PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Felix Cena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Shephard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cena comes to the cage accompanied by The Champ is Here. Shephard is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: You All Everybody. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cena
vs
Shephard

185 cm
28
250 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

188 cm
28
245 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Felix Cena!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jack Shephard!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Dean Styles and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shephard swings for the body but Cena moves out of range.
Cena ducks right into an uppercut from Shephard.
Cena sizes up Shephard with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

It looks like Jack Shephard has been cut.
Shephard with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cena to score with a decent uppercut.
Cena throws a right hand that misses
and Shephard makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A slow jab from Cena misses its intended target.

Shephard gets a double leg takedown into Cena's guard.
Shephard trying to control but Cena is working from the bottom.
Shephard works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shephard slows the pace down in half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Shephard connects with a nice short shot to Cena's temple.
Shephard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shephard is just content to waste time from the top position. Cena takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Cena is adopting a defensive guard.
Shephard trying to control but Cena is working from the bottom.

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.
Cena trying to control the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Shephard tries to free his leg and advance position but Cena is retaining full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shephard avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And Shephard tries to counter it with a takedown but Cena pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Shephard shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cena as he jumps to the side.
Cena tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shephard was well out of range. Poor timing from Cena.
Decent striking displayed by Cena there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Shephard. That snapped Cena's head back.
Cena throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shephard.
Cena bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Cena connects with an inside leg kick.
Cena pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Shephard misses with a double jab.
Cena loads up on a big right hand but Shephard slips the punch.
Shephard tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Cena throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shephard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cena swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shephard stalks Cena and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cena's face. Cena staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Felix Cena has been cut.
Cena throws a looping overhand right but Shephard ducks down to avoid it.
It seemed like Shephard was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cena fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Shephard is out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cena throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cena rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shephard moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cena lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cena.
Cena missing with a left hand there. Shephard was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Shephard rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cena moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cena throws a big shot that misses.
Cena misses with a left hand
and Shephard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Shephard gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That has opened up Jack Shephard's cut even more.

Cena gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Shephard to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Shephard passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jack Shephard will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Shephard ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Shephard on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cena takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Shephard takes one to the chin there.
Cena throws a nice looking combination but Shephard bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Shephard slips under a jab from Cena.
Shephard changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Shephard with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Shephard moves out of range as Cena strikes.
Felix Cena seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Cena.
Shephard slips a jab from Cena.
Shephard looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cena swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Shephard makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Shephard with a lazy takedown attempt
and Cena counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A looping hook to the body misses from Shephard. Cena does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shephard checks a low kick from Cena.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Cena throws an overhand right that lands on Shephard's shoulder, as Shephard tries to avoid the shot.
Shephard steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cena.
Shephard ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Some bone on bone action there as Shephard checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Shephard fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cena lands a nice hook to Shephard's body. Shephard takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cena throws a series of punches but Shephard avoids them all with ease.
As Cena backs off Shephard throws a huge counter combo but Cena manages to avoid it all.
Shephard is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cena rather than just go for the knockout.
Cena pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Shephard back to the cage. Cena follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Shephard takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Felix Cena is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cena misses with a right hand
and Shephard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donk. Cena catches Shephard right on the button with a cross.

The cut above Jack Shephard's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Cena misses with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cena misses with a few strikes there.
Cena misses with a hook. Shephard ducked under it nicely.
Cena misses with a hook
and Shephard counters with a one-two to the body.
Cena misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cena misses with a straight left.
Cena misses with a looping left.
Cena misses with a right hand
and Shephard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shephard will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Felix Cena has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Shephard.
Shephard bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cena throws a poor cross that misses
and Shephard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fighters circling - Shephard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cena throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cena takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Cena defending well as Shephard loads up on a big left hand.
Shephard ducks under a wild hook from Cena.
Shephard throws out a counter right but Cena avoids it with no problem.
A jab from Cena misses.
Cena misses with an uppercut.
Cena throws a poor cross that misses
and Shephard counters with a left to the body.
Cena pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cena looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shephard feints the counter takedown.
Cena misses the jab.
Cena throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cena on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Shephard gets a takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shephard controlling the action here.
Shephard's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Shephard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Felix Cena will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cena dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Shephard. That did some damage!

Cena tries to sprawl but Shephard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Cena wants to get back to his feet.
Jack Shephard has got the better of the ground game so far.

Shephard is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Shephard thows a huge punch but Cena dodges it nicely.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Shephard in particular looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shephard wants to work for an arm triangle but Cena is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Shephard is looking for a kimura but Cena is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Shephard to get the leverage.
Shephard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

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

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cena is refusing to be controlled, as Shephard sits in half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A slow jab from Cena misses its intended target.
Shephard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cena drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Cena lands a jab-cross combination.
Shephard moves out of range of the strikes.
Shephard looks to land a combination but Cena avoids it well.
Felix Cena is winning the standup battle so far.
Cena throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Shephard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cena uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Shephard has time to react.
Shephard has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Shephard dodges the punch combination from Cena.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shephard moves out of range of the leg kick from Cena.
Shephard steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cena.
Felix Cena is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shephard misses with a wild body shot.
Cena misses with a double jab
and Shephard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Some wild striking there from Cena.
Shephard swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Shephard takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nice straight punches there by Shephard. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Shephard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cena takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cena throws out a loose jab but Shephard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shephard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cena takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cena scores with a sloppy right hand. Shephard should have avoided that one.
Cena tried to score with a low kick but Shephard checks it.
Cena scores with a punch to the head.
Cena throws a lazy right hand but Shephard sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Shephard! But no joy.
Shephard scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Shephard blocks a leg kick.

Shephard is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cena's half guard.
Cena is trying to stand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Shephard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shephard 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Shephard!
Jack Shephard was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.