PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Springsteen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shaw comes to the cage accompanied by Wolfpack Party. Springsteen has chosen Badlands as his entrance music. Bruce Springsteen will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Shaw
vs
Springsteen

191 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daniel Shaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bruce Springsteen!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Springsteen shoots in looking for a takedown. Shaw tries to sprawl out of it but Springsteen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shaw manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Shaw stuffs the takedown attempt from Springsteen. Springsteen gets slowly back to his feet.

Shaw closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shaw prevents a takedown attempt there.
Daniel Shaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Springsteen.

Shaw breaks from the clinch.
Shaw keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Shaw lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Springsteen circles away quickly and effectively.

Shaw clinches up against the cage.

Shaw jumps into guard, dragging Springsteen to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Springsteen gets to his feet - Shaw follows without any prompting.
Springsteen cracks Shaw with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Springsteen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Shaw counters with an outside leg kick.
Shaw circles away from the clinch attempt

and Shaw counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Springsteen is trying to drag Shaw to the mat but Shaw just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Springsteen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaw ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Shaw no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shaw bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Springsteen's guard.
Shaw won't allow Springsteen to get back to his feet.
Shaw has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Springsteen looks gassed!
Shaw content to stall in guard here.
Shaw throws and elbow that misses. Springsteen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Shaw's guard. Nice move by Springsteen!
Shaw controlling the position.
Shaw wants to sweep but no luck.

Shaw looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Springsteen throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaw trying to control the position here.

Springsteen drops back looking for a leg! Shaw is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Shaw manages to kick Springsteen off! Springsteen jumps back into Shaw's guard.
Springsteen won't allow Shaw to sweep him here.
Shaw is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shaw connects with a solid leg kick.
Springsteen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Springsteen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Shaw's guard.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Shaw is trying to control the position but Springsteen postures up.
Springsteen thows a big elbow that misses.
Springsteen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shaw works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shaw has his hands on Springsteen's head, controlling the position.
Springsteen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shaw is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Springsteen stops Shaw from standing up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Springsteen misses with a takedown
and Shaw counters with a body kick that stops Springsteen in his tracks momentarily.
Springsteen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shaw counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw looking to sit in guard and control but Springsteen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Springsteen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Springsteen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Springsteen thows a big elbow that misses.
Springsteen throws a big right hand that misses.
Springsteen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Springsteen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Shaw is on top in guard.
Shaw stopping the sweep attempt from Springsteen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Springsteen has his takedown stuffed
and Shaw counters with a left and a right that stings Springsteen.

Shaw moves into the clinch.
Springsteen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Shaw avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Shaw manages to pull guard.
Springsteen postures up.

Springsteen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Springsteen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Springsteen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Shaw holds on and takes a little breather.
Shaw is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Shaw pulls Springsteen in to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shaw trying to keep a closed guard but Springsteen is proving a slippery customer.
Springsteen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Springsteen drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Shaw manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Springsteen has Shaw in his guard.
Shaw throwing strikes but missing.
Shaw advances position into side control!
Springsteen tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shaw working the head with strikes.
Springsteen wants to control but Shaw postures up.

Shaw is trying to get an arm triangle but Springsteen is defending well.

Shaw decides to stand back up.
Bruce Springsteen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Springsteen tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Shaw counters by moving into the clinch.
Shaw throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Springsteen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Daniel Shaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Springsteen.

Shaw pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shaw scoring well with a low kick there.
Springsteen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Shaw 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.
Shaw trying to stand up but can't free himself from Springsteen's guard.
Springsteen looking for a sweep. Not yet Springsteen, not yet.
Springsteen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Shaw is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Shaw is trying to stand back up but Springsteen is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Springsteen throwing shots but Shaw is blocking nicely.

Springsteen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Shaw defends it well.
Springsteen prevents Shaw from improving his position.
Springsteen passes to full mount!
Springsteen prevents Shaw from getting the reversal.
Springsteen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shaw hang on?

Springsteen looking for a guillotine from mount but Shaw is having none of it.
Springsteen landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Shaw 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. And we move into the final round!

Springsteen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Shaw counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Shaw moves into the clinch successfully.

Shaw breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shaw throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Springsteen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shaw counters with a single leg into guard. Springsteen didn't expect that.
Shaw 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.
Shaw trying to control the position from guard on top but Springsteen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shaw is really struggling to control Springsteen but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Springsteen is looking to stand back up but Shaw counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Springsteen.
Shaw content to control rather than advance.
Shaw misses with a head shot. Springsteen uses the momentum to regain guard.
Springsteen wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shaw postures up.
Daniel Shaw overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Springsteen keeping moving, preventing Shaw from controlling successfully.
Shaw postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Shawis looking to pass into half guard but Springsteen pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Springsteen is in guard.
Springsteen throws a big right hand that misses.
Shaw trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Springsteen throwing strikes but missing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Springsteen misses with a hook.

Shaw pushes Springsteen up against the cage in a clinch.
Springsteen is looking to break free of the clinch but Shaw has double underhooks.
Springsteen wants a takedown.
Daniel Shaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Springsteen.
Springsteen is pressed up against the cage. Shaw has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Springsteen down to the mat. Springsteen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Shaw shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Shaw showed some decent athleticism there.
Springsteen tries to roll over but Shaw keeps him under control.
Shaw trying to control from half guard but Springsteen is working away.
Daniel Shaw is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw throwing shots but Springsteen is blocking nicely.
Bruce Springsteen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Springsteen wants to get back to full guard.

Springsteen looking for submissions off his back.
Shaw stops Springsteen from getting back to his feet.
Springsteen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Shaw showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shaw, 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Shaw!