PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Illias Illiadis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hai Shang (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.

Illiadis
vs
Shang

178 cm
23
189 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

192 cm
22
198 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Great wrestler
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Illias Illiadis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hai Shang!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Lou da Vinci and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Illiadis scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Shang moves away from the strike by Illiadis.
Illiadis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Illiadis looks to score with a jab to the body but Shang is just out of range.
Illiadis comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Illiadis throws out a loose jab but Shang uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've been hearing reports that Illiadis has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Illiadis fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Shang checks it well.
Illiadis looks to land a combination but Shang avoids it well.
Shang shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Shang tries a head kick but it misses.
Illiadis throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A right-left combo lands from Shang.

Shang moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Shang just misses with a elbow thrown towards Illiadis's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shang throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Illiadis blocks it with crossed arms.
Shang blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shang's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Illiadis.
Shang throws a knee to the head but misses.
Illiadis managing to block the knees to the body from Shang.
Shang looking to throw knees to the head but Illiadis is blocking nicely.
Illiadis blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shang using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shang misses with a punch to the body.
Illiadis lands a shoulder strike.
Illiadis is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Illiadis tries a body shot but Shang blocks it.
Shang blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shang blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shang can't find room to land a body shot as Illiadis controls the action.
Shang throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Illiadis lands a hook to the side of the head.
Shang lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Illiadis backwards.
Illiadis wants to stall.
Illiadis throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shangs head.
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!
Illiadis lands with a light punch inside.
Shang has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. So far he's outscoring his opponent in the clinch so it seems to have been worthwhile.
Illiadis is trying to stall.
Shang throws an elbow but it misses.
Illiadis lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Shang or not.
Illiadis blocks the elbow strike.
Illiadis lands a right hand.
Shang has a couple of punches blocked by Illiadis.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Illiadis takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shang fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shang tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Illiadis's elbow.
Shang lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Illiadis scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Shang using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Illiadis throws a head punch that misses.
Shang tries to stall but Illiadis uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Illiadis tries a body shot but Shang blocks it.
Shang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shang lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Shang tries to land knees in the clinch but Illiadis avoids the damage to the body.
Illiadis stalling in the clinch but Shang improves position.
The referee calls for Illiadis to work.
Illiadis blocks the elbow strike.
Illiadis lands a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shang misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shang tries a knee to the head but Illiadis blocks it.
Shang throws a knee to the head but misses.
Illiadis can't find room to land a body shot as Shang controls the action.
Shang lands a left hand.
Shang looking to stall.
Illiadis blocks a body shot from Shang.
Illiadis misses with a punch to the body.
Illiadis blocks an elbow strike from Shang.
Illiadis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shang being controlled against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Illiadis for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Illiadis looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hai Shang will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Shang takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Shang throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Illiadis throws a low kick but it's checked well by Shang.
Illiadis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Illiadis lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Illiadis.
Illiadis moves away from the strike by Shang.
Illiadis looks to land a body kick but Shang moved away.
A swing and a miss from Shang.
Shang connects with an inside leg kick.
Illiadis cracks Shang with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Shang throws a leg kick but Illiadis sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab by Illiadis.
Shang moves out of range as Illiadis strikes.
Illiadis just misses with a punch to the body.
Crunch! Shang slams his shin into Illiadis's torso.
Illiadis lands with a hook. Shang tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Illiadis digs a good hook to Shang's body.
Illias Illiadis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Illiadis misses with a straight right.
Both fighters circling a little - Shang finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Illiadis throws a sloppy body shot
and Shang counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hai Shang is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shang misses with a jab to the body

and Illiadis counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Shang!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Illiadis is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Shang knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shang seems a little lost for a moment, as Illiadis dominates the positioning.
Illiadis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shang keeps working.

Illiadis has hold of Shang's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Shang seems comfortable defending it but Illiadis has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Shang is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Shang is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Illiadis couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Illias Illiadis!