PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between shean sherk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Desouza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dan Desouza has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with shean sherk's chin.

sherk
vs
Desouza

170 cm
26
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
165 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, shean sherk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dan Desouza!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
sherk tries to bum rush Desouza with a series of wild strikes but Desouza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
sherk throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
sherk misses with a two punch combination.

Desouza clinches with his opponent.
sherk has Desouza pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Desouza manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
sherk wants to break the clinch but can't.

Desouza has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics sherk uses from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Desouza looking for a sweep. Not yet Desouza, not yet.
sherk trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
sherk has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Desouza 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.
sherk missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
sherk throwing strikes from guard but Desouza blocks nicely.
sherk postures up.
sherk working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
sherk defending well as Desouza loads up on a big left hand.
sherk lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
sherk misses with a wild combination.
Desouza is on the wrong end of a nice combination from sherk.
Desouza looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
sherk lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Desouza circles away quickly and effectively.
sherk misses with a few strikes there.
sherk swinging wildly here.
sherk misses with a series of wild punches.
sherk throws a nice looking combination but Desouza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Desouza tries to clinch up but sherk circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
sherk throws a right hand that Desouza ducks under and follows up with a left that Desouza also avoids with ease.
Desouza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Desouza gets caught flat footed, as sherk shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as sherk accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
sherk stopping the sweep attempt from Desouza.
sherk pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Desouza is keeping the position for now.
sherk with a flurry of punches that miss.
Desouza controls sherk momentarily but sherk frees himself.
sherk throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

shean sherk dominated that round.
That's time! sherk's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

sherk shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Desouza counters by clinching up.
sherk tries to score a body lock takedown but Desouza shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
sherk changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Desouza fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for shean sherk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Desouza is looking to clinch but sherk is avoiding it.
sherk shoots and misses
and Desouza counters with a left and a right that stings sherk.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Desouza works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Desouza controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
sherk is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
sherk keeping moving, preventing Desouza from controlling successfully.
Desouza is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sherk is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Desouza is controlling him.
Desouza is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Desouza slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Desouza trying to control the position but sherk is working away.

Desouza is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but sherk is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
sherk trying to remain calm as Desouza controls from the top position.
sherk looks to move to half guard but instead Desouza has passed into mount! Damn!
Desouza controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Desouza trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Desouza lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
sherk is trying to stand up.
sherk is desperately trying to improve his position but Desouza has a good base and remains in mount.
Desouza looking to control but sherk is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
sherk is trying to stand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Desouza looking to control but sherk is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Desouza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Despite being in the dominant position, Dan Desouza just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
sherk misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Desouza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

sherk misses with a double jab

and Desouza counters by moving into the clinch.
sherk has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Desouza avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
sherk is working for takedown but Desouza is calmly controlling the position for now.
sherk is trying to break free.
Desouza is trying to drag sherk to the mat but sherk just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
sherk drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for shean sherk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Desouza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. sherk is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Desouza gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from sherk.

Desouza jumps guard and drags sherk to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
sherk postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Desouza is trying to control the position but sherk postures up.
Desouza looking to hit a scissor sweep but sherk is one step ahead there.
Desouza controls sherk momentarily but sherk frees himself.
sherk throws a big right hand that misses.
sherk working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
sherk tries to stand but Desouza is controlling from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Desouza fails in his attempt to clinch.
Desouza looks for a takedown but sherk sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
sherk thows a body shot but no joy.
sherk closes the distance and clinches up with Desouza, looking for a takedown. sherk pushes Desouza against the cage but Desouza circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
sherk throws a left and a right that both miss
and Desouza counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Desouza moves into range and clinches up with sherk.
Desouza keeps the fight in the clinch, despite sherk's efforts to push away.
sherk jumps guard but Desouza stands there with sherk around his waist. sherk gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
sherk has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Desouza avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Desouza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Desouza is working for takedown but sherk is calmly controlling the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Desouza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. sherk is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Desouza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Desouza really 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.

Desouza wants to clinch up but sherk keeps it at a distance.
Desouza has a takedown stuffed.
sherk scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Some wild striking there from sherk.
sherk throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Desouza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Desouza slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
sherk is not content to let Desouza control the position.
sherk tries to improve position but can't.
Desouza tries to score with some ground and pound. sherk controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sherk is trying to get back to half guard.
sherk is letting Desouza control him for a moment.
Desouza trying to control the position but sherk is working away.
Desouza takes a little break here. sherk wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
sherk on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if sherk tries to get out of the position.
Desouza has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for sherk!
sherk wants to try and get back to his feet.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Desouza controlling from the full mount.
sherk wants to try and get back to his feet.
Desouza tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

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.
Desouza looking to control but sherk is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Desouza is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. sherk can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Desouza trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Desouza looking to control and managing it successfully.

Despite being in the dominant position, Dan Desouza just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
sherk shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Desouza counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in sherk's guard now.
Desouza won't allow sherk to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Desouza dominated that fourth round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

sherk throws a left and a right that both miss

and Desouza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Desouza.
sherk wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Desouza has him pressed against the cage.

Desouza has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed sherk clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Desouza keeps control of the position easily here as sherk tries to buck him off.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Desouza's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
sherk looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Desouza tightening his grip on sherk, looking for the choke.
Desouza is landing with strikes from the back.
sherk has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Desouza is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sherk wants to escape the position.
Desouza keeps control of the position easily here as sherk tries to buck him off.
sherk is trapped and Desouza is scoring with shots to the head and body.
sherk looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Desouza is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
shean sherk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Desouza is looking to control sherk but sherk is wriggling around and keeping busy.
sherk looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Desouza is hanging on to sherk's back as he tries to escape.
sherk is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Desouza.
sherk tries to break free.
Desouza slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Desouza is hanging on to sherk's back as he tries to escape.

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.
Desouza has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of sherk's body.
sherk rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dan Desouza.
Desouza tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Desouza looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Desouza showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from sherk.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Desouza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Desouza 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Dan Desouza!
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight for Dan Desouza!
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight for Dan Desouza!

Dan Desouza wins by unanimous decision!