PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andrei Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Shadows (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Emelianenko
vs
Shadows

175 cm
20
175 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

186 cm
22
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Hell's Balls Nutrition
Hell's Balls Nutrition

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Andrei Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Shadows!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shadows wants to clinch up but Emelianenko keeps it at a distance.

Shadows closes the distance and clinches.
Shadows lands a body shot.

Emelianenko pulls guard effortlessly.
Emelianenko trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Emelianenko trying to keep a closed guard but Shadows is proving a slippery customer.
Emelianenko throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Emelianenko might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Emelianenko pushes Shadows off and gets back to his feet.
Emelianenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Emelianenko fails in his attempt to clinch.

Emelianenko tries to keep at a distance but Shadows has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko wants to get back to striking at distance but Shadows won't allow it.
Emelianenko fails to pull guard.
Emelianenko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Shadows stalling in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shadows.

Shadows gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Emelianenko is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Shadows scores with a couple of nice shots.
Emelianenko is looking to control Shadows's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Emelianenko avoid being mounted?
Emelianenko has hold of Shadows's hands but Shadows slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Shadows sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Emelianenko defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko kicks Shadows off and gets back to his feet.

Shadows drives through and clinches with Emelianenko against the cage.
Emelianenko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Emelianenko is trying to break the clinch but Shadows has him pressed against the cage.
A short right from Shadows.
Emelianenko wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrei Emelianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Emelianenko tries to pull guard but Shadows holds him up against the cage and eventually Emelianenko drops back down to his feet.
Emelianenko changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shadows fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Emelianenko is breathing heavily.

Shadows closes the distance and clinches.
Shadows digs a right hand into Emelianenko's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Emelianenko's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Shadows breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shadows moves into range and clinches up with Emelianenko.
Shadows wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Emelianenko has him pressed against the cage.

Shadows pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Shadows drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Shadows throwing strikes but missing.
Shadows missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Shadows scoring with punches to the head and body.
Shadows must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Emelianenko tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Emelianenko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shadows.
Shadows scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is looking to stand up but Shadows isn't so interested in that idea.
Shadows missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Shadows is looking to work some ground and pound but Emelianenko has wrist control.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Shadows's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Shadows lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shadows passes into half guard.
Shadows is nestled in close to Emelianenko, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Shadows dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Shadows bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

It looks like Andrei Emelianenko has been cut.
Emelianenko wants to control but Shadows postures up.
Matt Shadows has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shadows misses with the ground and pound.
Shadows working away.
Shadows is looking to take a break and control but Emelianenko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shadows creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Emelianenko sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko can't do much from the bottom here.
Shadows lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Shadows working the body and head with strikes.

Shadows has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Shadows rushes Emelianenko and presses him up against the cage.
Emelianenko trying to control the position but instead, Shadows has worked for underhooks and has pushed Emelianenko into the cage.
Nice body punch from Shadows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shadows.
Emelianenko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shadows has him pressed against the cage.

Shadows escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shadows connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Emelianenko's hands.

Shadows moves into the clinch.
Emelianenko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Shadows stalling in the clinch.
Shadows is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Shadows scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short uppercut from Shadows.

Emelianenko is rocked!
Shadows wants to break the clinch but can't.
Shadows scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A short right from Shadows.
Oh Emelianenko is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko drops down looking for an ankle pick but Shadows pulls his leg out and moves away.

Shadows takes the fight into the clinch.
Emelianenko seems to have got his legs back now.
Emelianenko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Emelianenko stalling in the clinch but Shadows improves position.
Shadows lands a hook to the side of the head.

Shadows breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Shadows gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Shadows lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Emelianenko.
Shadows lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Emelianenko.
Shadows working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Shadows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shadows's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Shadows pushes Emelianenko up against the cage in a clinch.

Shadows breaks from the clinch.

Shadows darts in and clinches Emelianenko up against the cage.

Shadows has Emelianenko pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Shadows pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Emelianenko tumbling to the mat - Shadows dives into Emelianenko's guard.
Emelianenko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shadows.
Shadows working some strikes from top position.
Emelianenko is trying to control the position but Shadows postures up.
Shadows is looking to work some ground and pound but Emelianenko has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Shadows showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Andrei Emelianenko's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Shadows scores with a takedown into Emelianenko's guard.

Emelianenko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Shadows gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Shadows fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shadows looks to land a combination. Emelianenko sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Shadows clinches.

Shadows gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Shadows thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Emelianenko's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shadows is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Emelianenko is just riding it out for now. Shadows eventually gives up the hold.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Shadows escapes and gets back to his feet.
Shadows tries to clinch up

and Emelianenko counters by moving into the clinch.

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.
Shadows wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Emelianenko has him pressed against the cage.
Shadows cracks Emelianenko with a nice body shot.

Shadows pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Emelianenko blocks a head kick by Shadows.
Emelianenko shoots in but Shadows avoids the takedown attempt easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Shadows lands with a light punch inside.
Emelianenko trying to stall but Shadows improves his position.
Shadows lands with a right to the head.

Shadows's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Shadows fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Emelianenko, pushing him back against the cage.
Shadows is struggling to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Shadows is looking to break free of the clinch but Emelianenko has double underhooks.

Shadows turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Shadows working the ground and pound.
Shadows lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Emelianenko down.

Shadows decides to stand back up. Shadows steps back and let's Emelianenko get back to his feet.

Shadows rushes Emelianenko and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Emelianenko is trying to maintain a safe position but Shadows gets an underhook and turns Emelianenko into the cage.

Shadows breaks from the clinch.

Shadows moves into the clinch.
Matt Shadows is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shadows breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Andrei Emelianenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shadows tries to clinch there but Emelianenko circles away.

Shadows has managed to clinch.
Shadows prevents a takedown attempt there.

Shadows wants the takedown. Emelianenko is fighting it off but Shadows persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Emelianenko's guard against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shadows showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Shadows comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shadows 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 25:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Shadows!