PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nikos Giannopoulos (ranked 2110 p4p, 1643 weight class) and Wesley Shutes (ranked 264 p4p, 218 weight class). Nikos Giannopoulos is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Giannopoulos
vs
Shutes

184 cm
41
184
19 - 11 - 0

182 cm
34
177
13 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nikos Giannopoulos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Wesley Shutes!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shutes connects with a solid leg kick.
Giannopoulos checks a low kick from Shutes.
Giannopoulos looks to land a right hand but Shutes moved out of range.
Giannopoulos on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Giannopoulos loads up on a big right hand but Shutes slips the punch.
Giannopoulos misses with a body shot.
Giannopoulos throws a jab when Shutes was well out of range.
Giannopoulos misses with a straight right.
Shutes throws a body punch but Giannopoulos moves out of range.
Giannopoulos scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Shutes sizes up Giannopoulos with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Giannopoulos throws a jab but it's blocked by Shutes.
Giannopoulos scores with a body shot.
Giannopoulos misses with an uppercut
and Shutes counters with a body kick.
Shutes scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shutes fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Giannopoulos takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Shutes blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shutes misses with a kick to the body
and Giannopoulos counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos throws an overhand right that lands on Shutes's shoulder, as Shutes tries to avoid the shot.
Shutes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Giannopoulos.
Some bone on bone action there as Shutes checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A slapping body kick lands there for Shutes.
Giannopoulos throws a hook to the side of Shutes's head but Shutes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shutes is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Giannopoulos with a body shot.
Shutes tries to land a leg kick but Giannopoulos saw it coming and moves away.
A jab from Giannopoulos misses.
Shutes now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Giannopoulos misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shutes.
Giannopoulos swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Shutes counters with a nice body kick.
Shutes throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Shutes throws a right and a left that Giannopoulos avoids nicely.
Shutes ducks under a wild hook from Giannopoulos.
It seemed like Shutes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Giannopoulos takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Shutes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Shutes stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shutes throws a quick inside leg kick.
An inside leg kick from Shutes misses.
Giannopoulos slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Giannopoulos throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shutes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Shutes throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Shutes ducks under a wild hook from Giannopoulos.
A little jabbing left from Shutes on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Giannopoulos fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Shutes.
Shutes lands a nice looking body kick.
Giannopoulos tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Giannopoulos on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Shutes. Shutes obviously looking to wear him down.
Giannopoulos takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Good standup being displayed there by Shutes as he connects with a hook.
Giannopoulos throws an off balance right hand
and Shutes counters with a stiff right hand.
Shutes lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Giannopoulos at a distance.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook. Shutes ducked under it nicely.
Giannopoulos will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Shutes getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Shutes.
Giannopoulos tries to land a body kick
and Shutes counters with a nice low kick that buckles Giannopoulos's knee momentarily.
Giannopoulos throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shutes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Giannopoulos stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Shutes.
Shutes avoids a kick to the body.
Shutes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Giannopoulos.
Shutes shapes to counter with a head kick.
Shutes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Giannopoulos misses with a combination
and Shutes counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Shutes slips a jab from Giannopoulos.
Shutes jabs Giannopoulos to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Giannopoulos misses with a body shot.
Shutes lands a leg kick that knocks Giannopoulos off balance momentarily.
Shutes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Shutes scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Shutes has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Giannopoulos takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shutes with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Giannopoulos, as that shot connected.
Giannopoulos misses with a body shot
and Shutes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook. Shutes ducked under it nicely.
Giannopoulos looks to land a right hand but Shutes moved out of range.
Shutes looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Giannopoulos throws a poor cross that misses
and Shutes counters with a nice low kick that buckles Giannopoulos's knee momentarily.
Giannopoulos with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Shutes to score with a decent uppercut.
Shutes scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Shutes fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Giannopoulos has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Shutes thows a body kick. Giannopoulos tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Shutes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Shutes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Shutes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Shutes pressing his opponent against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Giannopoulos fails to land.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Giannopoulos thows a left - swing and a miss!
A decent looking cross lands there for Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Giannopoulos looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Giannopoulos throws a big shot that misses.
A head kick misses from Shutes.
Giannopoulos throws a jab when Shutes was well out of range.
Decent striking displayed by Giannopoulos there.
Nikos Giannopoulos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook. Shutes ducked under it nicely.
Giannopoulos comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Shutes uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Giannopoulos has time to react.
A left lands for Shutes.
Giannopoulos throws a leg kick but Shutes sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Shutes now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Giannopoulos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Giannopoulos drops his hands momentarily and Shutes takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Giannopoulos throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giannopoulos walks forward, straight into a front kick from Shutes.
Shutes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Giannopoulos.
Shutes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Shutes throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Giannopoulos is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Giannopoulos throws a poor cross that misses
and Shutes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice straight punches there by Giannopoulos. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Shutes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Shutes is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Shutes lands a right hook to the body.
Shutes lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Giannopoulos takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Giannopoulos throws a right and a left that both miss.
Shutes slips a jab and a cross from Giannopoulos.
The fighters circling - Giannopoulos throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Giannopoulos swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A big left from Giannopoulos misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giannopoulos tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shutes was well out of range. Poor timing from Giannopoulos.
Shutes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Giannopoulos throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Shutes scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Giannopoulos throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Giannopoulos takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Shutes cracks Giannopoulos with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook
and Shutes counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Shutes instigates a clinch.
Giannopoulos misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shutes looking to throw knees to the head but Giannopoulos is blocking nicely.
Giannopoulos scores with a shot to the side of Shutes's head.
Giannopoulos misses with a short punch on the inside.
Giannopoulos misses with some punches.
Shutes misses with some punches.
Giannopoulos scores with a shot to the side of Shutes's head.
Shutes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Giannopoulos has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shutes blocks an uppercut.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shutes lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Giannopoulos gets through Shutes's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Shutes with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Shutes blocking some punches.
Giannopoulos content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Shutes pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Giannopoulos misses with some punches.
Giannopoulos controlling the action here for a moment.
Shutes lands an elbow inside.
Shutes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Giannopoulos blocks it with crossed arms.
Shutes blocking some punches.
Shutes lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Giannopoulos backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shutes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shutes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shutes misses with an elbow strike.
Giannopoulos swings wildly with an uppercut but Shutes uses good head movement to avoid it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shutes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Giannopoulos swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Shutes crunches a lovely knee into Giannopoulos's ribcage.
Shutes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shutes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Giannopoulos avoids it.
Giannopoulos has a couple of punches blocked by Shutes.
Wesley Shutes seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Come on Giannopoulos - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Still in the clinch, Shutes scores with a nice short uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Wesley Shutes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Shutes listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Giannopoulos misses with a right hand
and Giannopoulos takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Giannopoulos on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Giannopoulos scores with a shot to the body.
Giannopoulos throws a hook but Shutes avoids it easily.
Shutes appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Donk. Giannopoulos catches Shutes right on the button with a cross.
A solid leg kick lands there for Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos throws a poor cross that misses
and Shutes makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Giannopoulos throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Giannopoulos swings widly with a right hand
and Shutes counters with an outside leg kick.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook
and Giannopoulos takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shutes connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Giannopoulos dips to his left and cracks Shutes with an uppercut!
Giannopoulos misses with a body shot.
Giannopoulos takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Giannopoulos misses with a body punch
and Shutes counters with a big head kick but Giannopoulos shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giannopoulos throws a lazy uppercut
and Shutes counters with a straight right hand.
Shutes lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Giannopoulos looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Shutes - that will leave a mark!
Shutes dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Giannopoulos. That did some damage!
Shutes lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Nice body kick from Shutes.
Shutes lands a nice looking body kick.
Giannopoulos takes a swing at Shutes's ribcage but misses.
Shutes connects with a solid leg kick.
A nice leg kick from Shutes, right into the meat of the thigh.
Shutes connects with a single shot there.
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!
Giannopoulos throws an off balance right hand
and Shutes counters with a straight right hand.
Giannopoulos misses with an uppercut
and Shutes counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Giannopoulos thows a left - swing and a miss!
Shutes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nikos Giannopoulos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giannopoulos steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Shutes. That one must have hurt.
Giannopoulos pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Shutes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Giannopoulos manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Giannopoulos swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Nice uppercut there from Shutes.
Giannopoulos rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Shutes counters with a thumping low kick.
Giannopoulos misses with an uppercut
and Shutes counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Giannopoulos connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Shutes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Shutes staying out of range there.
Shutes's corner calls for a 1-2. Shutes obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Giannopoulos throws out a loose jab but Shutes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Giannopoulos takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Giannopoulos throws a right hand that misses
and Shutes counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Giannopoulos thinking.
Shutes scores with a shot to the body.
A nice combination there by Shutes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shutes gets a double leg takedown into Giannopoulos's guard.
Giannopoulos wants to get back to his feet but Shutes passes into half guard.

Shutes is trying to control the action in half guard but Giannopoulos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shutes sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Shutes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Shutes is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Giannopoulos doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Shutes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Giannopoulos is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Shutes pulls his head out easily.
Wesley Shutes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Shutes takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Shutes decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Wesley Shutes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A nice leg kick from Shutes, right into the meat of the thigh.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wesley Shutes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shutes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wesley Shutes!
After the fight, Wesley Shutes was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.