PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kazuo Ishikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and German Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ishikawa kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Black Dahlia Murder - Necropolis. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ishikawa
vs
Shepherd

170 cm
22
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

[MMABR] SOLID Nutritional - Tokyo's Best!!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuo Ishikawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, German Shepherd!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepherd tries to clinch up.
Shepherd doesn't manage to clinch there - Ishikawa circles away.
Shepherd attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ishikawa tries to bum rush Shepherd with a series of wild strikes but Shepherd uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ishikawa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch but Ishikawa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ishikawa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shepherd fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ishikawa throws a series of punches but Shepherd avoids them all with ease.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ishikawa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ishikawa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shepherd.
Shepherd shoots in for a takedown but Ishikawa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishikawa swats away the attempt to clinch by Shepherd.
Shepherd wants to clinch up but Ishikawa keeps it at a distance.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
Shepherd is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd tries a head kick but it misses.
Ishikawa keeps the fight on the outside.
Shepherd moves in looking to clinch but Ishikawa pushes him off.
Ishikawa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Shepherd fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shepherd throws a head kick but Ishikawa moves out of range.
Shepherd goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ishikawa avoids the head kick by Shepherd.

Shepherd shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ishikawa pushes Shepherd off looking to stand but Shepherd dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Shepherd lands a head kick. Ishikawa smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Ishikawa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shepherd tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ishikawa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Shepherd somewhat.
Kazuo Ishikawa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of German Shepherd.
Shepherd wants to clinch up but Ishikawa keeps it at a distance.
Shepherd lands a head kick. Ishikawa smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shepherd shoots for a takedown but Ishikawa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shepherd wants to clinch up but Ishikawa keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ishikawa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ishikawa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shepherd tries to clinch up.
Ishikawa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ishikawa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepherd tries to clinch up.
Ishikawa keeps the fight on the outside.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishikawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shepherd doesn't manage to clinch there - Ishikawa circles away.
Kazuo Ishikawa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shepherd fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ishikawa keeps the fight on the outside.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Ishikawa moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shepherd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shepherd moves in looking to clinch but Ishikawa pushes him off.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishikawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ishikawa rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shepherd moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch but Ishikawa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shepherd moves in looking to clinch but Ishikawa pushes him off.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Ishikawa moves out of range.
A punch combination from Ishikawa misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ishikawa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ishikawa slaps away a takedown attempt from Shepherd, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

German Shepherd dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shepherd tries to clinch up but Ishikawa circles away and keeps his distance.
Shepherd tries to clinch up.
Ishikawa looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shepherd is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ishikawa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishikawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shepherd moves in looking to clinch but Ishikawa pushes him off.
Shepherd fails to land the takedown.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepherd lands with a kick to the temple. Ishikawa shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Shepherd wants to clinch.
Shepherd misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Ishikawa is having none of it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shepherd misses with a head kick.
Ishikawa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ishikawa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shepherd.
Shepherd tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ishikawa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Shepherd somewhat.
Kazuo Ishikawa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of German Shepherd.
Ishikawa lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like German Shepherd has been cut.
Shepherd is breathing heavily.
Some wild striking there from Shepherd.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch but Ishikawa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ishikawa is fending him off so far but Shepherd persists. Nope, Ishikawa circles away and we're back to standing.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Ishikawa is having none of it.
Shepherd wants to clinch.
Shepherd misses with a head kick.
A big right from Shepherd misses.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ishikawa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Shepherd.
Ishikawa swinging wildly here.
Horrible takedown by Shepherd or perhaps it was just good defense by Ishikawa which made him look bad.
Shepherd is looking to clinch but Ishikawa is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Ishikawa is having none of it.
Shepherd shoots in and drives through. Ishikawa sprawls well.
Shepherd doesn't manage to clinch there - Ishikawa circles away.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ishikawa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
Ishikawa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Shepherd.
Shepherd is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ishikawa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Shepherd is looking to clinch but Ishikawa is avoiding it.
Ishikawa swinging wildly here.
A combination from Ishikawa does no damage.

That's four 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.
Ishikawa misses with a two punch combination.
German Shepherd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Ishikawa.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch but Ishikawa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shepherd wants to clinch.
Shepherd connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Shepherd misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shepherd wants to clinch up but Ishikawa keeps it at a distance.
Shepherd is looking to clinch but Ishikawa is avoiding it.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazuo Ishikawa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on German Shepherd's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
Shepherd scores with a head kick.
Ishikawa swats away the attempt to clinch by Shepherd.
Shepherd tries to clinch up but Ishikawa circles away and keeps his distance.
Shepherd wants to slow Ishikawa down by chopping away at his legs.
Shepherd is looking to clinch.
Shepherd misses with a head kick.
Ishikawa misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishikawa ducks under a wild hook from Shepherd.
Shepherd fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ishikawa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepherd takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd wants to clinch.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Ishikawa moves out of range.
Shepherd is looking to clinch.
Shepherd avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shepherd wants to clinch up but Ishikawa keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shepherd closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ishikawa circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shepherd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shepherd misses with a takedown attempt - Ishikawa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kazuo Ishikawa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of German Shepherd.
Ishikawa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shepherd.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ishikawa keeps the fight on the outside.
Shepherd throws a sloppy head kick and Ishikawa moves out of range easily.
A slow jab from Shepherd misses its intended target.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ishikawa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kazuo Ishikawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shepherd lands a head kick. Ishikawa smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Shepherd wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ishikawa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A combination from Ishikawa does no damage.
Shepherd tries to clinch up but Ishikawa circles away and keeps his distance.
Ishikawa keeps the fight on the outside.
Shepherd changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ishikawa tries to avoid it but Shepherd manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ishikawa to the ground. Ishikawa escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Shepherd is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ishikawa takes a kick to the side of the head.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Shepherd fails to land the takedown.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch but Ishikawa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ishikawa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.
Some wild striking there from Ishikawa.
Ishikawa misses with a series of wild punches.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ishikawa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ishikawa misses with a series of wild punches.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishikawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

And that's the end of the fight!
German Shepherd comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shepherd 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... German Shepherd!