PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jose Toro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Toro comes to the cage accompanied by Te Dejo Madrid. Shepard has chosen Im Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? as his entrance music. Chris Shepard looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Toro
vs
Shepard

194 cm
22
265 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

195 cm
22
263 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

SPARTAN FIGHTWARE

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jose Toro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Shepard!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Reed Andrews and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Toro misses.
Shepard tries for a takedown but Toro sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Toro lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

It looks like Chris Shepard has been cut.
Toro tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Shepard rushes Toro and presses him up against the cage.
Toro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Toro looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Toro is trying to force a seperation but Shepard has the dominant position.
Shepard prevents Toro from breaking the clinch.
Toro wants to break free but Shepard has control.
Toro is trying to break the clinch but Shepard is controlling him.

Shepard pulls guard.
Toro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Toro throwing strikes from guard but Shepard blocks nicely.
Toro throwing strikes but missing.
Shepard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Toro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toro is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Shepard 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.
Shepard wants to sweep but no luck.
Shepard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Toro tries to clinch

and Shepard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Shepard tries to pull guard but Toro holds him up against the cage and eventually Shepard drops back down to his feet.
Toro wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Toro swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Toro can't break the clinch.
Toro wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Toro has a couple of punches blocked by Shepard.
Toro looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Toro is trying to force a seperation but Shepard has the dominant position.
Toro working hard to break the clinch.
Toro wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shepard has him pressed against the cage.

Shepard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Toro darts in trying to clinch

and Shepard counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shepard.
Shepard keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Toro's efforts to push away.
Toro tries to break the clinch but Shepard is controlling the position.
Toro working hard to break the clinch.
Toro wants to break the clinch but can't.
Toro drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shepard gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Toro stops a takedown attempt from Shepard.
Jose Toro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Shepard.
Shepard looks gassed!

Shepard gets control of Toro's arms and successfully pulls guard. Shepard will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Toro working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Toro prevents Shepard from getting back to his feet.
Toro is pushing down on Shepard's leg trying to pass to half guard. Shepard is fighting to maintain full guard but Toro has managed to sneak the leg through.
Shepard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Toro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Toro wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shepard keeps working.
Toro looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toro throwing shots but Shepard is blocking nicely.
Toro throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Toro thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Shepard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Toro.

Toro looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Toro not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Toro is looking for a kimura here.
Toro throwing shots but Shepard is blocking nicely.
Shepard keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Toro missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Toro missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Shepard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Toro.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Toro dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chris Shepard's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Toro tries to clinch up

and Shepard counters by moving into the clinch.
Toro jumps guard but Shepard stands there with Toro around his waist. Toro gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Shepard manages to break the clinch.
Shepard avoids the body shot from Toro.
Toro tries to clinch but Shepard moves away

and Shepard counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Shepard wants to pass to mount but Toro is defending the position.
Shepard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Toro keeps working.
Toro has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Toro kicks off Shepard and gets to his feet.
Shepard is breathing heavily.
Toro closes the distance but Shepard moves to the side

and Shepard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Shepard is pressed up against the cage. Toro has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shepard down to the mat. Shepard avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toro lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Toro fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Toro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toro tries a head kick but it misses.
Toro lands with a straight right. Shepard didn't see that one coming.
Toro swinging wilding here.
Shepard lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Shepard fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Toro throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Toro throws a right hand that Shepard ducks under and follows up with a left that Shepard also avoids with ease.

Shepard fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Toro, pushing him back against the cage.
Shepard keeps control of Toro as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Toro is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shepard is trying to drag Toro to the mat but Toro just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Shepard keeps control of Toro as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toro throws a punch but it's blocked by Shepard.
Toro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shepard blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Shepard decides to pull guard.
Toro thows a big elbow that misses.
Toro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Toro advances to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Toro thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Shepard tries to kick Toro off but Toro keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Toro works his way into side control.
Toro tries to advance to mount but Shepard denies him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toro tries to score with some ground and pound. Shepard controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Toro goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Shepard rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Toro's guard! Nice work there by Shepard!
Shepard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Shepard looking to pass the guard.
Shepard is looking to work some ground and pound but Toro has wrist control.

Shepard avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Shepard postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Toro has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Shepard can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Toro working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shepard.

Shepard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Toro has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Shepard has managed to get both his arms back between Toro's legs - danger averted.
Shepard trying to control the position from guard on top but Toro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Toro had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Shepard defends it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shepard is working Toro over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Toro dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chris Shepard's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Toro scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Shepard.
Toro closes the distance looking to clinch

and Shepard counters by clinching up.
Shepard keeps control of Toro as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Toro has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Shepard clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Toro missing with strikes from the back.
Shepard covering up well and avoiding damage.
Toro punches the canvas rather than the man.
Jose Toro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Toro punches the canvas rather than the man.
Shepard covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Toro is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Shepard won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Toro off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Jose Toro!