PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Via Dios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and William Shafer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dios comes to the cage accompanied by Sandstorm. 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.

Dios
vs
Shafer

185 cm
34
141 lbs
19 - 17 - 0

180 cm
23
145 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Via Dios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, William Shafer!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shafer gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Shafer rushes Dios and presses him up against the cage.

Shafer gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Dios wants to sweep but no luck.

Dios is looking for a triangle but Shafer pushes his legs off easily.
Shafer is working Dios over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dios keeping moving, preventing Shafer from controlling successfully.
Dios really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Dios is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dios bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shafer's guard.
Dios throws a big elbow that misses.
Shafer looking to control.
Dios trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shafer is trying to keep Dios in close.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. William Shafer wasn't active enough on the ground.

Shafer closes the distance and pushes Dios back into the cage.
Shafer tries to land knees in the clinch but Dios avoids the damage to the body.
Dios tries a knee to the head but Shafer blocks it.
Dios stalling in the clinch but Shafer improves position.
Dios lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Shafer avoiding damage.

Dios breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dios shoots in and bounces Shafer off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shafer looking to control.
Dios trying to control but Shafer is working from the bottom.
Dios forces his way into half guard.
Shafer is looking to improve his position.

Dios is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Dios throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dios thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shafer's head.
Dios thows a huge punch but Shafer dodges it nicely.
Dios not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dios wants to take a breather but Shafer is having none of it.
Dios trying to pass the guard but Shafer defending well.
Dios trying to control the action but Shafer is working from the bottom.
Shafer wants to control the action here but instead Dios manages to pass to full mount!
Dios landing strikes from the mount.
Shafer tries to lock up and control but Dios gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Dios postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Shafer looks a forlorn figure.
Dios punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dios cracks Shafer with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
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!
Shafer holds on, trying desperately to control.
Shafer taking shots to the head.
Dios prevents Shafer from getting the reversal.
A nice elbow there by Dios.
Shafer is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Dios lands a heavy elbow.

Shafer is rocked!
Dios putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Shafer is still in real trouble! Can Dios finish him?
Dios looking to control and managing it successfully.
Dios 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.
Shafer wants to hold on but Dios pushes him away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Dios is landing with some decent strikes but Shafer is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Shafer can't escape the position.
Dios looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Shafer covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Via Dios!
An out of breath Via Dios thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.