PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kether Sephira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Shannon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sephira
vs
Shannon

185 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kether Sephira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, David Shannon!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shannon tries to keep at a distance but Sephira has taken the fight into the clinch.
Shannon tries to circle away but Sephira has him pinned against the cage.
Sephira effectively controlling the action here.
Sephira has Shannon pressed against the cage, preventing Shannon from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Sephira pulls Shannon into guard.
Sephira pulls Shannon in close to his closed guard and prevents Shannon from doing any damage or advancing position.
Sephira bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shannon's guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shannon can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sephira controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Sephira drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Shannon manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Sephira has Shannon in his guard.

Sephira pulls Shannon in close to prevent any damage.

Sephira is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Shannon presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Sephira goes for a takedown in the clinch but Shannon prevents it.

Sephira pulls Shannon into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shannon wants to stand and escape but instead Sephira has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Sephira gets to his feet. Shannon looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Shannon misses with a combination
and Shannon takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sephira tries to score a power double leg takedown but Shannon sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sephira somewhat.

Sephira closes the distance and pushes Shannon back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shannon has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Shannon wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Shannon is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kether Sephira. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sephira's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kether Sephira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sephira shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Shannon counters with a nice uppercut.
Sephira looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shannon wants to counter with a clinch but Sephira pushes him away.
Sephira tries to clinch but Shannon is having none of it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sephira is defended easily by Shannon.
Shannon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sephira scores with a body shot.

Sephira clinches up against the cage.

Sephira's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sephira fails with the takedown.
Shannon rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sephira moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sephira shoots in for a takedown but Shannon shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Good shot there by Shannon.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shannon misses with a two punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sephira.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kether Sephira dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sephira misses with a takedown attempt
and Shannon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kether Sephira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sephira swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Shannon to counter with a crisp jab.

Sephira closes the distance and clinches.
Shannon has had enough of the clinch but Sephira keeps him there for the moment.

Sephira breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shannon displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sephira.
Shannon throws a counter combo.
Sephira takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sephira throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shannon.
Shannon stalks Sephira and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sephira's face. Sephira staggers backwards, shaken.
Shannon shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sephira eats them both and turns towards Shannon to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Sephira clinches up against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Sephira.
Sephira wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kether Sephira. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sephira drags the fight down to the ground.
Shannon tries to stand but Sephira is controlling from the bottom.
Sephira tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shannon would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sephira lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Sephira gets to his feet. Shannon looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shannon scores with a one two! Sephira had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
David Shannon seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sephira misses with a wild body shot.
Shannon scores with a three punch combo!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sephira misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Sephira fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Shannon, pushing him back against the cage.
Shannon is trying to force a seperation but Sephira has the dominant position.
Stalling in the clinch from Sephira.
Shannon looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shannon wants to break free but Sephira has control.

Sephira breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A punch combination from Shannon misses.
A quick step to the side and Sephira tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Shannon looks to land a combination. Sephira sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Sephira has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shannon wants to break free but Sephira has control.
Shannon tries to break the clinch but Sephira is controlling the position.

Sephira jumps guard and drags Shannon to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Sephira has his hands on Shannon's head, controlling the position.
Sephira bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shannon's guard.

Sephira sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kether Sephira overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shannon working a defensive guard here.
Sephira throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shannon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sephira.
Sephira is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Shannon wants to stand and escape but Sephira is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Shannon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Sephira misses with a takedown attempt - Shannon sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sephira looks to land a body kick but Shannon moved away.
Shannon stalks Sephira and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sephira's face. Sephira staggers backwards, shaken.
Shannon shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sephira eats them both and turns towards Shannon to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Shannon fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice sprawl there from Shannon as Sephira shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sephira shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Shannon sprawls well. Shannon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sephira gets slowly back to his feet.
Shannon tries to counter with a clinch but Sephira shakes him off and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kether Sephira. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sephira tries to counter by clinching up but Shannon breaks away and moves out of range.
Sephira misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Shannon scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sephira tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shannon swivels and escapes.
Shannon is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sephira on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Shannon defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sephira.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shannon scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Sephira forces Shannon back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sephira stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sephira is looking to take this one to the mat.
Shannon wants to break free but Sephira has control.
Sephira has Shannon pressed against the cage.
Shannon can't break the clinch.
Shannon tries to break the clinch but Sephira is controlling the position.
Shannon looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Sephira pulls Shannon into guard.
Shannon trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sephira's guard.
Sephira looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shannon tries to stand but Sephira is controlling from the bottom.
Sephira looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Shannon avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sephira seems keen to control Shannon's posture.
Shannon tries to stand but Sephira is controlling from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sephira tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Shannon tries to bum rush Sephira with a series of wild strikes but Sephira uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sephira looks for a takedown but Shannon sprawls well.
As Sephira backs off Shannon throws a huge counter combo but Sephira manages to avoid it all.

Sephira clinches.
Sephira lands a body shot in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Sephira has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Shannon is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A short left from Sephira.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Shannon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shannon 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... David Shannon!