PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sufjan Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick shannon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevens comes to the cage accompanied by They Are Zombies. shannon has chosen yesterdays headlines as his entrance music. 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.

Stevens
vs
shannon

176 cm
26
153 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

178 cm
24
146 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Vandal Fight Boutique -ACME- *$5 tee!*

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sufjan Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick shannon!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Anthony Taglia and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

shannon gets a takedown into half guard.
shannon is keen to just control but Stevens is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens avoiding damage under a succession of punches from shannon.
shannon missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
shannon prevents Stevens from improving his position.
Stevens controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Stevens is defending against the submission attempts here by shannon.
Stevens is trying to maintain the position but shannon is very close to passing his half guard.

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

Stevens pushes shannon up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stevens breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
shannon avoids the head kick by Stevens.
A head kick misses from Stevens.
shannon plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Stevens with a poor takedown

and shannon counters with a nice double leg into guard.
shannon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
shannon not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
shannon advances position into side control!
Stevens manages to work his way to half guard, despite shannon's best efforts.

shannon is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Stevens doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time shannon.
shannon thows a huge punch but Stevens dodges it nicely.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
shannon is keen to just control but Stevens is a slippery customer.
Stevens slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
shannon passes easily into side control. Nice work.
shannon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stevens keeps working.
Stevens regains half guard there - taking advantage of shannon's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Stevens has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. shannon is working away from the top position though.
shannon is pressing down on Stevens's thigh, looking to free his foot. Stevens is holding on for now.
shannon trying to control the action but Stevens is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

shannon is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Stevens wants to improve his position but shannon is controlling well.
Stevens is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of shannon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take shannon's back!
Stevens controls the action.
Stevens tries to keep control of the position but shannon is staying busy.
Stevens controlling well, preventing shannon from escaping the position.
shannon covering up well and avoiding damage.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Stevens's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

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.
Stevens is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because shannon is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Stevens is persistently looking for the submission but shannon is defending it well.
Stevens doesn't have the hooks in and shannon manages to turn into his guard.

shannon drops back looking for a leg! Stevens is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Stevens manages to kick shannon off! shannon jumps back into Stevens's guard.

Stevens is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick shannon dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

shannon shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Stevens napping and manages to drive through into side control!

shannon tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
You can see the frustration on Stevens's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
shannon working the ground and pound.
Stevens is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked shannon off and has taken his back!
shannon is trying to break free.

Stevens working for a choke but shannon is defending well.
Stevens doesn't have the hooks in and shannon manages to turn into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
shannon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stevens swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stevens manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
shannon is trying desperately to improve position.
Stevens raining down shots from the mount!

Stevens is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But shannon has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from shannon!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
shannon passes Stevens's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Stevens trying to control but shannon postures up.
Nick shannon has got the better of the ground game so far.
shannon thows a huge punch but Stevens dodges it nicely.
shannon works his way into side control.
shannon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stevens keeps working.
shannon advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

shannon moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Stevens has worked his arm free - good work by Stevens!
shannon is breathing heavily.
Stevens is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked shannon off and has taken his back!
Stevens is looking to control shannon but shannon is wriggling around and keeping busy.
shannon wants to escape the position.
Stevens gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Stevens scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. shannon is looking for a way out.
shannon is covering up but some of the strikes from Stevens are getting through and doing damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
shannon tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Stevens landing punches.
shannon is looking to get to half guard.
BOOM! Stevens connects with a massive shot to the dome!
shannon is in all sorts of trouble here.
shannon is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Stevens putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Stevens takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Stevens fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sufjan Stevens dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

A combination from Stevens does no damage.
shannon lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
shannon tries to clinch there but Stevens circles away.
Stevens throws a low kick but it's checked well by shannon.
Stevens tries a head kick but it misses.
Stevens tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stevens throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
shannon avoids a kick to the body.
shannon misses with a head kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Stevens.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

shannon forces Stevens back against the cage and clinches.
Stevens looking to throw knees to the head but shannon is blocking nicely.
shannon gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Stevens wants to stall.
shannon creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
shannon comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens blocks the elbow strike.
Stevens looking to stall.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
shannon missing with knees to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Stevens - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

shannon jumps guard.
Stevens postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stevens throwing strikes but missing.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but shannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevens with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stevens stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. shannon swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Stevens wants to control from the top but shannon keeps moving.
Stevens tries to free his leg and advance position but shannon is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
shannon throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
shannon throws a sloppy head kick and Stevens moves out of range easily.

shannon shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than shannon was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Stevens slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
shannon trying to pass the guard but Stevens defending well.
Stevens wants to control but shannon is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stevens is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of shannon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take shannon's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens doesn't have the hooks in and shannon manages to turn into his guard.
Stevens can't keep his opponent in guard - shannon advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
shannon tries to pass to full mount but Stevens defends it.
shannon is thwarting Stevens's attempts to control the position.
Stevens punching from the bottom.
Stevens trying to control here.
shannon trying to pass the guard but Stevens defending well.
Stevens tries to get to full guard but shannon has control of the leg.
shannon trying to control from half guard but Stevens is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
shannon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stevens misses with a kick to the body.
shannon fails with a takedown attempt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Stevens.
shannon misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stevens misses with a takedown attempt - shannon sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Stevens fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. shannon sprawls well initially but Stevens persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Stevens slips a nice elbow through shannon's hands, connecting with shannon's forehead.
Stevens is controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nick shannon.
Well shannon has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Nick shannon!
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight for Nick shannon!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Nick shannon!

Nick shannon wins by unanimous decision!