PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nipon Lunlana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shepard
vs
Lunlana

180 cm
20
135 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

168 cm
19
143 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Global Empire MMA Gear

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Shepard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nipon Lunlana!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepard darts in trying to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Lunlana circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lunlana circles away from the clinch attempt
and Lunlana counters with a nice low kick that buckles Shepard's knee momentarily.
Shepard moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Lunlana throws a leg kick

and Shepard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Lunlana wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Shepard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Shepard jumps guard but Lunlana stands there with Shepard around his waist. Shepard gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Lunlana's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard tries to clinch up
and Lunlana makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Nice sprawl there from Lunlana as Shepard shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Shepard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepard tries to clinch but Lunlana is having none of it.
Shepard moves to clinch but Lunlana breaks away
and Lunlana counters with a nice body kick.
Shepard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
That kick from Lunlana tenderised Shepard's leg. Shepard is trying to keep his angry face on.
Lunlana throws a leg kick that misses.
Shepard wants to clinch but Lunlana slips to the side
and Lunlana counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard tries to clinch but fails miserably
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Shepard stalks Lunlana and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Lunlana's face. Lunlana staggers backwards, shaken.
Shepard doesn't manage to clinch there - Lunlana circles away.
Shepard lands a jab to the nose.
Shepard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lunlana swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shepard darts in trying to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shepard darts in trying to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lunlana misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Shepard wants to clinch.
Lunlana connects with an inside leg kick.
Shepard changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lunlana tries to avoid it but Shepard manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lunlana to the ground. Lunlana escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Shepard avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lunlana throws a sloppy head kick and Shepard moves out of range easily.
Shepard closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lunlana shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Shepard is looking to clinch.
Shepard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lunlana paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepard throws a head kick but Lunlana moves out of range.
Lunlana throws a quick inside leg kick.
Shepard tries to clinch up
and Lunlana counters with a nice low kick that buckles Shepard's knee momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shepard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lunlana paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepard closes the distance looking to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nipon Lunlana will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Shepard tries to clinch up
enabling Lunlana to counter with a crisp jab.

Shepard darts in and clinches Lunlana up against the cage.
Lunlana has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Lunlana breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shepard tries to clinch but Lunlana moves away
and Lunlana counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Shepard tries to clinch but Lunlana is having none of it.
Lunlana lets loose with a powerful body kick. Shepard will feel that in the morning.
Shepard closes the distance and clinches up with Lunlana, looking for a takedown. Shepard pushes Lunlana against the cage but Lunlana circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shepard tries to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a nice low kick that buckles Shepard's knee momentarily.
Shepard shoots in for a takedown but Lunlana shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Shepard lands an impressive looking overhand right. Lunlana doesn't seem phased though.
Shepard tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lunlana makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Lunlana misses with a double jab
and Shepard counters with a left to the body.
Shepard wants to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a flying knee. Nice.
John Shepard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shepard avoids the head kick by Lunlana.
Shepard tries to clinch there but Lunlana circles away.
Shepard looks to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nipon Lunlana seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shepard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lunlana swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lunlana misses with a low kick.
Lunlana circles away from the clinch attempt.

Shepard darts in and clinches Lunlana up against the cage.

Lunlana breaks the clinch.
Shepard closes the distance but Lunlana moves to the side
and Lunlana makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Shepard really felt that one!
Shepard takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shepard throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lunlana pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lunlana scoring well with a low kick there.
Shepard is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Lunlana takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Shepard is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Shepard gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Lunlana cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shepard tries to clinch up
and Lunlana counters with a head kick.
Shepard lands a nice hook to Lunlana's body. Lunlana takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lunlana walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Shepard checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Shepard moves to clinch but Lunlana breaks away
and Lunlana counters with a solid body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lunlana throws a front kick aimed at Shepard's knee but Shepard avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice takedown defense from Lunlana. No joy for Shepard on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Shepard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepard wants to clinch up but Lunlana keeps it at a distance.
Shepard pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Shepard tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lunlana makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shepard takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nipon Lunlana will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lunlana chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Shepard moves to clinch but Lunlana breaks away
and Lunlana counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Lunlana keeps the fight on the outside.
Lunlana does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Shepard avoids the head kick by Lunlana.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Shepard.
Lunlana tried to score with a low kick but Shepard checks it.
Lunlana misses with a left hand

and Shepard moves into the clinch.
Shepard prevents Lunlana from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard fails to pull guard.
Shepard missing with knees to the body.
Shepard tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lunlana smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Shepard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepard closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a big head kick but Shepard shrugs it off.
Lunlana throws a quick inside leg kick.
Shepard tries to clinch up
and Lunlana counters with a thumping low kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Shepard blocks the leg kick.
Shepard tries to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a nice leg kick.
Nipon Lunlana is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard moves to clinch but Lunlana breaks away
and Lunlana counters with a slapping leg kick.
Nice uppercut there from Shepard.
Shepard is looking to clinch.
Nipon Lunlana is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shepard looks to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Lunlana tries to score with a low kick but Shepard moves his leg out of the way.
Shepard cracks Lunlana with a good jab.
An inside leg kick from Lunlana misses.
Shepard fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lunlana throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lunlana paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepard closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lunlana counters with a slapping leg kick.
Shepard has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Lunlana.
Shepard wants to clinch.
Lunlana dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Shepard. That did some damage!
Lunlana is looking to land body kicks.
John Shepard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard tries to clinch but Lunlana moves out of range.
Shepard wants to clinch up but Lunlana keeps it at a distance.
Shepard fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shepard jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lunlana walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Shepard checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lunlana swats away the attempt to clinch by Shepard.
Lunlana misses with a low kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shepard moves in looking to clinch but Lunlana pushes him off.
Shepard closes the distance but Lunlana moves to the side
and Lunlana counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nipon Lunlana.
I've got Lunlana 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nipon Lunlana!
During a confident post fight interview, Nipon Lunlana thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.