PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Sharkan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rush has chosen eye of the tiger as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sharkan
vs
Rush

201 cm
25
213 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
206 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mark Sharkan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eli Rush!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sharkan rushes Rush and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sharkan has Rush pressed against the cage.

Sharkan turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sharkan manages to end up in side control.
Rush is looking to regain half guard here but Sharkan keeps moving and retains side control.
Rush takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Eli Rush has been cut.
Rush struggling a bit here.
Sharkan in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
You can see the frustration on Rush's face as Sharkan controls the position.
Rush tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sharkan throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Sharkan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rush is looking to reverse the position.
Sharkan working away.
Sharkan throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharkan tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Rush is not content to let Sharkan control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sharkan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sharkan showed some decent athleticism there.
Sharkan working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sharkan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sharkan throwing shots but Rush is blocking nicely.
Rush wants to control but Sharkan is keeping busy.
Sharkan scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharkan seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Sharkan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sharkan is looking to advance position but Rush won't allow it.
Rush gets full guard.
Rush bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sharkan's guard.
Rush throwing strikes from guard but Sharkan blocks nicely.
Sharkan has a closed guard, preventing Rush from standing up.
Sharkan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rush on the ground.
Sharkan keeping moving, preventing Rush from controlling successfully.
Rush looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharkan keeping full guard, as Rush tries to pass.
Rush trying to control but Sharkan is working from the bottom.
Sharkan is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rush tries to free his leg and advance position but Sharkan is retaining full guard.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sharkan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rush!
Sharkan putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sharkan with good strikes from the mount here!
Sharkan has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rush's face.
Sharkan looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sharkan unloading with bombs!
Rush is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rush is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sharkan looking to control but Rush is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Sharkan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eli Rush's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sharkan shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rush is trying to defend but Sharkan finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rush trying to control here.
Sharkan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rush defending well though.
Sharkan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rush does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sharkan lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
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. Sharkan connects with a nice short shot to Rush's temple.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharkan looks to land a strike but Rush avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Sharkan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rush wants to sweep here but Sharkan controlling him for the moment.
Sharkan works over Rush with some ground and pound from guard.
Rush has momentary wrist control but Sharkan slips an elbow through the middle.
Mark Sharkan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sharkan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sharkan stops Rush from standing up.
Sharkan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rush has momentary wrist control but Sharkan slips an elbow through the middle.

Rush is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sharkan landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush looking for a sweep. Not yet Rush, not yet.
Sharkan sitting in guard here, content to control.

Sharkan stands up from Rush's guard - Sharkan perhaps looking for a knockout.

Sharkan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sharkan lands in his opponent's guard.
Sharkan lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush is trying to keep Sharkan in close.
Sharkan connects with a couple of short punches.
Sharkan throws a big right hand that misses.
Rush throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Sharkan gets to his feet - Rush follows without any prompting.

Sharkan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sharkan lands in his opponent's guard.
Sharkan controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharkan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rush tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sharkan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sharkan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sharkan lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Sharkan decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Sharkan shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rush napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sloppy strikes there by Sharkan.
Sharkan connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Rush some visible discomfort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Sharkan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Eli Rush's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rush swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rush gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sharkan counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sharkan is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sharkan trying to control but Rush is working from the bottom.
Rush looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sharkan is one step ahead there.
Sharkan cracks Rush with a solid left hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sharkan cracks Rush with a solid left hand.
Rush is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharkan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sharkan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rush can do to turn this around?
Sharkan trying to control the position from guard on top but Rush is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sharkan landing with the ground and pound.
Rush wants to stand but Sharkan is controlling the position.
Sharkan distracts Rush with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sharkan stands up over Rush, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rush is trying to control the position but Sharkan postures up.

That's two 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.
Rush wants to get back to his feet but Sharkan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sharkan stands up over Rush, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sharkan postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sharkan postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sharkan working some strikes from top position.
Sharkan preventing the sweep.
Sharkan trying to control but Rush is working from the bottom.
Sharkan working some strikes from top position.
Sharkan content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharkan working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rush looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sharkan is one step ahead there.
Rush looking to control.
Sharkan working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

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

Sharkan gets a clinch.
Rush is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sharkan gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Sharkan lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rush backwards.

Sharkan is trying to trip Rush. He has hold of a leg but Rush is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Sharkan persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Rush looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rush had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sharkan defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharkan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sharkan lands a couple of elbows.
Sharkan postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rush is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mark Sharkan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rush can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sharkan controls the pace.
Eli Rush has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Sharkan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sharkan 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Sharkan!