PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Max Cavalera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and German Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Cavalera
vs
Shepherd

160 cm
23
148 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

175 cm
23
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

FNF Energy & Stamina - Sale!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Max Cavalera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, German Shepherd!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Kenichi Hosakawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cavalera looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shepherd is fending him off so far but Cavalera persists. Nope, Shepherd circles away and we're back to standing.
Shepherd throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cavalera.
Shepherd moves in looking to clinch but Cavalera pushes him off.
Cavalera fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cavalera will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Max Cavalera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Cavalera moves out of range.
Cavalera moves out of range of the body kick.
No luck for Cavalera with that takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Shepherd.

Shepherd gets a clinch.
Shepherd creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cavalera's defenses.

It looks like Max Cavalera has been cut.
Shepherd tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cavalera avoids it.
Shepherd lands a damaging elbow.
Shepherd using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shepherd is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cavalera is breathing heavily.
Shepherd creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cavalera's defenses.
A body shot lands from Shepherd.
Shepherd is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cavalera is defending well for now.
Cavalera avoiding damage as Shepherd throws knees to the body.
Cavalera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cavalera blocks the elbow strike.
Cavalera tries to score a body lock takedown but Shepherd shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Shepherd lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cavalera avoids a wild elbow strike from Shepherd.
Stalling in the clinch from Cavalera.
Shepherd lands an elbow just above Cavalera 's eye.
Cavalera drops down looking for an ankle pick but Shepherd pulls his leg out and moves away.

Cavalera shoots in and gets a takedown into Shepherd's guard.
Cavalera won't allow Shepherd to get back to his feet.
Cavalera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Shepherd keeping full guard, as Cavalera tries to pass.
Shepherd is looking to stand up but Cavalera isn't so interested in that idea.
Shepherd really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cavalera. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cavalera throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shepherd works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cavalera drops back, looking for a kneebar! Shepherd looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Shepherd looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Shepherd!
Cavalera might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cavalera is trying to get back to half guard.
Cavalera is trying to control Shepherd's posture but Shepherd avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cavalera bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Shepherd throws the left hand but Cavalera avoids the punch easily.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cavalera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shepherd scores with a nice head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cavalera takes a shot right to the bread basket.
The fighters circle momentarily. Shepherd darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Cavalera scores with a takedown into Shepherd's guard.
Cavalera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cavalera in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cavalera is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Shepherd wants to stand up but Cavalera is controlling him.
Cavalera wants to pass the guard but Shepherd is keeping the position.
Shepherd wants to stand and escape but Cavalera is having none of it.
Cavalera tries to free his leg and advance position but Shepherd is retaining full guard.
Cavalera has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Cavalera gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cavalera is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shepherd sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Shepherd displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cavalera.

Shepherd has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shepherd lands an elbow just above Cavalera 's eye.
Shepherd has a couple of punches blocked by Cavalera.
Cavalera blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shepherd lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cavalera or not.
Shepherd trying to land knees to the body.
Cavalera takes a knee to the side of the body.
Shepherd lands a body shot in the clinch.
Cavalera avoids a wild elbow strike from Shepherd.
Shepherd missing with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Shepherd.
Cavalera looking for a takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cavalera gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cavalera accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shepherd wants to get back to his feet but Cavalera is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but German Shepherd will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Max Cavalera's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Shepherd stuffs the takedown.
Shepherd stuffs the takedown.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch but Cavalera swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shepherd lands a head kick!
Cavalera shoots in looking for a takedown but Shepherd manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cavalera's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Max Cavalera. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Shepherd clinches.
Shepherd misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cavalera.
Cavalera using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shepherd has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shepherd misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cavalera.
Cavalera goes for a takedown attempt but Shepherd pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Shepherd throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cavalera's head.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cavalera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shepherd lands a head kick. Cavalera smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Cavalera gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Shepherd.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cavalera is defended easily by Shepherd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd digs a good body shot into Cavalera's ribs.
Max Cavalera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shepherd throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Shepherd tries to clinch there but Cavalera circles away.
Cavalera avoids a kick to the body.
No joy there for Shepherd, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Shepherd tries a head kick but it misses.
Cavalera scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like German Shepherd has been cut.
Shepherd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cavalera gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Shepherd moves into the clinch.
Cavalera has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Shepherd avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Shepherd tries to land a knee to the head but Cavalera blocks with his arms.
A right handed body shot lands from Shepherd.
Cavalera takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cavalera takes an elbow to the forehead.
Shepherd prevents the takedown attempt.
Shepherd using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Cavalera takes an elbow to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shepherd prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shepherd lands an elbow inside.
A body shot lands from Shepherd.

Cavalera gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Cavalera wants to control from the top but Shepherd keeps moving.
Cavalera prevents Shepherd from getting back to his feet.
Cavalera wants to control from the top but Shepherd keeps moving.
Shepherd is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Cavalera thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Shepherd is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cavalera passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Cavalera scores with punches from side control.
Shepherd is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Cavalera advances to full mount.
Shepherd is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Cavalera looking to isolate an arm here. Shepherd doesn't see it coming and as Cavalera extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Cavalera!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Max Cavalera!