PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Don Lola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Don Lola has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Lola
vs
Shepherd

185 cm
20
198 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Don Lola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Shepherd!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepherd ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A jab from Lola misses.
Lola throws a right hand that Shepherd ducks under and follows up with a left that Shepherd also avoids with ease.
Lola throws a one two combo.
Shepherd shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lola pinned against the cage. Lola gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lola misses with a double jab.
Lola lands a body shot.
A swing and a miss from Lola.
Lola throws a big shot that misses.
Lola misses with a double jab.
Lola takes a swing at Shepherd's ribcage but misses.
Lola works Shepherd's body with a nice hook.
Shepherd shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Lola throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lola bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lola.
Lola misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shepherd.
Lola fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Shepherd walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Lola throws a series of punches but Shepherd avoids them all with ease.
Lola lands a jab to the nose.
Lola lands a head shot.
Lola thows a left - swing and a miss!
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 looping left.
Shepherd uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lola.
Lola throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shepherd.
A punch combination from Shepherd misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd shoots in looking for a takedown. Lola tries to sprawl out of it but Shepherd keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lola manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lola throws out a loose jab but Shepherd uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shepherd keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lola connects with a body shot that sends Shepherd's belly button to the back.
Lola misses with a wild body shot.
Lola misses with a series of wild punches.
Shepherd shoots in and drives through. Lola sprawls well.
Don Lola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Shepherd.
Lola jabs Shepherd to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Lola scores with a jab. Shepherd acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Don Lola is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lola misses with a body shot.
Lola works Shepherd's body with a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd takes a jab right on the kisser.
Shepherd drops his hands momentarily and Lola takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Shepherd shoots in but no luck this time.
Shepherd looks gassed!
Lola misses the shot to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Lola.
Lola darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Lola tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shepherd was well out of range. Poor timing from Lola.
Lola is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shepherd.
Lola jabs at Shepherd's body.
Shepherd blocks a jab.
Lola throws out a loose jab but Shepherd uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lola lands with a good body shot.
Lola scores with a nice strike.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lola. Shepherd does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd on the wrong end of a nice jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters circling - Lola throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lola throws a shot from downtown. Shepherd moves away and avoids it.
Lola cracks Shepherd with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Jab from Lola.
Lola scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Lola thows a body shot but no joy.
Lola scores with a hook to the body. Shepherd takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lola punishes Shepherd's body with a nice straight punch.
Lola lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Shepherd at a distance.
Lola is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lola misses with a straight right.
Lola looks to score with a jab to the body but Shepherd is just out of range.
Lola connects with a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Lola dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lola digs a good body shot into Shepherd's ribs.
Lola jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lola tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shepherd was well out of range. Poor timing from Lola.
Lola uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Shepherd feints and as Lola raises his hands in defense, Shepherd changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lola has his hands on Shepherd's head, controlling the position.
Shepherd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Shepherd has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lola lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Shepherd!
Shepherd tries to improve his position but instead Lola has taken his back!

Lola is looking for the choke from the back position but Shepherd is controlling his hands well.
Shepherd wants to escape the position.

Lola working for the choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lola has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Shepherd turns into Lola and is now in his guard.
Shepherd landing some decent shots from guard.

Shepherd drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Lola dives on top into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shepherd is breathing heavily.
Lola preventing the sweep.

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

Shepherd isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Lola stacks Shepherd on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Lola!
Lola just content to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lola is looking to take a break and control but Shepherd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Lola stands up.
Don Lola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lola throws a hook but Shepherd avoids it easily.

Shepherd shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Lola in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Shepherd postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lola looks a forlorn figure.
Lola keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lola wants to control but Shepherd is having none of it.
Shepherd pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Shepherd with the ground and pound from mount.
Lola is trying desperately to improve position.
Shepherd looking to finish with strikes here!
Lola really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Shepherd has hold of Lola's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Lola manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Shepherd cracks Lola with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lola tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lola holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Shepherd tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Lola is working to get back to half guard.
Shepherd wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Shepherd with the ground and pound from mount.
Shepherd thowing shots but they're missing.
Lola can't escape the position.

Shepherd is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Lola has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shepherd lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Lola sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Shepherd showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Lola lands with a hook. Shepherd tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Lola lands a jab to Shepherd's midsection.

Shepherd feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
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 keeping moving, preventing Lola from controlling successfully.

Shepherd throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Shepherd wants to sweep but no luck.
Shepherd takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Shepherd throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Lola advances position into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lola is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Shepherd is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Lola is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Shepherd has escaped the position, nice work there.
Shepherd gets back to half guard.

Shepherd is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lola pulls his head out easily.

Lola is working for a kimura but Shepherd is defending it quite comfortably.
Lola trying to mount his opponent but Shepherd defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Shepherd actively working from the bottom here.
Shepherd is trying to control but can't.

Lola is trying to work for a kimura but Shepherd is defending well.

Shepherd looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Lola is looking to take a break and control but Shepherd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shepherd won't allow Lola to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Shepherd slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lola wants to get up but he can't break Shepherd's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Lola has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Shepherd to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Lola is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Shepherd pulls down on the head and he's put Lola to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). John Shepherd!