PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aldo Shepard (ranked 8904 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jolly James (ranked 7972 p4p, 0 weight class). James is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Sea of lies. James has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Jolly James has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Aldo Shepard's chin.

Shepard
vs
James

152 cm
18
278 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aldo Shepard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jolly James!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepard's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Shepard duly obliges.
Shepard moves in looking to clinch but James pushes him off.
James keeps the fight on the outside.
James looks winded!

James has managed to clinch.
Shepard fails to pull guard.

Shepard pulls guard.
Shepard might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Shepard 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Still in half guard, Shepard seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Shepard not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
James is staying active underneath Shepard, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Shepard is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Shepard wants to take a breather but James is having none of it.

That's two 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.
Shepard keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Shepard is looking to take a break and control but James is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if James can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shepard is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
James is not content to let Shepard control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Shepard sizes up James with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard circles away from the clinch attempt
and Shepard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Shepard tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but James swivels and escapes.

Shepard shoots in and gets a takedown into James's guard.
Shepard wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
Shepard is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
Shepard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
James keeping moving, preventing Shepard from controlling successfully.
Shepard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Shepard content to stall in guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shepard fails with the takedown.
A nice side step and James releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aldo Shepard dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Shepard lands a nice hook to James's body. James takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Shepard bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Shepard is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down James's shoulder. That is not cool.
Shepard wants to stand but James is controlling his arm.
Aldo Shepard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shepard trying to control the action but James is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepard is putting a hurting on James here, landing some big shots from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James is breathing heavily.

Shepard decides to stand back up. Shepard steps back and let's James get back to his feet.
Shepard connects with a nice looking jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Shepard jabs at James's body.

James gets caught flat footed, as Shepard shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
James keeping moving, preventing Shepard from controlling successfully.
Shepard is looking to stand up but James won't let him.
Shepard wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Shepard with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Shepard could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shepard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Shepard slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
James takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

James 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.
Shepard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in James's guard.

Shepard seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Shepard throwing strikes but missing.
Shepard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Shepard wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
Shepard seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Shepard landing with the ground and pound.
James has a closed guard, preventing Shepard from standing up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shepard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aldo Shepard dominated that second 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. 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.

James tries to move into range but Shepard moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Shepard shoots in and bounces James off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
James can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shepard controls the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard chips away with some ground and pound.
Shepard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Shepard with a flurry of punches that miss.
Shepard postures up and lands a big shot to James's brow.
Shepard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of James's head.
Shepard cracks James with a solid left hand.
Shepard throws a big elbow that misses.

Shepard stands up and waves to James to follow him.
Shepard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. James manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
James tries to counter with a clinch but Shepard shakes him off and moves away.
Shepard tries to clinch up.
James doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard is looking to clinch but James is avoiding it.
Despite the aggression on James's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
James avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
James displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Shepard.
Shepard cracks James with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Shepard doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
James throws a counter combo.
Shepard is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that James can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shepard fails in his attempt to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from James! But no joy.

Shepard drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Shepard is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
James keeping moving, preventing Shepard from controlling successfully.
Shepard trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard wants to get up but he can't break James's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Shepard wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
Shepard is looking to stand up but James won't let him.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Shepard trying to control but James is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shepard shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aldo Shepard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shepard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aldo Shepard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shepard, 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aldo Shepard!