PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Don Lola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Don Lola will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Shepherd
vs
Lola

183 cm
24
185 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
198 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Elite Golden Nutrition

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Shepherd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Don Lola!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lola ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shepherd moves away.
Lola throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Shepherd ducks under a wild hook from Lola.
Shepherd keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Shepherd keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lola misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lola. Shepherd does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lola throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lola misses with a few strikes there.
Lola is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Shepherd rather than just go for the knockout.
Lola misses with an uppercut. Shepherd saw that one coming.
Lola lands a body shot.
Shepherd changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lola tries to avoid it but Shepherd manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lola to the ground. Lola escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lola throws a series of punches but Shepherd moves out of range.
Lola swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lola stuffs the takedown attempt from Shepherd. Shepherd gets slowly back to his feet.
Lola misses with an uppercut. Shepherd saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lola thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lola stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lola wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Shepherd. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepherd slips under a jab.
Lola lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Shepherd uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lola.
Shepherd uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lola.
Jab by Lola.
Shepherd dodges the punch combination from Lola.
Shepherd slips a straight right by Lola.
Lola throws a right and a left that Shepherd avoids nicely.
Lola throws a shot from downtown. Shepherd moves away and avoids it.
Lola looks to throw the jab but Shepherd is out of range.
Lola throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lola manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lola has his foot on Shepherd's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shepherd works his way back into a safe position though.

Shepherd drops back looking for a leg! Lola is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lola manages to kick Shepherd off! Shepherd jumps back into Lola's guard.
Shepherd postures up in Lola's guard and throws a big left but Lola blocks it.

Lola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shepherd gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Shepherd thows a big elbow that misses.
Shepherd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Shepherd distracts Lola with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Shepherd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Shepherd stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lola swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shepherd is working hard here to advance position.
Shepherd throwing strikes but missing.

Lola had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Shepherd defends it easily.
Shepherd thows a big elbow that misses.
Shepherd scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Shepherd loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lola tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shepherd works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lola wants to improve his position but Shepherd is controlling well.
Lola trying to control but Shepherd postures up.
Lola looks gassed!

Shepherd is working for a submission of some sort.
Shepherd looks to land a strike but Lola avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Don Lola will probably get the nod.
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.

Shepherd fails to land the takedown.
Don Lola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shepherd moves away from the strike by Lola.
Lola misses with the combination.
Shepherd uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lola.
Lola cracks Shepherd with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Shepherd showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lola.
Lola with a poor takedown

and Shepherd counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Lola not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Shepherd loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lola keeping full guard, as Shepherd tries to pass.
Shepherd postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd connects with a couple of short punches.
Shepherd throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shepherd trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Lola manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Lola is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Lola is breathing heavily.

Lola postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Shepherd is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Lola, into his guard.
Shepherd throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lola works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shepherd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lola controls Shepherd momentarily but Shepherd frees himself.

Shepherd has gone for a leg lock! Lola slips out almost immediately though and dives into Shepherd's guard.

Shepherd escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lola gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Lola thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Shepherd is looking for a triangle here but Lola uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Lola trying to control the position but Shepherd is working away.
Shepherd is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Lola's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd is looking for a sweep. Lola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lola wants to take a breather but Shepherd is having none of it.

Lola wants to work for an arm triangle but Shepherd is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Shepherd is looking for a sweep. Lola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Shepherd actively working from the bottom here.

Lola is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Shepherd looking for submissions off his back.
Lola is keen to just control but Shepherd is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shepherd is looking for a sweep. Lola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lola moves nicely into side control.

Lola is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Shepherd has escaped the position, nice work there.
Lola advances to full mount.
Shepherd is desperately trying to improve his position but Lola has a good base and remains in mount.
Lola works his way to his opponent's back.
Shepherd turns into Lola and is now in his guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Lola manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Shepherd defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Lola.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that John Shepherd will probably get the nod.
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!

Lola tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shepherd was well out of range. Poor timing from Lola.
Shepherd shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lola sprawls well. Lola wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Shepherd gets slowly back to his feet.
Lola cracks Shepherd with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Lola moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Lola misses with a straight right.
Lola misses with a double jab.
Lola throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shepherd sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lola fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice cross by Lola.
Lola takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lola lands with a right hand.
Shepherd fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lola throws a jab when Shepherd was well out of range.
Lola looks to score with a jab to the body but Shepherd is just out of range.
Lola waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Shepherd.
Lola throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Shepherd counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Lola is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Shepherd defends well.
Shepherd working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lola preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Shepherd loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shepherd accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shepherd throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shepherd with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Shepherd drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Shepherd jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Shepherd stopping the sweep attempt from Lola.
Lola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lola preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Shepherd has gone for a leg lock! Lola slips out almost immediately though and dives into Shepherd's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lola looking to pass the guard.
Lola passes into half guard.

Shepherd looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Lola is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shepherd has managed to free his arm - good work.

Shepherd actively working from the bottom here.

Lola is looking for a kimura but Shepherd is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lola to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The fighters are battling for position here. Shepherd manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Shepherd is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lola is aware though and is defending well.
Shepherd keeping moving, preventing Lola from controlling successfully.

Shepherd has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lola can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Shepherd has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lola can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Shepherd trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Lola passes Shepherd's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Shepherd punching from the bottom.

Lola is working for a submission of some sort.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to John Shepherd.
I think Shepherd has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Don Lola!