PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between De Jo (ranked 5331 p4p, 242 weight class) and Ben Sheeran (ranked 4276 p4p, 215 weight class). Ben Sheeran has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Jo
vs
Sheeran

160 cm
25
148 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
143 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, De Jo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Sheeran!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Daniel Bishop and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jo is looking to clinch but Sheeran is avoiding it.

Jo darts in and clinches Sheeran up against the cage.
Jo could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Jo gets underhooks to prevent Sheeran's takedown attempt.
Sheeran jumps guard but Jo stands there with Sheeran around his waist. Sheeran gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Jo stalls.
Sheeran wants a takedown but no success here.
De Jo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Sheeran.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sheeran is looking to take this one to the mat.
Sheeran is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Jo is defending well.
Sheeran tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Jo smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sheeran tries to keep at a distance but Jo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Jo has a couple of punches blocked by Sheeran.
Sheeran looking for a takedown.
Jo misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Jo fails to land.
Jo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sheeran blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Jo breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jo pushes Sheeran up against the cage in a clinch.
Jo swings wildly with an uppercut but Sheeran uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stalling in the clinch from Jo.

Jo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sheeran looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A cross from Sheeran lands.

Jo drives through and clinches with Sheeran against the cage.
Sheeran changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Jo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sheeran's jab looks to have found its range, popping Jo under the eye.
Jo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
De Jo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jo with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sheeran to score with a decent uppercut.
Sheeran showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jo.
Sheeran drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Jo defends it well.
Sheeran fails with a takedown attempt.
Sheeran keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Jo takes one to the side of the head.

Jo clinches with his opponent.
Jo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sheeran is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Jo is defending well.
Sheeran wants a takedown but no success here.
Sheeran tries for a takedown but Jo manages to get underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jo swings wildly with an uppercut but Sheeran uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sheeran is looking to take this one to the mat.

Jo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Jo has Sheeran up against the cage in a clinch.
Jo is pressed up against the cage. Sheeran has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Jo down to the mat. Jo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sheeran fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Jo on the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Jo forces Sheeran back against the cage and clinches.
Jo has Sheeran pushed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

De Jo dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Jo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Jo is struggling to control the position.
Jo misses with some punches.

Jo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
De Jo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sheeran is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Sheeran lands with a straight right. Jo didn't see that one coming.
Sheeran avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sheeran avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sheeran has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Jo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sheeran manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sheeran clobbers Jo with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
De Jo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sheeran scores with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheeran connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sheeran lands a glancing blow to the side of Jo's head.
Sheeran scores with a nice strike.

Jo has closed the distance and engaged Sheeran in a clinch.
Sheeran goes for a takedown in the clinch but Jo prevents it.
Jo is looking to break free of the clinch but Sheeran has double underhooks.
Sheeran goes for a takedown attempt but Jo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A bone on bone clash there as Sheeran blocks the leg kick.
Sheeran lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Jo doesn't manage to clinch there - Sheeran circles away.

Jo closes the distance and clinches.
Sheeran has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Jo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
De Jo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Sheeran.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheeran wants to take the fight to the mat but Jo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Jo misses with some punches.
Jo lands with a left to the head.
Jo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Jo is trying to break the clinch but Sheeran is controlling him.

Jo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
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!

Sheeran gets tackled into the cage by Jo. Jo maintains the clinch.
Jo working aggressively here.
Sheeran has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Jo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Jo misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheeran has Jo pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Jo manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Jo prevents the takedown attempt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sheeran.
Jo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Jo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sheeran can do to turn this around?
Sheeran blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sheeran prevents a body shot from Jo.
De Jo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Sheeran looking for a takedown.
Sheeran is trying to drag Jo to the mat but Jo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sheeran is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

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.
Jo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Jo leaning against his opponent.
Sheeran fails to pull guard.

Jo manages to break the clinch.
Jo throws a series of punches but Sheeran avoids them all with ease.
Sheeran tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sheeran is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Jo tries to close the distance and clinch but Sheeran swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Jo drives through and clinches with Sheeran against the cage.
Sheeran tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jo just stands there and leans against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

De Jo dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Jo clinches up with Sheeran and pushes him back against the cage.
Sheeran is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Jo manages to break the clinch.
Sheeran connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Jo's hands.
Jo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sheeran works the jab nicely.
Sheeran lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Jo moves in looking to clinch but Sheeran pushes him off.
Sheeran with a jab.
Jo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Jo takes one on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jo tries to clinch up but Sheeran circles away and keeps his distance.
Jo throws a right hand that Sheeran ducks under and follows up with a left that Sheeran also avoids with ease.
Sheeran slips a jab and a cross from Jo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheeran with a jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Sheeran. That snapped Jo's head back.
Jo wants to clinch up but Sheeran keeps it at a distance.
Sheeran 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.
Jo takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Jo looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Jo moves into the clinch.
Jo content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Jo fails to land.
Sheeran wants a takedown.
Jo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sheeran being controlled against the cage.
Sheeran changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Jo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
De Jo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Sheeran.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jo doesn't manage to clinch there - Sheeran circles away.

Jo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Jo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Sheeran blocks a body shot from Jo.
Sheeran prevents a body shot from Jo.
Sheeran fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sheeran wants a takedown but no success here.
A head punch on the inside from Jo fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jo tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sheeran's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jo.
Jo stops a takedown attempt from Sheeran.
Jo has a couple of punches blocked by Sheeran.
Jo pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sheeran tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Jo is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Jo swings wildly with an uppercut but Sheeran uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sheeran is working for takedown but Jo is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sheeran has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Jo after a bit of a struggle.
Jo controlling the action here for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jo prevents a takedown attempt there.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to De Jo.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Jo, 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... De Jo!