PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Billie Downs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Sheridan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luke Sheridan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Downs
vs
Sheridan

223 cm
18
278 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

194 cm
25
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Billie Downs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Luke Sheridan!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sheridan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Downs manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sheridan throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Downs on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Luke Sheridan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sheridan dives in and scores a takedown into Downs's guard.

Sheridan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Downs wants to sweep here but Sheridan controlling him for the moment.
Sheridan wants to stand but Downs is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sheridan preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sheridan trying to stand up but can't free himself from Downs's guard.

Sheridan gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Downs drives through and clinches with Sheridan against the cage.

Sheridan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Downs blocks a leg kick.
Sheridan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sheridan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
As Sheridan tries to get set, Downs tries to push him back and clinch up but Sheridan manages to avoid the attempt.
Downs looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sheridan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Downs paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sheridan moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Billie Downs has been cut.

Sheridan shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Downs managing to control the position.
Downs really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Downs has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sheridan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downs looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sheridan puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sheridan controlling the action here.

Sheridan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sheridan passes into side control, despite Downs's attempt to control the position.
Sheridan tries to stand but Downs is controlling his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Downs is looking for a sweep.

Sheridan wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Downs, who protects the arm well.
Sheridan tries to stand but Downs is controlling his head.

Sheridan tries for a kimura but Downs is defending well.

Sheridan thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downs tries to improve position but can't.
Sheridan wants to stand but Downs has his arm trapped.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sheridan stands up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Downs on the wrong end of a nice jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Sheridan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Billie Downs's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sheridan throws a hook to the side of Downs's head but Downs sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Sheridan instigates a clinch.

Sheridan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Downs walks into a jab.
Sheridan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sheridan closes the distance looking to clinch
and Downs counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Sloppy strikes from Sheridan. Those never looked like landing.

Sheridan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sheridan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Downs tries to buck Sheridan off but Sheridan is having none of it.
Downs wants to control but Sheridan postures up.
Downs tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sheridan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luke Sheridan has got the better of the ground game so far.

Sheridan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Downs is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Downs striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Sheridan tries to stand but Downs is controlling his head.
Downs tries to bench press Sheridan off him but Sheridan keeps the position.

Sheridan decides to stand back up.
Sheridan missing with a left hand there. Downs was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Downs quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Sheridan misses with a few strikes there.
Sheridan scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheridan looks to land a combination. Downs sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Sheridan jabs at Downs's body.
Sheridan fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Sheridan throws a leg kick
and Downs counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Downs closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sheridan prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sheridan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Sheridan drags the fight down to the ground.
Downs has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Sheridan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Downs can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Sheridan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Downs doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Downs manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheridan is trying to keep Downs in close.

Sheridan is looking for a triangle here but Downs uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Downs slows the pace down.

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.
Downs wants to control but Sheridan is keeping him busy.
Sheridan is trying to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sheridan takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Sheridan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Billie Downs's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sheridan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Downs controlling the position well.
Downs has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sheridan is working away from the top position though.

Sheridan is looking for a kimura but Downs is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sheridan to get the leverage.
The fighters are battling for position here. Downs manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sheridan wanted to stand there but Downs had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sheridan is one step ahead there.
Sheridan trying to stand up but can't free himself from Downs's guard.

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

Sheridan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sheridan lands in his opponent's guard.
Downs is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downs has Sheridan pulled in close to control his posture.
Downs tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sheridan wants to get up but he can't break Downs's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sheridan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Downs wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Sheridan is looking to clinch but Downs is avoiding it.

Sheridan throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Downs tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Sheridan is in Downs's guard.
Downs looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Downs is looking to sweep but instead, Sheridan has passed into half guard.
Downs trying to control but Sheridan postures up.
Sheridan wants to stand up but Downs has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downs trying to control here.

Sheridan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Downs wants to get back to full guard but Sheridan has passed into side control.

Sheridan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Downs is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Downs tries to bench press Sheridan off him but Sheridan keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Sheridan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sheridan winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Sheridan!