PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Simon Slade (ranked 2344 p4p, 2048 weight class) and Roman Ship (ranked 261 p4p, 231 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Slade
vs
Ship

200 cm
21
242
4 - 2 - 0

195 cm
20
283
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Simon Slade!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Roman Ship!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slade ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ship moves away.
Ship fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Slade manages to avoid it.
Ship throws a looping overhand right but Slade ducks down to avoid it.
Slade connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ship. Ship circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

It looks like Roman Ship has been cut.

Ship drives through with a takedown into Slade's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Ship has gone for a leg lock! Slade slips out almost immediately though and dives into Ship's guard.

Slade has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Slade showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Ship throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Slade avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ship throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Slade escapes and throws Ship's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ship is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Ship looking for a sweep but Slade has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Ship has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Ship regains half guard.
Slade performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ship looking for a kimura from the bottom but Slade passes into side control!
Slade moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Ship looking for a sweep but Slade has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Ship sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Ship looking for submissions off his back.
Slade controlling the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ship actively working from the bottom here.
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 Simon Slade will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Roman Ship's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ship tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ship moves out of range as Slade strikes.
Ship is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ship pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A punch combination from Slade misses.
Slade fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Ship looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Slade throws a hook to the side of Ship's head but Ship sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Slade is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ship can do to turn this around?
The fighters circling - Slade throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ship tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ship throws a looping overhand right but Slade ducks down to avoid it.
Slade displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ship throws out the jab.
Ship avoids the body shot from Slade.
Ship uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Slade.

Ship closes the distance and clinches.
Ship tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ship jumps guard but Slade turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A body shot lands from Slade.
Slade lands a body punch.
Slade lands with a light punch inside.
Ship should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
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!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Slade.
Slade lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ship is breathing heavily.
Slade presses Ship against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Slade pushes Ship back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Slade lands with a short shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Slade on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Slade.
A left hand lands to the body for Slade.
Slade scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Slade makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Slade lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ship backwards.
Slade working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That has opened up Roman Ship's cut even more.
Slade throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Slade here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Slade softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Slade lands a body shot.
Slade is working Ship over against the cage.
Slade lands a shoulder strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A shot in the inside from Slade.
Slade throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ships head.
Slade scores with a shot to the side of Ship's head.

Ship is rocked!
Slade misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ship is still on wobbly legs! Can Slade finish him?
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ship.
Ship tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Slade just stands there and leans against the cage.
Simon Slade has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roman Ship.
Ship blocking some punches.
Slade fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Slade swings wildly with an uppercut but Ship uses good head movement to avoid it.
Slade throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Slade fails to land.
Slade swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ship blocking some punches.
Slade has a couple of punches blocked by Ship.
Slade misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ship fails to pull guard.
Slade working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slade misses with the head strike.
Slade has a couple of punches blocked by Ship.
Slade swings wildly with an uppercut but Ship uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ship tries to pull guard but Slade holds him up against the cage and eventually Ship drops back down to his feet.
Ship seems to have recovered his senses.
Slade creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Ship's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Ship drops to his knees and Slade pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:15 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Simon Slade!
Simon Slade decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.