PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lillen Eklund (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Shepherd has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Eklund
vs
Shepherd

180 cm
26
185 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lillen Eklund!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Shepherd!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Shepherd with that takedown attempt.
Shepherd looks for a takedown but Eklund sprawls well.
Eklund throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lillen Eklund seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shepherd showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Eklund.
Shepherd uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Eklund.
Eklund tries to work over Shepherd's front leg with a kick but Shepherd checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eklund lands a right hook to the body.
Eklund fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Shepherd manages to avoid it.
Eklund pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eklund tries to bum rush Shepherd with a series of wild strikes but Shepherd uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Shepherd shoots in and gets a takedown into Eklund's guard.
Shepherd postures up in Eklund's guard and throws a big left but Eklund blocks it.
Shepherd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shepherd throwing strikes from guard but Eklund blocks nicely.
Eklund working a defensive guard here.
Shepherd throws and elbow that misses. Eklund uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Shepherd's guard. Nice move by Eklund!

Shepherd has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Eklund can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Shepherd escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Eklund gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Eklund wants to control from the top but Shepherd keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd looking for a guillotine here but Eklund defends easily.

Shepherd throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Shepherd is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Eklund wants to improve his position but Shepherd is controlling well.
Eklund is working hard here to advance position.
Eklund regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Shepherd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Shepherd drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Shepherd jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Shepherd postures up in Eklund's guard and throws a big left but Eklund blocks it.
Shepherd won't allow Eklund to sweep him here.
Eklund working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shepherd.
Shepherd pushing down on Eklund's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Shepherd missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Shepherd is looking for a kimura here.
Shepherd works his way into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eklund wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Shepherd.

Shepherd is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Eklund to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Eklund shrugs it off.

Shepherd is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Eklund has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Eklund!
Eklund content to stall in guard here.

Shepherd looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Eklund is stalling in the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Shepherd dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Eklund will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Eklund swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Eklund misses with an uppercut. Shepherd saw that one coming.
Shepherd checks a low kick from Eklund.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eklund fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Shepherd checks it well.
Shepherd checks the leg kick.
Eklund will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Some wild striking there from Eklund.
Eklund throws out a loose jab but Shepherd uses good head movement to avoid it.
Eklund misses with a body shot.
Eklund throws a head kick that misses.
A cross from Eklund lands.
Eklund looks to throw the jab but Shepherd is out of range.
Shepherd ducks right into an uppercut from Eklund.
Eklund misses with a body shot

and Shepherd counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eklund is holding on to half guard well.

Shepherd seems to be working for a kimura but Eklund defends the submission attempt.
Shepherd thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Eklund's head.
Eklund is looking to improve his position.
Shepherd is thwarting Eklund's attempts to control the position.
Eklund wants to improve his position but Shepherd is controlling well.
Shepherd not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Shepherd sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Eklund defending well though.

Shepherd is trying to work for a kimura but Eklund is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eklund avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Shepherd.
Shepherd has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shepherd is thwarting Eklund's attempts to control the position.

Shepherd is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Eklund sees it coming and defends easily.

Shepherd is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Eklund is just riding it out for now. Shepherd eventually gives up the hold.
Shepherd throws a strike but Eklund avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Eklund avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Shepherd throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Eklund has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Shepherd has passed into side control.
Eklund tries to bench press Shepherd off him but Shepherd keeps the position.

Shepherd tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Shepherd tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eklund is looking for a sweep.

Shepherd wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Eklund, who protects the arm well.

Shepherd tries for a kimura but Eklund is defending well.
Eklund on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Eklund tries to get out of the position.
Eklund managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Shepherd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Shepherd 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. And we move into the final round!

Eklund looks to land a body kick but Shepherd moved away.
Shepherd shoots in and drives through. Eklund sprawls well.
The crowd cheers as Eklund lands an impressive looking overhand right. Shepherd doesn't seem phased though.
Shepherd walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sloppy strikes from Eklund. Those never looked like landing.
Eklund cracks the inside of Shepherd's front leg.
Eklund looks for the body kick but Shepherd saw that one coming.
A jab lands there for Eklund.
Eklund jabs at Shepherd's body.
Eklund scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Eklund. Shepherd shrugs it off though.
Eklund misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Eklund misses with a body kick.
Shepherd takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Eklund.
Eklund misses with a kick to the body.
Eklund connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Shepherd has a takedown stuffed.
Shepherd takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Eklund fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Shepherd has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd walks forward, straight into a front kick from Eklund.
Eklund ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shepherd moves away.
Eklund tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Eklund paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Shepherd moves out of range as Eklund throws a body kick.
Eklund throws a lazy body kick
and Shepherd makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nice body punch from Eklund.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Eklund throws a poor cross that misses

and Shepherd counters with a nice double leg into side control. Eklund won't be happy with that.
Eklund can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eklund is looking to regain half guard here but Shepherd keeps moving and retains side control.

Shepherd is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Eklund knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Eklund can't do much from the bottom here.
Eklund defending against the ground and pound.

Shepherd goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Eklund rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Shepherd's guard! Nice work there by Eklund!

Shepherd has his foot on Eklund's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Eklund works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Shepherd looking for a sweep. Not yet Shepherd, not yet.
Eklund stays in close to Shepherd's body and controls the position.

Shepherd escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Eklund gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Shepherd working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Eklund doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Eklund manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Lillen Eklund has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Shepherd is looking for a triangle but Eklund pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Eklund postures up in Shepherd's guard and throws a big left but Shepherd blocks it.
Eklund working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Eklund has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Eklund is looking to work some ground and pound but Shepherd has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lillen Eklund showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Shepherd has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Shepherd!