PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Bubalino (ranked 3976 p4p, 24771 weight class) and Lee Shayworth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Paul Bubalino has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bubalino
vs
Shayworth

176 cm
22
139
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
135
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 New York, Paul Bubalino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lee Shayworth!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Eddie Farnsworth and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bubalino dives in and grabs Shayworth's left leg, looking for a takedown. Shayworth pushes down on Bubalino's head and hops out.
Shayworth throws a head kick that Bubalino semi-blocks.
Bubalino shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shayworth holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bubalino can't break the clinch.
Bubalino tries to break the clinch but Shayworth is controlling the position.
Bubalino is trying to pull guard but Shayworth turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Bubalino. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short uppercut from Shayworth.
Shayworth stalling in the clinch.
Bubalino doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bubalino lands with a right to the head.
Shayworth makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Bubalino manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Bubalino looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bubalino has his hands on Shayworth's head, controlling the position.
Bubalino is trying to control the position but Shayworth postures up.
Bubalino can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shayworth controls the pace.
Bubalino looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Shayworth 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Bubalino is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bubalino shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Shayworth eats them both and turns towards Bubalino to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Bubalino throws a series of punches but Shayworth avoids them all with ease.
Shayworth shoots in for a takedown but Bubalino shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bubalino wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Shayworth shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bubalino as he jumps to the side.
Bubalino is looking to counter with head kicks.
Bubalino fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Shayworth is out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bubalino.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bubalino instigates a clinch.
Bubalino changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shayworth fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bubalino fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Shayworth avoids it really well and circles away.
Shayworth misses with a takedown attempt - Bubalino sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Shayworth lands a head kick. Bubalino smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Shayworth shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bubalino but Bubalino pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Shayworth looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bubalino clinches up with Shayworth and pushes him back against the cage.

Shayworth breaks the clinch.
Shayworth tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bubalino was well out of range. Poor timing from Shayworth.
Shayworth throws a jab but it's blocked by Bubalino.
Nice takedown defense from Shayworth. No joy for Bubalino on that attempt.
Shayworth checks a low kick from Bubalino.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bubalino closes the distance and clinches up with Shayworth, looking for a takedown. Bubalino pushes Shayworth against the cage but Shayworth circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Despite the aggression on Shayworth's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Bubalino fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Bubalino is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shayworth is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Shayworth fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bubalino half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Bubalino will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bubalino will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bubalino shoots in and drives through. Shayworth sprawls well.
Shayworth feints the counter takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Bubalino. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bubalino misses with a combination

and Shayworth counters by moving into the clinch.

Bubalino pulls guard successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bubalino keeping moving, preventing Shayworth from controlling successfully.
Bubalino wants to control the position but Shayworth says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bubalino wants to get back to full guard but Shayworth has mounted him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bubalino is squirming around, avoiding Shayworth's attempts to control the action.
Bubalino tries to control the position but Shayworth now has his back.
Bubalino tries to escape the position.
Shayworth is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Shayworth controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bubalino is trying to get back to his feet but Shayworth has full control of the position and if anything, Bubalino has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Bubalino is in bad spot here.

Bubalino showing good submission defense here.

Shayworth has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Bubalino defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bubalino tries to roll but Shayworth sticks to his back.
Bubalino trying to control the hands but Shayworth breaks the grip.
Bubalino tries to roll but Shayworth sticks to his back.
Bubalino trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Bubalino tries to break free.
Shayworth just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bubalino covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Shayworth tries to get the hooks in deep but Bubalino pushed the leg off.
Shayworth has the hooks in. Bubalino is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Bubalino defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Shayworth controlling the position well here. Bubalino rolled but Shayworth kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bubalino is trying to get back to his feet but Shayworth has full control of the position and if anything, Bubalino has just worked his way into a worse spot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Shayworth showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Bubalino as Shayworth shoots in.
Bubalino lands a slapping body shot.
Bubalino dives in for a single leg takedown but Shayworth sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Shayworth keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bubalino's efforts to push away.
Shayworth taking a breather.

Bubalino decides to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shayworth postures up.
Shayworth trying to control but Bubalino is working from the bottom.
Shayworth takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bubalino looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bubalino is trying to control the position but Shayworth postures up.
Shayworth postures up and lands a big shot to Bubalino's brow.
Shayworth postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Shayworth wants to stand but Bubalino has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shayworth is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Bubalino takes the fight into the clinch.
Bubalino misses with an elbow strike.
Shayworth letting Bubalino take a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bubalino is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shayworth pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Bubalino breaks the clinch.
Shayworth stuffs the takedown attempt from Bubalino. Bubalino gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Bubalino. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shayworth shoots in for a double leg but Bubalino sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bubalino seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Shayworth has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bubalino looking for a takedown.
Bubalino prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shayworth drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bubalino pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bubalino closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shayworth fails to pull guard.
Bubalino is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bubalino tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shayworth avoids it.
Bubalino gets through Shayworth's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Shayworth manages to break the clinch.
Bubalino has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bubalino has a takedown stuffed.
Shayworth throws a shot to the body.

Bubalino drives through and clinches with Shayworth against the cage.
Shayworth jumps guard but Bubalino stands there with Shayworth around his waist. Shayworth gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Shayworth is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bubalino to keep the fight standing.
Bubalino tries to circle away but Shayworth has him pinned against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bubalino lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Bubalino has Shayworth pushed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Bubalino showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bubalino has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Paul Bubalino!