PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ita Ipava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lew Shelby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ipava
vs
Shelby

184 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
177 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ita Ipava!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lew Shelby!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ipava looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Ipava closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Shelby to the mat! Shelby manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shelby thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ipava accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ipava postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Shelby bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ipava's guard.
Shelby passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Ipava misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ipava striking from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Shelby lands a nice short elbow.
Ipava gets full guard.
Ipava tries to strike from the bottom.
Ipava doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ipava manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shelby manages to get himself to full guard.
Ipava missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shelby looking for a guillotine here but Ipava defends easily.
Shelby looks gassed!
Shelby avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ipava won't allow Shelby to sweep him here.
Ipava throws a strike but Shelby rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Ipava throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ipava striking off his back but it's not causing Shelby any problems.
Ipava striking from the bottom here.
Shelby stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ipava swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ipava looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

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

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Shelby connects with a single shot there.

Ipava shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Shelby is trying to defend but Ipava finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ipava lands strikes from half guard.
Ipava is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ipava working the head and body with strikes.
Ipava throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ipava working the head and body with strikes.
Ipava not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ipava throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ipava missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ipava slips a nice elbow through Shelby's hands, connecting with Shelby's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ipava working Shelby over with strikes.
Ipava seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Ipava takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ipava working the head and body with strikes.
Nice strikes from Ipava there.
Ipava lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shelby has hold of Ipava's hands but Ipava slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ipava thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Shelby blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ipava.
Ipava lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shelby is looking for a sweep. Ipava is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ipava landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ipava takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ipava seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Ipava lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shelby tries to get to full guard but Ipava has control of the leg.
Nice strikes from Ipava there.
Ipava missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Shelby keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ipava is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Shelby has hold of Ipava's hands but Ipava slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ita Ipava dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ipava looks for a takedown but Shelby sprawls well.

Shelby gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ipava to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ipava missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ipava with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ipava with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ipava working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ipava throwing strikes but missing.
Ipava trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Shelby 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ipava postures up in Shelby's guard and throws a big left but Shelby blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Shelby defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ipava.
Ipava slips a straight right by Shelby.
Ipava fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ita Ipava. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ipava.

Shelby clinches.

Ipava has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Shelby clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Shelby avoids the strikes from Ipava.
Ipava has Shelby flattened out and is raining down punches.
Ipava scores with strikes from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shelby tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Ipava pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ipava dominating with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shelby is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ipava landing punches.
Ipava landing strikes from the mount.
Ipava working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Ipava cracks Shelby with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
A nice elbow there by Ipava.
Ipava lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ipava landing shots from mount.
Shelby in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shelby taking shots to the head.
Shelby working to try and regain half guard.
Ipava putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Ipava lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shelby hang on?
Ipava postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Shelby looks a forlorn figure.
Ipava lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shelby hang on?
A nice elbow there by Ipava.
Ipava connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ipava working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Shelby swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Shelby is looking to get to half guard.
Ipava landing strikes from the mount and Shelby is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shelby taking shots to the head.
Ipava lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shelby hang on?
Shelby is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ipava lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shelby hang on?
Ipava lands a big shot there that rocks Shelby but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Ipava avoids the attempt from Shelby to control.
Ipava dominating with strikes here.
Ipava putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Ipava is landing with some decent strikes but Shelby is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Ipava raining down shots from the mount!
Ipava lands with some strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ita Ipava dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ipava shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Shelby as he avoids it easily.
Ipava takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Ipava shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ipava with good strikes from the mount here!
Ipava looking to finish Shelby with some ground and pound. This is bad for Shelby!
A nice elbow there by Ipava.
Ipava lands a heavy elbow.
Ipava connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Shelby is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ipava cracks Shelby with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Ipava looking to finish Shelby with some ground and pound. This is bad for Shelby!
Ipava with a couple of short strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shelby tries to reverse the position but Ipava maintains control.
Ipava landing punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shelby in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Shelby wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Ipava dominating with strikes here.
Ipava prevents Shelby from getting the reversal.
Shelby in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Shelby can't escape the position.
Ipava looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Shelby can't escape the position.
Ipava landing strikes, looking to finish!
Ipava lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Shelby is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ipava has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Shelby's face.
Ipava scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Shelby is trying desperately to improve position.
Ipava working the ground and pound effectively.
Ipava pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ipava scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Ipava connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ipava lands a heavy elbow.
Shelby is in a horrible position here. Ipava smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Ipava in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shelby can't escape the position.
Ipava landing strikes from the mount.
Ipava fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ipava pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Shelby is looking to get to half guard.
Shelby regains half guard.
Ipava thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shelby's head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ipava lands a nice short elbow.
Ipava throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ipava drops an elbow to the side of Shelby's head.
Shelby is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ipava scores with a couple of nice shots.
Shelby tries to roll over but Ipava keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ipava lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shelby is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ipava scores with a couple of nice shots.
Shelby wants to get back to his feet.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ipava lands a nice short elbow.
Shelby wants to improve his position but Ipava is controlling well.
Lew Shelby has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ipava connects with a nice short shot to Shelby's temple.
Ipava sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Shelby defending well though.
Ita Ipava is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ipava perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ita Ipava showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ipava, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ita Ipava!