PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Myles Sheppard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shiva Pandi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sheppard
vs
Pandi

193 cm
18
278 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Myles Sheppard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shiva Pandi!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pandi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sheppard on his heels. He'll look to pass Sheppard's guard now, I'm sure.
Sheppard trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Sheppard looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Sheppard is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sheppard keeping moving, preventing Pandi from controlling successfully.
Sheppard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sheppard has a closed guard, preventing Pandi from standing up.
Pandi is looking to pass into half guard but Sheppard pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sheppard is in guard.
Sheppard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pandi has his hands on Sheppard's head, controlling the position.
Pandi wants to sweep here but Sheppard controlling him for the moment.
Sheppard trying to control but Pandi is working from the bottom.
Pandi wants to sweep but no luck.
Sheppard wants to control from the top but Pandi keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Myles Sheppard wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Pandi darts in and clinches Sheppard up against the cage.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Pandi has eaten all the pies!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pandi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sheppard walks away with a smile on his face. Pandi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sheppard fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pandi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Sheppard gets a takedown into half guard.
Pandi is trying to maintain the position but Sheppard is very close to passing his half guard.

Sheppard is working for a kimura but Pandi is defending it quite comfortably.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pandi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Pandi is looking for a sweep. Sheppard is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pandi is still trying to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sheppard trying to control the pace.
Pandi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sheppard is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Pandi is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Sheppard is trying to control the action in half guard but Pandi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Myles Sheppard.
Sheppard shoots in looking for a takedown. Pandi tries to sprawl out of it but Sheppard keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pandi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Pandi forces Sheppard back against the cage and clinches.

Sheppard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pandi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Pandi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Myles Sheppard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shiva Pandi.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pandi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sheppard's guard.
Pandi looks winded!
Sheppard trying to keep a closed guard but Pandi is proving a slippery customer.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pandi throws an elbow that misses. Sheppard uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pandi's guard. Nice move by Sheppard!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sheppard manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pandi on his heels. He'll look to pass Pandi's guard now, I'm sure.
Sheppard wants to get up but he can't break Pandi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Pandi throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Sheppard escapes and throws Pandi's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Sheppard lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Pandi gets back to half guard.
Pandi tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Sheppard has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

Sheppard stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pandi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sheppard fails with the takedown

and Pandi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sheppard won't be happy with that.
Pandi working away.
Pandi trying to control the action but Sheppard is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Sheppard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sheppard tries to bench press Pandi off him but Pandi keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Sheppard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Pandi trying to control the position but Sheppard is working away.
Sheppard is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Pandi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Pandi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sheppard sees it coming and defends easily.
Pandi is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pandi trying to control the action but Sheppard is working from the bottom.
Sheppard is looking to escape.
Pandi performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sheppard wants to control but Pandi is keeping busy.
Pandi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pandi is working away from the top position though.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Shiva Pandi wasn't active enough on the ground.
Pandi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sheppard paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pandi dives in and grabs Sheppard's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sheppard pushes down on Pandi's head and hops out.

Sheppard moves into the clinch successfully.
A right handed body shot lands from Sheppard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Sheppard gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Myles Sheppard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sheppard prevents Pandi from improving his position.
Pandi trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Myles Sheppard dominated that second round.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sheppard throws a sloppy body shot

and Pandi counters with a shoot takedown. Sheppard fights it but they end up in guard.
Pandi looking to pass the guard.
Sheppard is trying to keep Pandi in close.
Pandi has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sheppard is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sheppard pulls Pandi in to control the position.
Sheppard manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Pandi tries to improve his position but instead Sheppard has taken his back!
Pandi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sheppard patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Pandi tries to escape but Sheppard has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Pandi keeps trying to improve his position.
Sheppard is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Sheppard gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Sheppard gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Sheppard apologises and we restart here on the feet.
A combination from Pandi does no damage.

Sheppard fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pandi sprawls well initially but Sheppard persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sheppard is looking to advance position but Pandi won't allow it.
Sheppard is working hard here to advance position.

Sheppard is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pandi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sheppard is working away from the top position though.
Pandi is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pandi tries to kick Sheppard off but Sheppard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sheppard is thwarting Pandi's attempts to control the position.
Sheppard prevents Pandi from improving his position.
Sheppard wants to stand up but Pandi has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Sheppard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sheppard is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sheppard tries to clinch up but Pandi circles away and keeps his distance.
Sheppard avoids the head kick by Pandi.

Sheppard darts in and clinches Pandi up against the cage.
Sheppard misses with a knee to the head.
Sheppard has Pandi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pandi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Pandi stalling in the clinch but Sheppard improves position.

Sheppard has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pandi uses from the top position.
Sheppard has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pandi has passed into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Pandi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Myles Sheppard.
Well Sheppard has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Myles Sheppard!