PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Ramos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Shanks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shanks has chosen Dethklok - The Cyborg Slayers as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ramos
vs
Shanks

188 cm
27
195 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

190 cm
29
180 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Mango Nutrition

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mark Ramos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Shanks!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Alexandre Firmino and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ramos scores with a shot to the body.
Shanks buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Shanks avoids the body shot from Ramos.

Shanks closes the distance and pushes Ramos back into the cage.
Shanks struggles to land a body shot inside as Ramos controls his hands.
Ramos tries to break free but Shanks pushes him back against the cage.
Shanks fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ramos looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ramos tries to circle away but Shanks has him pinned against the cage.
Shanks tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shanks landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ramos lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shanks backwards.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ramos doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shanks avoiding damage.
Ramos looking to slow down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shanks tries to work over Ramos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ramos wants to break free but Shanks has control.
Shanks misses with a punch on the inside.
Shanks can't find room to land a body shot as Ramos controls the action.
Shanks goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ramos.
The referee calls for Shanks to work.
Shanks lands an uppercut.
Shanks stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Ramos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ramos cracks Shanks with a good jab.
Ramos misses with a two punch combination.
Ramos misses the shot to the body.
Shanks throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ramos closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Shanks did well to prevent Ramos getting side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shanks is trying to get back to full guard.
Shanks has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ramos is working away from the top position though.
Ramos wants to pass to mount but Shanks is defending the position.
Shanks tries to get to full guard but Ramos has control of the leg.
Ramos is looking to advance position but Shanks won't allow it.
Shanks blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ramos.
Ramos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Shanks is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramos throwing shots but Shanks is blocking nicely.
Shanks wants to improve his position but Ramos is controlling well.

Ramos seems to be looking for submissions.

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

Ramos is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Shanks tries to roll over but Ramos keeps him under control.
Shanks avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ramos.
Ramos lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ramos sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Shanks defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ramos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Shanks defends it well.
Shanks preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Shanks is trying to get back to full guard.

Ramos is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Shanks doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ramos.

Ramos wants to work for an arm triangle but Shanks is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ramos is trying to work for a kimura but Shanks is defending well.
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 Mark Ramos will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ramos chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Shanks can pounce on him.
Ramos misses with a hook
and Shanks counters with a body kick that stops Ramos in his tracks momentarily.
Ramos's jab looks to have found its range, popping Shanks under the eye.
A swing and a miss from Ramos.
Ramos misses with a hook. Shanks ducked under it nicely.
Ramos throws a combination. Shanks tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Shanks bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Shanks tries to clinch but Ramos moves out of range.
Ramos on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Shanks. Shanks obviously looking to wear him down.
Ramos misses the shot to the body.
Shanks fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Shanks lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ramos takes one to the side of the head.
Ramos misses with a double jab.
Michael Shanks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ramos thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shanks closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ramos throws a head punch that misses.
Ramos is trying to break the clinch but Shanks has him pressed against the cage.
Shanks gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ramos.
Ramos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ramos managing to block the knees to the body from Shanks.
Ramos working aggressively here.
Ramos is trying to break the clinch but Shanks is controlling him.
Shanks lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Shanks fails to land.
Shanks lands a knee to the body.
Shanks lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Shanks misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shanks can't find room to land a body shot as Ramos controls the action.
Shanks crunches a lovely knee into Ramos's ribcage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ramos looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Shanks throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ramos blocks it with crossed arms.
Ramos takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shanks misses with a hook to the ribs.
Shanks working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Shanks tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ramos avoids it.
Ramos tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shanks smiles and moves away.
Ramos with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Shanks to score with a decent uppercut.
Ramos fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Shanks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mark Ramos is winning the standup battle so far.
Ramos throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramos misses with a shot to the body
and Shanks counters with a right hand to the body.
Shanks bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ramos is looking to wear down Shanks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Shanks doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ramos misses with an uppercut. Shanks saw that one coming.
Shanks lands with a straight right. Ramos didn't see that one coming.
Ramos throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Shanks uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ramos.
Shanks dodges the punch combination from Ramos.
Ramos ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shanks moves away.
Ramos steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Shanks. That one must have hurt.
Good leg kick by Shanks there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Shanks connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ramos. Ramos circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Shanks delivers a nice body kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shanks tries to clinch up but Ramos circles away and keeps his distance.
Shanks uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shanks wants to clinch.
Shanks cracks Ramos with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Shanks blocks a jab.
Shanks jabs at Ramos's body.
Shanks tries to clinch but Ramos moves out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for Shanks.
Shanks doesn't manage to clinch there - Ramos circles away.
Shanks lands with a nice combination. Ramos backs away looking to recover.
Nice straight punches there by Ramos. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ramos.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Shanks misses with a body shot.
Shanks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shanks misses with a body shot.
Ramos swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Shanks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ramos jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Shanks clinches.
Shanks tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ramos's elbow.
Shanks goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ramos prevents a body shot from Shanks.
Ramos misses with a hook from the clinch.
Good body shot from Shanks.
Ramos on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Shanks.
Shanks misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ramos takes a shot to the head.
Shanks trying to land knees to the body.
Shanks lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Michael Shanks seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Shanks lands with a light punch inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ramos tries to break the clinch but Shanks is controlling the position.
Shanks working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ramos managing to block the knees to the body from Shanks.
Shanks misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shanks tries to throw a body punch but Ramos avoids it by throwing Shanks back against the cage.
Ramos is trying to push Shanks away but Shanks has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Ramos working hard to break the clinch.
Shanks has a couple of punches blocked by Ramos.
Shanks misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shanks tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Shanks misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shanks keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ramos's efforts to push away.
A short body shot lands from Shanks as the two fighters clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shanks misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shanks tries to work over Ramos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Shanks misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ramos.
Shanks stalling.
Shanks misses with a knee strike.
Shanks lands a hook that snaps the head of Ramos backwards.

Ramos has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Shanks clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
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!
Ramos keeps control of the position as Shanks tries to break free.
The referee is taking a good look at Shanks as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Ramos!
Ramos throwing sloppy strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ramos looking for the choke from the back.

Ramos is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Shanks is defending well though. Ramos let's go of the attempt for now.
Shanks manages to reverse the position and now he's in Ramos's guard. Nice work there by Shanks.
Mark Ramos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ramos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shanks gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shanks postures up.

Ramos working for a triangle but Shanks defends it easily.
Ramos can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shanks controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ramos is looking to sweep but instead, Shanks has passed into half guard.
Shanks is taking a breather. Ramos says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ramos wants to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Shanks in particular looking to stall.
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!
Shanks seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ramos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Shanks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shanks 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Shanks!
After winning the bout, Michael Shanks thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.