PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Shannon (ranked 4658 p4p, 159 weight class) and Vladimir Rurik (ranked 4081 p4p, 449 weight class). Mike Shannon could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Vladimir Rurik's chin.

Shannon
vs
Rurik

196 cm
32
282 lbs
16 - 6 - 1

185 cm
25
200 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike Shannon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Vladimir Rurik!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shannon slips a jab from Rurik.
Rurik throws a series of punches but Shannon avoids them all with ease.
Rurik misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shannon.
Horrible takedown attempt by Shannon or perhaps it was just good defense by Rurik, which made it look bad.
Rurik bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Shannon's head.
Rurik looks to land a combination but Shannon avoids it well.
Shannon shoots for a takedown but Rurik saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rurik catches Shannon with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rurik misses with an uppercut.
Shannon ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rurik scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Shannon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rurik circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Shannon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Shannon is defended easily by Rurik.
Shannon shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rurik pinned against the cage. Rurik gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rurik.
Rurik misses with an uppercut.
Rurik missing with a left hand there. Shannon was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rurik misses with a few strikes there.
Rurik misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rurik throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shannon sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rurik moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Vladimir Rurik seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shannon moves away from the strike by Rurik.
Rurik misses with a hook. Shannon ducked under it nicely.
Rurik defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Shannon.
Rurik loads up on a big right hand but Shannon slips the punch.
Shannon half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Rurik. No joy for Shannon on that attempt.
Shannon tries for a takedown but Rurik sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rurik might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rurik is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shannon.
Shannon closes the distance and clinches up with Rurik, looking for a takedown. Shannon pushes Rurik against the cage but Rurik circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rurik throws a hook but Shannon blocks it.
Rurik throws a jab when Shannon was well out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rurik lands with a shot to the body.
Shannon is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rurik slaps away a takedown attempt from Shannon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rurik lands with a cross.
Shannon throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rurik's waist but Rurik gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shannon off to one side.
Donk. Rurik catches Shannon right on the button with a cross.
Shannon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rurik circles away.
Rurik swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Shannon.
Rurik lands a jab to Shannon's midsection.
Vladimir Rurik is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rurik throws a hook but Shannon blocks it.
Shannon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rurik sprawls and moves away.
Nice jab there from Rurik.
A slow jab from Rurik misses its intended target.
Shannon shoots for a double leg takedown but Rurik sprawls well. He's pushed Shannon's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rurik stuns Shannon with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A big left from Rurik misses.
Rurik throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shannon.
Shannon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rurik sprawls and moves away.
A slow jab from Rurik misses its intended target.
Shannon dives in for a single leg takedown but Rurik sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rurik throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Shannon takes one on the button.

It looks like Mike Shannon has been cut.

Rurik feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Shannon sprawling to the canvas! Shannon rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Rurik finish him?!

Shannon is rocked!
Shannon slips a jab and a cross from Rurik.
Shannon tries to counter with a takedown but Rurik is quick to defend against it.
Oh Shannon is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rurik throws a shot from downtown. Shannon moves away and avoids it.
Shannon seems to have got his legs back now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rurik pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Shannon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rurik sprawls and moves away.
Rurik throws an overhand right that lands on Shannon's shoulder, as Shannon tries to avoid the shot.
Shannon takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A shot to the liver by Rurik. Beautiful body shot.
Rurik misses with a looping right.
Rurik fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Shannon on the side of the head.
Rurik lands with a nice body punch.
Rurik throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Shannon takes one to the chin there.
Shannon tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rurik defends well and Shannon ends up having to push Rurik into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rurik throws a nice looking combination but Shannon bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rurik clobbers Shannon with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rurik lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rurik throws a right and a left that Shannon avoids nicely.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Shannon. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Rurik scores with a jab to the body.
Shannon shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rurik as he jumps to the side.
Rurik throws out a counter right but Shannon avoids it with no problem.
Rurik is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shannon.
Rurik lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shannon circles away quickly and effectively.
Shannon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rurik circles away.
Shannon shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Rurik stuffs the takedown attempt from Shannon. Shannon gets slowly back to his feet.
Rurik lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rurik misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rurik looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shannon fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rurik avoids it really well and circles away.
Rurik looks like he wants to counter punch here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Rurik dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mike Shannon's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rurik throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Shannon on the side of the head.
Rurik has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rurik throws an overhand right that lands on Shannon's shoulder, as Shannon tries to avoid the shot.
Shannon ducks under a wild hook from Rurik.
Shannon appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Shannon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rurik.
Shannon half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Vladimir Rurik seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shannon blocks a jab.
Rurik misses with a looping left.
Shannon dodges the punch combination from Rurik.
Rurik stuffs the takedown attempt from Shannon. Shannon gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rurik misses with a straight left.
Shannon slips under a jab.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Shannon might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Rurik stuffs the takedown.
Shannon has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Shannon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rurik swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rurik misses with a wild body shot.
Shannon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rurik sprawls and moves away.
Shannon shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Shannon blocks a jab.
Shannon tries to move into range but Rurik moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rurik throws the left hand but Shannon avoids the punch easily.
Rurik rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shannon moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rurik. Shannon does a little dance to reset his feet.
Shannon ducks under a wild hook from Rurik.
Shannon shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rurik but Rurik pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Shannon will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rurik swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rurik scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Shannon shoots in for a takedown but Rurik shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rurik missing with a left hand there. Shannon was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rurik throws a leg kick which misses Shannon's front leg but catches the back leg as Shannon tries to avoid it.
Rurik scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rurik cracks Shannon with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Good shot there by Rurik.
Shannon dives in and grabs Rurik's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rurik pushes down on Shannon's head and hops out.
A good leg kick by Rurik.
Rurik lands a big right hand and follows it up with an uppercut. Oh and another big punch and a knee - Shannon can't take much more of this! Another big shot to the jaw from Rurik and Shannon drops to the floor. Beaten and bloodied - he had enough there. A vicious beatdown by Rurik.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vladimir Rurik!
Vladimir Rurik thanked the fans post fight for their support.