PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tad Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Outcast Outlaw (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.

Shepherd
vs
Outlaw

191 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

167 cm
18
139 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tad Shepherd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Outcast Outlaw!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, John Kavanagh and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shepherd closes the distance and clinches.
Outlaw misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Outlaw fails to land.
Outlaw lands with a right to the head.
A short right from Outlaw on the inside.
Shepherd lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Outlaw throws a punch but it's blocked by Shepherd.
Outlaw misses with the head strike.

Shepherd is trying to trip Outlaw. He has hold of a leg but Outlaw is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Shepherd persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Outlaw has momentary wrist control but Shepherd slips an elbow through the middle.
Shepherd passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Outlaw is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Shepherd scores with a couple of nice shots.
Outlaw flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Outlaw flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Shepherd working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Outlaw tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Outlaw flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Shepherd moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw tries to bench press Shepherd off him but Shepherd keeps the position.
Outlaw throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Outlaw striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Outlaw is looking for a sweep.
Outlaw throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Shepherd darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Outlaw tries to get to full guard but Shepherd has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shepherd moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Outlaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd cracks Outlaw with a big elbow.
Outlaw has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Outlaw wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Outlaw throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Outlaw tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shepherd wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Shepherd really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Outlaw tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shepherd wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Outlaw throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Outlaw tries to buck Shepherd off but Shepherd is having none of it.
Outlaw sneaks back into half guard.
Shepherd is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Outlaw throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Outlaw throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Shepherd looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shepherd throws a left and a right that both miss

so Outlaw counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Outlaw distracts Shepherd with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Outlaw throwing strikes but missing.
Outlaw loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Outlaw working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tad Shepherd dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A combination from Shepherd does no damage.
And Outlaw tries to counter it with a takedown but Shepherd pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Tad Shepherd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Shepherd scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Outlaw throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Shepherd drops an elbow to the side of Outlaw's head.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw punching from the bottom.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Outlaw makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Outlaw.
Outlaw throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Outlaw throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Shepherd fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Outlaw sprawls well initially but Shepherd persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Tad Shepherd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Outlaw misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Outlaw punching from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Shepherd looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Outlaw tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Shepherd closes the distance and clinches.
Outlaw swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Outlaw throws a head punch that misses.
Outlaw swings wildly with an uppercut but Shepherd uses good head movement to avoid it.
Outlaw lands with a right to the head.
Shepherd blocks an uppercut.
Shepherd is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Outlaw is keeping busy.
Outlaw working aggressively here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd blocks an uppercut.
Outlaw misses with a punch on the inside.
Outlaw working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Shepherd blocking some punches.
Outlaw lands a shoulder strike.
Shepherd blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shepherd blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Outlaw throws a punch but it's blocked by Shepherd.
Outcast Outlaw seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Outlaw lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Outlaw fails to land.
A short left from Outlaw.

Shepherd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A punch combination from Shepherd misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shepherd.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Outlaw throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Outlaw regains half guard.
Outlaw punching from the bottom.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Outlaw throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Outlaw wants to improve his position but Shepherd is controlling well.
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 Tad Shepherd will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Shepherd instigates a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shepherd.
Outlaw misses with a short punch on the inside.
Outlaw misses with the head strike.
Outlaw misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shepherd blocks an uppercut.
Shepherd blocks an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepherd blocking some punches.
Outlaw throws a punch but it's blocked by Shepherd.
Shepherd lands a left hand.
Outlaw lands with a light punch inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd blocks an uppercut.
Outlaw misses with a short punch on the inside.
Outlaw lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Outlaw misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Outlaw.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shepherd.
Shepherd blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Shepherd decides to pull guard.
Outlaw loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Outlaw throws a big elbow that misses.
Outlaw throwing strikes but missing.
Outlaw with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Outlaw throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shepherd works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Outlaw with a flurry of punches that miss.
Outlaw throws a big elbow that misses.
Shepherd will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Outlaw postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Outlaw prevents Shepherd from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Outlaw throwing strikes but missing.
Outlaw throws a big elbow that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Outlaw accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Shepherd throws a series of punches but Outlaw moves out of range.
Outlaw with the counter takedown but Shepherd avoids it easily.
Shepherd pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Outlaw back to the cage. Shepherd follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Outlaw blocks a head kick by Shepherd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Shepherd misses.
Outlaw tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Tad Shepherd is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shepherd looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Outlaw!
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Outlaw.
Outlaw is looking for a sweep.
Outlaw regains half guard.
Outlaw is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Outlaw flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Outlaw moves into full guard.
Outlaw trying to strike off his back.
Outlaw trying to strike off his back.
Outlaw will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Shepherd shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Outlaw is trying to defend but Shepherd finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Outlaw flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

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 Tad Shepherd.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shepherd, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tad Shepherd!