PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lester Burt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Burt
vs
Shaw

202 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

155 cm
18
230 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lester Burt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Shaw!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shaw tries to close the distance and clinch but Burt swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Shaw has closed the distance and engaged Burt in a clinch.
Burt displaying some good clinch control by pressing Shaw up against the cage.
Shaw lands with a short punch from the clinch.

It looks like Lester Burt has been cut.
A frustrated look appears on Shaw's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Shaw has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Shaw's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shaw tries to close the distance and clinch but Burt swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Shaw clinches.

Burt manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Burt gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Shaw regains guard.
Shaw is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Burt is controlling him.
Shaw tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shaw wants to stand up but Burt is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burt loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Burt prevents Shaw from getting back to his feet.
Shaw wants to sweep but no luck.
Shaw is looking to stand up but Burt isn't so interested in that idea.
Burt 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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Shaw shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Burt napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Shaw has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Shaw fails with an attempt to clinch.

Shaw clinches with his opponent.
Shaw is looking to break free of the clinch but Burt has double underhooks.
Shaw can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is trying to break the clinch but Burt is controlling him.
Shaw wants to break the clinch but can't.
Shaw wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Burt misses with a knee to the head.

Burt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shaw tries to clinch there but Burt circles away.
Burt went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Shaw looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Shaw wants to clinch up but Burt keeps it at a distance.
Burt avoids a punch combination nicely.

Shaw closes the distance and clinches.

Burt is trying to trip Shaw. He has hold of a leg but Shaw is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Burt persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Burt won't allow Shaw to get back to his feet.
Burt is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Burt will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burt prevents Shaw from getting back to his feet.
Burt showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Burt prevents Shaw from getting back to his feet.
Burt looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Shaw looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Shaw is trying to keep Burt in close.
Burt wants to control from the top but Shaw keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burt sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Shaw is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Burt is controlling him.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Shaw working a defensive guard but Burt passes into half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Burt 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.

Shaw pushes Burt off and gets back to his feet.

Burt scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Shaw manages to escape and get back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Shaw dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lester Burt's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Shaw is looking to clinch.
Burt appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Shaw moves in looking to clinch but Burt pushes him off.

Shaw moves into the clinch successfully.
Burt keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Shaw's efforts to push away.

Burt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lester Burt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shaw clinches up against the cage.
Shaw is trying to break free.

Burt works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Burt trying to control the position from guard on top but Shaw is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Shaw is on top in guard.

Burt is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Shaw presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shaw wants to get back to striking at distance but Burt won't allow it.

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

Shaw moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw tries to break free but Burt pushes him back against the cage.
Shaw has had enough of the clinch but Burt keeps him there for the moment.
Burt with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Shaw pulls guard effortlessly.
Shaw wants to stand but Burt is controlling the position.
Burt trying to control but Shaw is working from the bottom.
Burt content to stall in guard here.
Shaw wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Burt manages to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is trying to stand back up but Burt is controlling him
Shaw wants to sweep but Burt has passed to side control!

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Shaw shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Burt has his feet on Shaw's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Shaw doesn't manage to clinch there - Burt circles away.
Shaw just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBurt.
Shaw doesn't manage to clinch there - Burt circles away.

Burt bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shaw sneaks back into half guard.
Shaw wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burt is keen to just control but Shaw is a slippery customer.
Shaw works his way to full guard. Good work.
Burt stopping the sweep attempt from Shaw.
Shaw keeping moving, preventing Burt from controlling successfully.
Burt won't allow Shaw to get back to his feet.

Shaw has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Burt off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Shaw fails in his attempt to clinch.

Shaw gets a clinch.

Burt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Shaw throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Burt tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Shaw is in Burt's guard.

Burt pushes Shaw off and gets back to his feet.
Shaw is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shaw is looking to clinch but Burt is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burt misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Shaw moves into the clinch.
Burt misses with a knee to the head.

Burt breaks the clinch.

Shaw closes the distance and clinches.

Burt has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Shaw regains guard immediately.
Shaw wants to get back to his feet but Burt passes into half guard.

Burt prevents Shaw from standing back up.
Shaw is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Shaw kicks off Burt and gets to his feet.
Burt misses with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alex Shaw will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Lester Burt's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Burt keeps the fight on the outside.
It looked like Burt was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Shaw closes the distance and pushes Burt back into the cage.

Shaw pulls guard.
Burt wants to control from the top but Shaw keeps moving.

Shaw pushes Burt off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Shaw wants to clinch.
Burt circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shaw gets the takedown into side control.
Burt is trying to improve his position.
Shaw creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Burt sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Shaw working the ground and pound but Burt is defending the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaw has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Shaw moves in looking to clinch but Burt pushes him off.

Shaw moves into the clinch.
Shaw misses with a knee strike.
Shaw avoids a wild elbow strike from Burt.

Burt lands a takedown into guard.
Shaw is looking to stand up but Burt isn't so interested in that idea.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Shaw. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Shaw takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Burt is stalling in the full guard.
Shaw wants to stand up but Burt is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shaw wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Burt manages to pass to side control.
Alex Shaw is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burt looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Alex Shaw has got the better of the ground game so far.

Shaw manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Shaw feints and as Burt raises his hands in defense, Shaw changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Burt wriggles free and stands up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shaw doesn't manage to clinch there - Burt circles away.
It looked like Burt was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Shaw shoots in and gets a takedown into Burt's guard.

Burt has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Shaw has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Shaw manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Burt content to stall in guard here.
Burt seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Shaw for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw wants to stand and escape but Burt is having none of it.
Burt wants to control from the top but Shaw keeps moving.

Shaw kicks Burt off and gets to his feet.
Burt throws a nice inside leg kick.

Shaw moves into the clinch.

Burt breaks from the clinch.
Burt throws a jab but it's blocked by Shaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burt shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Shaw manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Shaw throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Burt trying to control the position from guard on top but Shaw is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burt slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Shaw is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Burt presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Lester Burt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Shaw escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Shaw comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Shaw winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Shaw!
Alex Shaw got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'