PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between M J Shain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Spartan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shain comes to the cage accompanied by Thunderstruck. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

J Shain
vs
Spartan

178 cm
23
185 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

177 cm
26
178 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, M J Shain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Spartan!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Anthony Taglia and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spartan takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Spartan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shain counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A shot to the body from Spartan misses
and Shain counters with a stiff right hand.
Spartan misses with a body punch
and Shain counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Spartan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Shain at a distance.
Shain uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Spartan.
Spartan misses with a lunging right hand
letting Shain counter with a right hand.
Spartan swings for the body but Shain moves out of range.
Shain lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Spartan swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Shain counters with a straight right hand.
Shain lands with a hook. Spartan tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
No luck for Shain with that takedown attempt.
Spartan scores with a crisp jab that stopped Shain in his tracks.

It looks like M J Shain has been cut.
Spartan throws a lazy uppercut

and Shain counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shain missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Shain is trying to control. Spartan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Shain looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Shain not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Spartan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Spartan.
Shain 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.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shain looking to pass the guard.
Spartan wants to get back to his feet but Shain is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Shain pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Spartan is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spartan wants to get back to his feet but Shain is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Spartan looking for a sweep. Not yet Spartan, not yet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Spartan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shain loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Shain is fighting to break Spartan's control of his arms but Spartan is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's four 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.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Matt Spartan hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Shain takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Spartan connects with a right hand. Shain shakes it off.
Shain scores with a decent looking hook.
Spartan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Shain counters with a stiff right hand.
Spartan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Shain cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Spartan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Shain counters with a left to the body.
Spartan ducks under a wild hook from Shain.
Spartan throws an off balance right hand
and Shain connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spartan throws a big shot that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

M J Shain dominated that round.
The cut man is working on M J Shain's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Spartan misses with a body shot
and Shain counters with a left to the body.
Spartan swings widly with a right hand
and Shain counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fighters circle momentarily. Shain darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Spartan misses with an uppercut
and Shain counters with a nice uppercut.
Spartan throws a lazy uppercut
and Shain counters with a straight right hand.
Spartan walks into a stiff left hand from Shain.
Spartan throws a right hand that misses
and Shain connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Spartan takes a swing at Shain's ribcage but misses.
Spartan works Shain's body with a nice hook.
Spartan misses with a shot to the body
and Shain counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Spartan throws a poor cross that misses
and Shain connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shain swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Spartan counters with a right hand to the body.
Spartan throws a nice looking combination but Shain bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shain misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Spartan.
Matt Spartan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Spartan walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Shain checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Shain throws a hook to the side of Spartan's head but Spartan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shain scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Shain ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
M J Shain is winning the standup battle so far.
Spartan cracks Shain with a good jab.
Shain ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Spartan moves away.
Jab from Shain.
Spartan throws a poor cross that misses
and Shain counters with a left to the body.
Spartan lands with a cross.
Spartan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shain.
Spartan throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Shain to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spartan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Shain counters with a nice uppercut.
Spartan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shain moves away.
Spartan misses with a lunging right hand
and Shain counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Spartan misses with a right hand
and Shain counters with a nice uppercut.
Spartan swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Shain counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Spartan throws a poor cross that misses
and Shain counters with a nice uppercut.
Matt Spartan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shain takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Spartan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shain counters with a nice uppercut.
Spartan misses with a hook
enabling Shain to counter with a crisp jab.
Spartan misses with a hook to the body
letting Shain counter with a right hand.
Spartan lands a right hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shain with a nice cross.
Shain slips under a jab from Spartan.
Nice jab there from Shain.
A big right from Spartan misses.
Spartan looks to land a right hand but Shain moved out of range.
Spartan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shain moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Shain takes a swing at Spartan's ribcage but misses.
Spartan throws a predictable looking body shot
and Spartan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Spartan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Spartan swings widly with a right hand
letting Shain counter with a right hand.
Spartan misses with an uppercut
and Shain counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Shain misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Spartan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spartan misses with a hook
and Shain counters with a nice body shot.
Spartan throws a poor cross that misses
and Shain counters with a straight right hand.
Shain throws a looping overhand right but Spartan ducks down to avoid it.
Spartan throws an off balance right hand
and Shain counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Spartan cracks Shain with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Shain keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Spartan.
Shain throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Spartan has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Spartan throws a predictable looking body shot
and Shain counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Spartan does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spartan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Spartan throws a predictable looking body shot
and Shain counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

M J Shain dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on M J Shain's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Spartan misses with a combination
and Shain counters with a left to the body.
A shot to the body from Spartan misses
and Shain cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shain cracks Spartan with a good jab.
Shain throws a looping overhand right but Spartan ducks down to avoid it.
Spartan falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Shain counter with a right hand.
No joy there for Spartan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Spartan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Spartan throws a poor cross that misses
and Shain counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Spartan thinking.
Spartan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shain slips a jab from Spartan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spartan throws a right hand that misses
and Shain counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Spartan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shain.
Spartan swings widly with a right hand
and Spartan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Shain stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Shain keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Spartan.
Shain ducks under a wild hook from Spartan.
Spartan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shain moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Spartan misses with a body shot
and Spartan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Spartan looks to score with a jab to the body but Shain is just out of range.
Spartan sizes up Shain with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Shain throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Spartan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Shain counters with a right hand to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shain lands a right hook to the body.
Spartan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shain checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Spartan misses with a combination
enabling Shain to counter with a crisp jab.
Spartan misses with a hook to the body
and Shain counters with a two punch combo.
Spartan throws an off balance right hand
and Shain counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Spartan misses with a left hand
and Shain counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Spartan misses with a right hand
letting Shain counter with a right hand.
Spartan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Shain counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Spartan thinking.
A low kick from Spartan misses
and Shain makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Spartan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Shain counters with a takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Spartan prevents Shain from moving into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shain in side control, throwing shots but Spartan defends.
Shain creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Spartan sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shain lands some shots froms side control.
Spartan regains half guard, as Shain was trying to land strikes.
Shain with the ground and pound but Spartan uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Matt Spartan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spartan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shain.
Shain looking to pass the guard.
Shain throwing strikes from guard but Spartan blocks nicely.
Spartan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
M J Shain showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Shain has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... M J Shain!