rushes Dribble and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Dribble breaks from the clinch.

Sherpard shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sherpard content to control rather than advance.

Dribble looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dribble trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Sherpard with a couple of short strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dribble wants to control but Sherpard is having none of it.
Dribble is looking to improve his position but Sherpard isn't that keen on the idea.
Dribble throwing hammer fists to the chest of Sherpard. What's that going to do exactly?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dribble is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dribble wants to hold on but Sherpard pushes him away.
Dribble is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sherpard connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dribble tries to hold on but Sherpard pushes him away.
Dribble can't escape the position.
Dribble regains half guard.
Dribble wants to get back to full guard.
Dribble moves into full guard.
Sherpard trying to control but Dribble is working from the bottom.
Dribble tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sherpard sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sherpard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sherpard connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rick Sherpard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Rick Sherpard's cut.
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!

Sherpard shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dribble as he jumps to the side.

Dribble shoots in and bounces Sherpard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Dribble controlling from the top position.
Dribble wants to pass the guard but Sherpard is keeping the position.
Dribble slips nicely into half guard.
Sherpard wants to get back to full guard.

Dribble gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Dribble lands a two punch combo.
Sherpard moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sherpard throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dribble takes a swing at Sherpard's ribcage but misses.
Dribble fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dribble gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Sherpard counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dribble's guard now.
Sherpard postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Dribble bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sherpard's guard.
Sherpard has a closed guard, preventing Dribble from standing up.
Dribble trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherpard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dribble is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Dribble works over Sherpard with some ground and pound from guard.
Sherpard doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Dribble lands a couple of digs.
Sherpard trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dribble would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Dribble trying to control but Sherpard is working from the bottom.
Sherpard seems keen to control Dribble's posture.
Sherpard keeping moving, preventing Dribble from controlling successfully.

Dribble stands and steps away. Sherpard gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Dribble gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dribble looking to control.
Dribble might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sherpard stops Dribble from standing up.
Sherpard passes Dribble's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Dribble gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dribble has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sherpard can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Dribble is trying to keep Sherpard in close.
Dribble looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sherpard postures up.
Dribble wants to stand and escape but Sherpard is having none of it.
Sherpard postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Dribble wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Dribble misses with a kick to the body

and Sherpard decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dribble's guard.
Sherpard controlling from the top position.
Sherpard postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherpard tries to free his leg and advance position but Dribble is retaining full guard.
Dribble trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Sherpard controls from within his opponent's guard.
Dribble manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sherpard manages to get himself to full guard.
Dribble stopping the sweep attempt from Sherpard.
Dale Dribble has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dribble scoring with punches to the head and body.
Dribble won't allow Sherpard to sweep him here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dribble trying to control but Sherpard is working from the bottom.
Sherpard trying to control the position here.
Sherpard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Sherpard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sherpard 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Sherpard!