PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Blake Axe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Larry Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Axe's entrance music is For Whom the Bell Tolls. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Axe
vs
Shaw

180 cm
21
177 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
27
171 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Blake Axe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Larry Shaw!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Donald Grub and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Axe looks to clinch
and Shaw counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Shaw decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Shaw misses with a head shot. Axe uses the momentum to regain guard.
Shaw in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Axe lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Shaw!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Axe tries to control but Shaw wriggling away.
Shaw is looking to get to half guard.
Shaw is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw wants to hold on but Axe pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Axe.
Shaw is trying desperately to improve position.
Shaw takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
A nice elbow there by Axe.
Shaw is looking to improve his position but Axe isn't that keen on the idea.
Shaw is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Shaw swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
The referee warns Shaw that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Shaw is working to get back to half guard.
Axe postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Shaw looks a forlorn figure.
Shaw is working to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axe working Shaw over with strikes here.
Axe landing strikes from the mount and Shaw is in trouble!
Shaw keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Axe cracks Shaw with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Axe scoring with strikes but Shaw is staying in there.
Shaw is squirming around, avoiding Axe's attempts to control the action.
Axe is in the full mount, landing strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shaw tries to lock up and control but Axe gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Shaw can't escape the position.
Axe controlling the position easily from mount.
Axe lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is trying to escape the mount.
Shaw manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Shaw is looking for a sweep. Axe is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Shaw blocking the ground and pound attempt from Axe.
Shaw really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Axe. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Axe slips a nice elbow through Shaw's hands, connecting with Shaw's forehead.
The fighters are battling for position here. Shaw manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shaw can do anything to dispel that myth.
Axe is pushing down on Shaw's leg trying to pass to half guard. Shaw is fighting to maintain full guard but Axe has managed to sneak the leg through.
Shaw looks gassed!
Shaw strikes from the bottom but Axe passes into mount!
Axe trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is trying to escape the mount.
Axe lands with some strikes.

Axe working for a submission but Shaw is keeping him at bay.
Axe tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
BOOM! Axe connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Axe lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Axe closes the distance looking to clinch

and Shaw counters with a single leg into guard. Axe didn't expect that.
Axe is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Axe is trying to control the action in half guard but Shaw is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Shaw is trying to control but Axe manages to pass to mount!
Axe working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Shaw throwing hammer fists to the chest of Axe. What's that going to do exactly?
Shaw is looking to get to half guard.
Axe is landing with some decent strikes but Shaw is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Axe wants to finish this one by submission but Shaw is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Axe.
Shaw tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Axe dominating with strikes here.
Axe landing shots from mount.
Axe trying to control but Shaw is having none of it.

Axe with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Axe tries to control but Shaw wriggling away.
Feeble punches landing from Shaw - he's mounted - they can't hurt.
Shaw tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shaw regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaw tries to get to full guard but Axe has control of the leg.
Shaw tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Axe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shaw does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Axe moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Shaw.
Shaw is trying to improve his position.

Axe tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Axe has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Shaw is trying to improve his position.
Axe has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shaw sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Shaw is breathing heavily.
Shaw throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Axe passes to full mount!
Axe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Shaw is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is trying desperately to improve position.
Shaw is squirming around, avoiding Axe's attempts to control the action.

Axe looking to secure an arm triangle but Shaw defends it well.
Axe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Shaw is looking to escape.
Shaw is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
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 Blake Axe will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Axe throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Shaw on the side of the head.

Axe fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Shaw, pushing him back against the cage.
Axe putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Shaw in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Axe.
Shaw is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Axe pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A body shot lands from Axe.

Shaw has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Axe is trying to keep an underhook but Shaw manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Axe is pressing down on Shaw's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Axe looking to control.
Blake Axe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shaw throws a strike but Axe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Axe trying to control the position from guard on top but Shaw is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Axe passes Shaw's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Shaw takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw gets back to full guard.
Shaw scores with a nice shot.
Axe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shaw swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shaw keeping moving, preventing Axe from controlling successfully.
Axe passes Shaw's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Shaw tries to get to full guard but Axe has control of the leg.
Shaw is staying active underneath Axe, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Shaw gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaw keeping moving, preventing Axe from controlling successfully.
Axe lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Shaw manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Shaw lands with some strikes.
Axe is looking to get to half guard.
Shaw working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Axe is looking to get to half guard.
Shaw landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
BOOM! Shaw connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Axe holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Shaw tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Shaw connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Shaw dominating with strikes here.
Shaw landing strikes from the mount and Axe is in trouble!
Shaw landing punches.

Axe is rocked!
BOOM! Shaw connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Oh Axe is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shaw breaks from Axe's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Shaw working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shaw landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Shaw cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Shaw with the ground and pound from mount.
Shaw with shots to the head and body - Axe looks very uncomfortable down there.
Shaw is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Shaw has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Axe's face.
Axe taking shots to the head.
Shaw lands a nice shot to the head.
Shaw is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Blake Axe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poor strikes thrown by Shaw there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Axe seems to have got his legs back now.
Shaw thowing shots but they're missing.
Larry Shaw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Axe tries to hold on but Shaw postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Larry Shaw comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Axe 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blake Axe!