PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between isaac sheperd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Keating (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). isaac sheperd has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

sheperd
vs
Keating

175 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, isaac sheperd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Jeff Keating!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Steven Brown and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
sheperd fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
sheperd fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Keating gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and sheperd holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
sheperd dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
sheperd lands a body punch in the clinch.
Keating has sheperd pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. sheperd manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Keating being controlled against the cage.
sheperd drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Keating gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for isaac sheperd. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keating changes levels and goes for a takedown here. sheperd fights it off and pushes away nicely.
sheperd throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keating gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and sheperd counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
sheperd is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
sheperd not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
sheperd looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Keating slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Keating working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
sheperd is stalling in the full guard.
sheperd slips nicely into half guard.
sheperd thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
sheperd stalling.
sheperd wants to advance to full mount but Keating doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

Keating has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but sheperd can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Keating looks gassed!
sheperd trying to control the position from guard on top but Keating is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Keating looking for a guillotine here but sheperd defends easily.
sheperd advances to half guard.
sheperd is looking to stall here but Keating recovers full guard.
sheperd wants to control from the top but Keating keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

isaac sheperd dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

sheperd swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Keating is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Keating with a lazy takedown attempt
and sheperd makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
sheperd pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Keating doesn't succeed with the takedown

and sheperd moves into the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from sheperd.

sheperd manages to break the clinch.

sheperd shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Keating is pressing down on sheperd's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Keating is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sheperd tries to free his leg and advance position but Keating is retaining full guard.
sheperd missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
sheperd not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
sheperd wanted to stand there but Keating had control of the position.
sheperd stopping the sweep attempt from Keating.
sheperd controlling from the top position.

That's two 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.
Keating looking to control.
sheperd trying to control but Keating is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
sheperd throws a nice outside leg kick.
Keating drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Keating blocks a head kick by sheperd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by sheperd.
Keating is looking for a sweep.
Keating can't do much from the bottom here.
A control attempt from Keating but he's now mounted!
sheperd cracks Keating with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Keating is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

sheperd looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Keating is trying to escape the mount.
sheperd throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Keating can't escape the position.
Keating tries to hold on but sheperd pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

isaac sheperd dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

sheperd closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

sheperd gets control of Keating's arms and successfully pulls guard. sheperd will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Keating trying to control the position from guard on top but sheperd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Keating won't allow sheperd to sweep him here.
sheperd wants to control but Keating passes easily into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keating seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Keating is trying to control. sheperd wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Keating gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and sheperd counters by moving into the clinch.

sheperd manages to break the clinch.

sheperd fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Keating sprawls well initially but sheperd persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Keating won't allow sheperd to pass to mount.
Keating is trying to maintain the position but sheperd is very close to passing his half guard.
sheperd is taking a breather. Keating says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keating trying to control here.
Keating wants to improve his position but sheperd is controlling well.
Keating is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keating is not content to let sheperd control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Keating stuffs the takedown attempt from sheperd. sheperd gets slowly back to his feet.
sheperd throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Keating has his takedown stuffed

and sheperd counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
sheperd postures up in Keating's guard and throws a big left but Keating blocks it.
sheperd is looking to work some ground and pound but Keating has wrist control.
sheperd is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
sheperd looking to sit in guard and control but Keating gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Keating tries to free his leg and advance position but sheperd is retaining full guard.

Keating is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! sheperd is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! sheperd has escaped and now he's on top!
Keating is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
isaac sheperd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well sheperd has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... isaac sheperd!