PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between joe JO (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Shemper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

JO
vs
Shemper

150 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, joe JO!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Shemper!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, William Peck and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shemper darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Shemper wants to lay and pray for a moment but JO keeps working.

Shemper is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Shemper wants to pass the guard but JO is defending well.
JO really is a fat lump.
Shemper missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
JO knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shemper on the ground.
Shemper is looking to advance position but JO won't allow it.
JO looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shemper is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Shemper is looking for a kimura but JO is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Shemper to get the leverage.
Shemper looks gassed!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
JO tries a head kick but it misses.
JO throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
JO lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
JO misses with a few strikes there.
JO throws a right and a left that Shemper avoids nicely.
JO tries to bum rush Shemper with a series of wild strikes but Shemper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
JO throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
JO misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
JO fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Shemper has JO up against the cage in a clinch.
JO wants to break the clinch but can't.
JO is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shemper tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. JO just stands there and leans against the cage.

Shemper breaks from the clinch.
JO jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
joe JO seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
JO pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
JO throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shemper.
Danga de danga de dang - JO scores with a four punch combination!
JO throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shemper sees it coming and avoids it easily.

JO gets caught flat footed, as Shemper shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
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!
Shemper wants to pass the guard but JO is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shemper wants to control from the top but JO keeps moving.
JO keeping full guard, as Shemper tries to pass.
Shemper working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Shemper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. JO swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
JO utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Shemper wants to control from the top but JO keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
JO scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Shemper drives through with a takedown into guard.
JO keeping moving, preventing Shemper from controlling successfully.
JO can't keep his opponent in guard - Shemper advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that joe JO will probably get the nod.
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.

Shemper scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Shemper is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but JO is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Shemper wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by JO, who protects the arm well.
Shemper wants to lay and pray for a moment but JO keeps working.
Shemper is breathing heavily.
Shemper tries to advance to mount but JO denies him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shemper looking to control but instead JO has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Shemper is looking to take a break and control but JO is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
JO won't allow Shemper to pass to mount.

Shemper is trying to work for a kimura but JO is defending well.
JO is not content to let Shemper control the position.

That's two 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shemper walks into a left hand.
joe JO is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
JO pulls out of a head kick attempt.
JO looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Shemper scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
JO is trying to escape back to his feet but Shemper uses the scramble to pass into side control.

Shemper working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
JO pushes Shemper away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Shemper gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shemper thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
JO might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Shemper working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Shemper trying to control the action but JO is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Shemper is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. JO knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
JO is not content to let Shemper control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Shemper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Shemper slips a jab and a cross from JO.
JO tries a head kick but it misses.
A combination from JO does no damage.
JO pulls out of a head kick attempt.
joe JO is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shemper looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Shemper sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed JO's guard.
Shemper wants to take a breather but JO is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shemper stops JO from getting back to his feet.
Shemper missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Shemper wants to pass to mount but JO is defending the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
JO throws a series of punches but Shemper avoids them all with ease.
JO rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shemper moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Shemper gets the takedown into side control.

Shemper swings around for an armbar but JO sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Shemper's guard.
JO has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Shemper wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
JO tries to stand but Shemper is controlling from the bottom.
Shemper looking to control.
Shemper tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Shemper working for a triangle but JO defends it easily.

Shemper looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Shemper scores with a head kick.
JO tries to bum rush Shemper with a series of wild strikes but Shemper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Shemper has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

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

Shemper is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Shemper is looking for a kimura but JO is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Shemper to get the leverage.

Shemper is working for a kimura but JO is defending it quite comfortably.

Shemper is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shemper is trying to control the action in half guard but JO is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Shemper is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Shemper seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but JO does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Shemper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shemper 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 28:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Shemper!