PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jerry Shuster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sabin Figaro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shuster comes to the cage accompanied by I Am Superman. Sabin Figaro has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Shuster
vs
Figaro

178 cm
21
185 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

180 cm
20
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jerry Shuster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sabin Figaro!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Figaro shoots for a takedown but Shuster saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shuster scores with a leg kick.
Shuster looks to land a left hand but Figaro moved out of range nicely.
A jab lands there for Figaro.
Shuster takes one to the chin there.
Figaro tries to clinch but Shuster is having none of it.
Figaro moves out of range as Shuster strikes.
Shuster tries to close the distance and clinch up but Figaro swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shuster lands a jab to Figaro's midsection.
Shuster throws a hook to the side of Figaro's head but Figaro sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Figaro takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Figaro shoots in for a takedown but Shuster shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Figaro looks gassed!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big right from Shuster misses.
Shuster misses with a looping left.
Shuster tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shuster connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Shuster looks to land a left hand but Figaro moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Figaro.
Shuster fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Figaro manages to avoid it.
Shuster throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

Shuster instigates a clinch.
Shuster landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Shuster unloads a knee to the mid-section. Figaro lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shuster trying to land knees to the body.
Figaro is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Shuster gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jerry Shuster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sabin Figaro.
Shuster lands a good knee to the midsection. Figaro won't want to take too many of those.
Figaro on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shuster lands a good knee to the midsection. Figaro won't want to take too many of those.
Shuster lands a body punch in the clinch.
Shuster lands a nice elbow.
Shuster is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Figaro is defending well for now.
Figaro managing to block the knees to the body from Shuster.
Shuster lands an elbow just above Figaro 's eye.
Shuster throws an elbow that misses.
A shot in the inside from Shuster.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shuster tries to throw a body punch but Figaro avoids it by throwing Shuster back against the cage.
Shuster creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Figaro's defenses.

It looks like Sabin Figaro has been cut.
Figaro fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Shuster tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Figaro avoids it.
Knees to the body from Shuster.
Figaro tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knees in the clinch landing for Shuster.
Figaro managing to block the knees to the body from Shuster.
Figaro dodges an elbow strike from Shuster.
Figaro tries to break the clinch but Shuster is controlling the position.
Figaro avoiding damage as Shuster throws knees to the body.
Shuster missing with knees to the body.
Figaro dodges an elbow strike from Shuster.
Shuster misses with the head strike.
Shuster missing with knees to the body.
Shuster tries a knee to the head but Figaro blocks it.
Shuster tries to land knees in the clinch but Figaro avoids the damage to the body.

Figaro gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Figaro is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figaro throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Figaro missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Figaro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shuster tries to roll over but Figaro keeps him under control.
Figaro trying to control the pace.

Figaro is working for a kimura but Shuster is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Shuster is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Shuster is pressing down on Figaro's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Figaro wants to pass the guard but Shuster is keeping the position.
Figaro wants to control from the top but Shuster keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Figaro pushes down on Shuster's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerry Shuster dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sabin Figaro's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Shuster throws a half hearted mid kick.
Shuster moves away from the strike by Figaro.
Shuster closes the distance looking to clinch

so Figaro counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Shuster can't keep his opponent in guard - Figaro advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Figaro slows the pace down in half guard.
Figaro is thwarting Shuster's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shuster wants to improve his position but Figaro is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shuster is trying to maintain the position but Figaro is very close to passing his half guard.
Figaro controlling the action here.
Shuster is staying active underneath Figaro, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Figaro in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Figaro trying to control the action but Shuster is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Figaro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shuster tries to close the distance and clinch up but Figaro swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shuster throws a looping overhand right but Figaro ducks down to avoid it.
Figaro scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Shuster misses the shot to the body.
Figaro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jerry Shuster is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Figaro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Figaro shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Shuster manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Figaro is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shuster is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Shuster controls Figaro momentarily but Figaro frees himself.
Figaro 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.
Figaro throws and elbow that misses. Shuster uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Figaro's guard. Nice move by Shuster!
Figaro working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shuster passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Shuster decides to stand back up.
Shuster clinches but Figaro breaks the clinch

and Figaro counters with a single leg into guard. Shuster didn't expect that.
Figaro sitting in guard here, content to control.
Shuster looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sabin Figaro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sabin Figaro's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Figaro bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Shuster wants to clinch but Figaro slips to the side

and Figaro counters with a nice double leg into side control. Shuster won't be happy with that.
Figaro misses with the ground and pound.

Figaro is trying to get an arm triangle but Shuster is defending well.
Shuster struggling a bit here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee asks Figaro politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Figaro prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Figaro misses with the ground and pound.
Shuster prevents Figaro from moving into mount.
Figaro trying to control the action but Shuster is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Figaro steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Shuster.
Shuster tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Figaro paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Shuster clinches up against the cage.
Figaro drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shuster gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Knees in the clinch landing for Shuster.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shuster creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Shuster tries a body shot but Figaro blocks it.
Figaro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shuster lands a good knee to the midsection. Figaro won't want to take too many of those.
Figaro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shuster lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Shuster lands an elbow inside that Figaro shrugs off.
Shuster creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Figaro's defenses.
Shuster trying to land knees to the body.
Figaro drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shuster gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Figaro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shuster unloads a knee to the mid-section. Figaro lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Figaro tries to pull guard but Shuster holds him up against the cage and eventually Figaro drops back down to his feet.
Jerry Shuster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sabin Figaro.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Shuster obliges.
Shuster missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shuster is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Figaro is defending well for now.
Figaro wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Shuster tries to land knees in the clinch but Figaro avoids the damage to the body.
Figaro goes for a takedown attempt but Shuster pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Figaro shoots for a double leg takedown but Shuster sprawls well. He's pushed Figaro's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Figaro uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Shuster.
Shuster scores with a spinning back kick!
Jerry Shuster seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shuster scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Figaro slips a jab from Shuster.
Shuster tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Figaro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shuster misses with a straight left.
Figaro's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Figaro duly obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Figaro circles away from the clinch attempt

and Figaro counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Figaro in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Figaro won't allow Shuster to sweep him here.
Figaro sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Figaro landing some decent shots from guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shuster keeping moving, preventing Figaro from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sabin Figaro comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Figaro has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sabin Figaro!