PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jason Shields (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denzell Holliman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Shields
vs
Holliman

177 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
145 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jason Shields!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Denzell Holliman!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holliman moves into the clinch.
Holliman on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Holliman pulls Shields into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Holliman uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Holliman shoots in and bounces Shields off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Holliman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Holliman gets to his feet - Shields follows without any prompting.
Shields closes the distance looking to clinch

and Holliman counters with a single leg into guard. Shields didn't expect that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shields looking to control.
Holliman slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holliman sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Shields's guard.
Shields won't allow Holliman to pass to mount.
Holliman takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Holliman decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Shields throws a leg kick
and Holliman counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A big left from Holliman misses.

Holliman closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Holliman content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Holliman is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shields has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shields is looking to control Holliman's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shields avoid being mounted?
Holliman stops Shields from getting back to his feet.
Holliman is thwarting Shields's attempts to control the position.
Shields wants to get back to full guard.
Holliman controlling the pace.
Holliman passes to side control.
Shields is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holliman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Shields, who protects the arm well.
Holliman controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Holliman tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Check out the look on Holliman's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shields tries to improve position but can't.
A lull in the action here as Holliman stalls from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denzell Holliman dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Shields sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Shields throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Holliman counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Well, if Holliman is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Holliman decides to stand up.

Holliman scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Holliman throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Holliman works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holliman content just to control the position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Holliman takes Shields's back.
Holliman lands shots from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good control from Holliman.
Shields can't escape the position.

Holliman looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Shields is controlling Holliman 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
Shields is fighting to break Holliman's control of his arms but Holliman is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holliman is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Shields is aware though and is defending well.
Holliman looking for a sweep. Not yet Holliman, not yet.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Holliman holds on and takes a little breather.
Shields pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Holliman is keeping the position for now.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Shields decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Holliman, up you get!

Holliman closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Holliman in particular looking to stall.
Holliman's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Holliman tries to pass to full mount but Shields defends it.
Holliman is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Denzell Holliman has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Denzell Holliman wasn't active enough on the ground.
Shields fails with the takedown

and Holliman counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denzell Holliman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Holliman gets a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Holliman.

Holliman gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Shields trying to control here.
Holliman performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Shields looking for submissions off his back.
Holliman stops Shields from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holliman performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Holliman is looking for a kimura but Shields is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Holliman to get the leverage.
Holliman is controlling the pace.
Shields misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Shields has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Holliman is working away from the top position though.

Holliman decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Holliman dives in and scores a takedown into Shields's guard.
Holliman controlling from the top position.
Holliman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holliman postures up in Shields's guard and throws a big left but Shields blocks it.
Holliman postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Holliman keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Shields's head.
Holliman sitting in guard here, content to control.
Holliman working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Holliman is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Shields is working an open guard so Holliman takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holliman is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shields's half guard.
Shields taking some punishment here, with Holliman in his half guard.
Shields wants to control but Holliman is keeping busy.

Holliman stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Shields misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Denzell Holliman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Holliman has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denzell Holliman!