PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shaw Shank (ranked 4808 p4p, 375 weight class) and Sean O Sullivan (ranked 7207 p4p, 441 weight class). O Sullivan is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Tool - Invincible. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Shank
vs
O Sullivan

160 cm
25
152 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
150 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shaw Shank!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sean O Sullivan!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Ian Loll and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Sullivan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
O Sullivan has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Shank throws a sloppy body shot
and O Sullivan counters with a nice body shot.
Shank throws out a leg kick but O Sullivan moves out of range and Shank only half commits.
O Sullivan just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like Shank wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
O Sullivan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shank was well out of range. Poor timing from O Sullivan.
It looked like Shank wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Shank misses with an uppercut. O Sullivan saw that one coming.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shank scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Shank definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Shank feints and then cracks O Sullivan's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow O Sullivan down.
O Sullivan swings away with a body shot that misses
and Shank counters with an outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shank lands with an overhand left.
O Sullivan misses with a two punch combination.
Shank appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Shank scores with a sloppy right hand. O Sullivan should have avoided that one.
O Sullivan swings for the body but Shank moves out of range.
O Sullivan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shank.
Shank thows a left - swing and a miss!
Shank takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shank scores with a sloppy right hand. O Sullivan should have avoided that one.
O Sullivan doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
O Sullivan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Shank manages to avoid it.
Shank swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
O Sullivan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shank moves away.
Shank is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
O Sullivan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Shank tried to counter with a leg kick but O Sullivan avoided it.
Shank connects with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shank lands with a straight right. O Sullivan didn't see that one coming.
O Sullivan misses with a series of wild punches.
An attempted straight right counter from Shank misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shank lands a head shot.
Shank misses with a shot to the body
and O Sullivan counters with a two punch combo.
O Sullivan throws a combination that misses
and Shank cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from Shank misses.
O Sullivan lands a nice hook to Shank's body. Shank takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Shank attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
O Sullivan unleashes a big counter combination but Shank bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Sullivan lands a right hook to the body.
O Sullivan swinging wildly here.
An attempted straight right counter from Shank misses the target.
Shank lands with a straight right. O Sullivan didn't see that one coming.
O Sullivan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shank.
Shank swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shank throws a leg kick but O Sullivan checks it.
O Sullivan throws a series of punches but Shank moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Shaw Shank will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

O Sullivan scores with a body shot.
Sean O Sullivan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
O Sullivan lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Shank lands a body shot.
O Sullivan misses with a shot to the body
and Shank counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Shank displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as O Sullivan throws out the jab.
A counter left hand to the body from Shank misses its target.
O Sullivan throws a nice looking combination but Shank bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A counter left hand to the body from Shank misses its target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shank connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Some wild striking there from O Sullivan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Sullivan swings for the body but Shank moves out of range.
Shank has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sean O Sullivan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
O Sullivan misses with a wild body shot.
O Sullivan just misses with a punch to the body.
O Sullivan works over Shank's head and body with a nice combination.
O Sullivan works over Shank's head and body with a nice combination.
O Sullivan ducks under a wild hook from Shank.
O Sullivan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shank lands a lovely overhand right.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
O Sullivan looks to land a combination but Shank avoids it well.
Shank dodges the punch combination from O Sullivan.
Shank avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shank swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
O Sullivan misses with a two punch combination.
Jab, jab by O Sullivan - just one landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Sullivan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shank circles away quickly and effectively.
Shank throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
O Sullivan lands with a good body shot.
O Sullivan misses with a two punch combination.
Shank misses with an uppercut
and O Sullivan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A jab from Shank finds it's way through O Sullivan's defenses.
No joy there for O Sullivan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shank misses with a hook to the body
and O Sullivan counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
No joy there for O Sullivan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A little feinted left hand from Shank on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
O Sullivan defending well as Shank loads up on a big left hand.
As Shank backs off O Sullivan throws a huge counter combo but Shank manages to avoid it all.
Shank scores with a jab to the body.
A combination from O Sullivan does no damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
O Sullivan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Shank counters with a lovely shot to the body.
O Sullivan moves out of range of the strikes.
O Sullivan appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Shank throws a poor cross that misses
and O Sullivan counters with a two punch combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean O Sullivan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Shank keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
O Sullivan fails to land with a series of punches.
Shank was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Shank avoids a punch combination nicely.
O Sullivan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Shank half committed to a counter leg kick.
O Sullivan is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Shank rather than just go for the knockout.
Shank stuns O Sullivan with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
O Sullivan lands with a nice combination. Shank backs away looking to recover.
Shank throws a good cross that connects.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Sullivan tries to bum rush Shank with a series of wild strikes but Shank uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
O Sullivan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Shank counters with a nice uppercut.
Shank cracks the inside of O Sullivan's front leg.
O Sullivan misses with a two punch combination.
O Sullivan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
O Sullivan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shank counters with a right hand to the body.
O Sullivan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Shank.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Sullivan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
O Sullivan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shank was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Shank uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by O Sullivan.
Shank is looking to counter punch.
O Sullivan looks to score with a jab to the body but Shank is just out of range.
It looked like Shank wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
O Sullivan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shank circles away quickly and effectively.
Shank throws a lazy uppercut
and O Sullivan makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Shank thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Sullivan takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
O Sullivan misses with a body shot.
O Sullivan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The fighters circling - Shank throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
O Sullivan doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Shank keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
O Sullivan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
O Sullivan bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Shank's head backwards.
O Sullivan misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Shank.
O Sullivan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shank counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
O Sullivan misses with a few strikes there.
O Sullivan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shank.
O Sullivan takes a shot right to the bread basket.
O Sullivan checks a leg kick nicely.
Shank throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
O Sullivan lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sean O Sullivan.
Well O Sullivan 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Sean O Sullivan!
During a confident post fight interview, Sean O Sullivan thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.