PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Harley Royale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Shadows (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royale comes into the arena with Empire X by Dubtraction blaring out of the sound system. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Royale
vs
Shadows

183 cm
25
183 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

201 cm
24
170 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

White Gorilla Nutrition
White Gorilla 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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Harley Royale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Max Shadows!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shadows scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Royale jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Royale tries to clinch but Shadows is having none of it.
Shadows throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Royale.
Royale uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shadows.
Shadows stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Jab, jab by Shadows - just one landing.
Royale throws a jab when Shadows was well out of range.
Shadows is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Royale decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Royale sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Shadows defending well though.
Shadows is trying to maintain the position but Royale is very close to passing his half guard.
Shadows makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Shadows.
Shadows trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Royale accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shadows wants to stand but Royale is controlling the position.
Royale wants to pass the guard but Shadows is keeping the position.
Royale with a flurry of punches that miss.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shadows throws a combination. Royale tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Royale tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shadows paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Royale drops his hands momentarily and Shadows takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Royale decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Royale passes the guard and advances to mount!
Royale thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Royale lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shadows hang on?
Shadows is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Royale fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Shadows tries to reverse the position but Royale maintains control.
Royale controlling the position easily from mount.
Royale throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Shadows because Royale loaded up on that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Royale throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Shadows because Royale loaded up on that one.
Royale tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

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.
Royale looking to ground and pound but Shadows is blocking nicely.
Royale controlling the pace for now.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Harley Royale just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Nice cross by Shadows.
Shadows lands a nice hook to Royale's body. Royale takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Shadows fails to land with a series of punches.
Shadows tries a head kick but it misses.
Royale takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Shadows takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Shadows scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Royale tries to close the distance and clinch but Shadows swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Royale closes the distance and pushes Shadows back into the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Shadows is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Shadows tries to pull guard but Royale won't allow it.

Royale has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Shadows clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
What can Shadows do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Royale has the hooks in. Shadows is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Royale landing with strikes.
Royale is trying to stick to Shadows's back but Shadows is turning into Royale. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Royale's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Shadows.
Royale wants to get back to his feet but Shadows is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Shadows wants to stand but Royale has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royale is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shadows is controlling him.
Shadows is stalling in the full guard.

Royale kicks Shadows off and gets to his feet.
Royale tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shadows paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shadows scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Shadows scores with a shot to the body.
Shadows pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Royale misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Royale closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Royale lands in his opponent's guard.
Royale cracks Shadows with a solid left hand.
Royale wants to pass the guard but Shadows is keeping the position.
Royale wants to control from the top but Shadows keeps moving.
Royale's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Royale trying to control but Shadows is working from the bottom.
Royale won't allow Shadows to sweep him here.
Royale tries to free his leg and advance position but Shadows is retaining full guard.

Royale gets to his feet. Shadows looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Shadows connects with the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Shadows throws a combination. Royale tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Royale ducks under a wild hook from Shadows.
Shadows with a hook.
Shadows misses with a low kick as Royale jumps back.
Max Shadows seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shadows lands with a nice body punch.
Shadows throws a sloppy head kick and Royale moves out of range easily.
Royale shoots in for a takedown but Shadows shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shadows stuns Royale with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Shadows displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Royale.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shadows connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Shadows changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Royale tries to clinch but Shadows is having none of it.
Shadows has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Royale displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Shadows throws out the jab.
Shadows works Royale's body with a nice hook.
Royale blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harley Royale dominated that second round.
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 lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Shadows misses with a wild body shot.
Royale looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shadows is fending him off so far but Royale persists. Nope, Shadows circles away and we're back to standing.
Shadows lands a head kick!
Royale gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Royale closes the distance and clinches up with Shadows, looking for a takedown. Royale pushes Shadows against the cage but Shadows circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Good standup being displayed there by Shadows as he connects with a hook.
Shadows slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Royale takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nice shot by Shadows.
Shadows fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shadows lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Shadows misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Royale.
Shadows lands with an overhand left.
Royale dodges the punch combination from Shadows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shadows uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Shadows connects with a jab.
A jab from Shadows does it's job there.
Shadows throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Max Shadows is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shadows lands a really nice looking cross but Royale seems unphased.
Shadows throws a lazy right hand but Royale sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Shadows just misses with a punch to the body.
Shadows throws a right and a left that Royale avoids nicely.
Shadows with a hook.
Shadows misses with a two punch combination.
Nice defenses there by Royale.
Shadows misses with a combination

and Royale counters by moving into the clinch.
Shadows tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Shadows has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Royale regains guard immediately.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Royale wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shadows wants to get up but he can't break Royale's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Royale is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Royale is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Shadows trying to control but Royale is working from the bottom.
Royale wants to stand but Shadows is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale controlling Shadows's posture.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shadows jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Shadows throws a good cross that connects.
Royale gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Max Shadows has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Royale rushes Shadows and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Royale wants the takedown. Shadows is fighting it off but Royale persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Shadows's guard against the cage.
Shadows can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Royale controls the pace.
Royale thows a big elbow that misses.
Shadows is trying to control the position but Royale postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Royale wants to control from the top but Shadows keeps moving.
Royale slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Royale thows a big elbow that misses.
Harley Royale is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Royale trying to control but Shadows is working from the bottom.
Royale's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Royale trying to control the position from guard on top but Shadows is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Shadows comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Royale has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harley Royale!