PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between LaVern Shirley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Dvargledare (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dvargledare has chosen they might be giants as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Shirley
vs
Dvargledare

170 cm
20
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

157 cm
19
162 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, LaVern Shirley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thomas Dvargledare!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shirley shoots for a double leg takedown but Dvargledare sprawls well. He's pushed Shirley's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Dvargledare fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Shirley sprawls well initially but Dvargledare persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Shirley tries to get to full guard but Dvargledare has control of the leg.
Dvargledare takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Shirley missing with punches from the bottom.
Dvargledare wants to control but Shirley is keeping him busy.

Dvargledare is working for a submission of some sort.
Shirley is not content to let Dvargledare control the position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shirley pushes Dvargledare off and gets back to his feet.
Shirley has his takedown stuffed

and Dvargledare decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Shirley's guard.

Shirley had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Dvargledare is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Shirley Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Dvargledare's back instead.
Shirley is breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Dvargledare's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Dvargledare rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Shirley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shirley wants to stand up but Dvargledare is controlling the position.
Dvargledare is looking to improve his position.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Dvargledare has eaten all the pies!
Dvargledare won't allow Shirley to pass to mount.
Shirley landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shirley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Shirley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dvargledare wants to improve his position but Shirley is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Dvargledare bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Shirley is trying to improve his position.

Dvargledare working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dvargledare in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Shirley is trying to control Dvargledare's posture but Dvargledare avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Dvargledare are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Shirley tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Dvargledare working away.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Shirley with a poor takedown

and Dvargledare counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Shirley's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LaVern Shirley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dvargledare looking to pass the guard.
Dvargledare trying to control but Shirley is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Dvargledare dominated that 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.

Shirley has his takedown stuffed

and Dvargledare counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Dvargledare wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shirley keeps working.

Dvargledare is looking for a kimura here.

Dvargledare is looking for submissions but instead, Shirley has regained full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dvargledare looking to pass the guard.
Dvargledare stopping the sweep attempt from Shirley.

Shirley looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Dvargledare has picked Shirley up and slammed him! Shirley can't keep hold of the triangle and Dvargledare manages to pass to side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Dvargledare tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Dvargledare trying to control the position but Shirley is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Dvargledare thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Shirley misses with a strike from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Shirley is trying to control Dvargledare's posture but Dvargledare avoids it.
Shirley is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dvargledare fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Shirley tries to improve position but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Dvargledare shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Shirley trying to control the position.
Shirley is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Dvargledare is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Shirley doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Dvargledare looking to pass the guard.
Dvargledare postures up in Shirley's guard and throws a big left but Shirley blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dvargledare drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Shirley manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Dvargledare has Shirley in his guard.
Shirley trying to control but Dvargledare is working from the bottom.

Dvargledare working for a triangle but Shirley defends it easily.
Thomas Dvargledare has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shirley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Dvargledare showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Shirley feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Dvargledare looking for a sweep. Not yet Dvargledare, not yet.
Shirley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Shirley tries to free his leg and advance position but Dvargledare is retaining full guard.
Shirley content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Shirley won't allow Dvargledare to sweep him here.
Shirley scoring with punches to the head and body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dvargledare looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dvargledare throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Dvargledare manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shirley manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shirley looking for a sweep. Not yet Shirley, not yet.
Shirley trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Dvargledare trying to control the position from guard on top but Shirley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shirley working a defensive guard here.
Dvargledare preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Shirley controls Dvargledare momentarily but Dvargledare frees himself.
Dvargledare wants to control from the top but Shirley keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shirley with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dvargledare counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dvargledare.
Dvargledare must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dvargledare controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shirley is looking to stand up but Dvargledare isn't so interested in that idea.
Shirley will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Dvargledare wants to control from the top but Shirley keeps moving.
LaVern Shirley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dvargledare passes Shirley's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Dvargledare wants to control but Shirley is keeping him busy.
Shirley missing with punches from the bottom.
Shirley is trying to control but can't.
Thomas Dvargledare is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Dvargledare seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shirley does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shirley slips a jab and a cross from Dvargledare.
Shirley doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Dvargledare counters with a nice double leg into side control. Shirley won't be happy with that.
Dvargledare in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Dvargledare wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shirley keeps working.
A lull in the action here as Dvargledare stalls from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Dvargledare comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Dvargledare has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Dvargledare!