PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Bowhime (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shaw's entrance music is My Way. A fine choice. Bowhime is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by FFDP-Way Of The Fist. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shaw
vs
Bowhime

181 cm
26
200 lbs
12 - 13 - 0

185 cm
25
195 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Shaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Bowhime!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bowhime throws an ugly left hook that misses

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

Bowhime is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Shaw defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bowhime looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Shaw has picked Bowhime up and slammed him! Bowhime can't keep hold of the triangle and Shaw manages to pass to side control!
Bowhime is looking to reverse the position.
Bowhime is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Shaw off and has taken his back!
I really don't envy Shaw right now.
Shaw just trying to survive but Bowhime is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Shaw rolls, trying to escape but Bowhime keeps control of the position.
Shaw trying to control the hands but Bowhime won't let him.

Shaw is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Bowhime gets his way!
Bowhime missing with punches from the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaw preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Bowhime.
Shaw breaks Bowhime's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Shaw stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bowhime swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Bowhime has his foot on Shaw's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shaw works his way back into a safe position though.
Shaw distracts Bowhime with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bowhime is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Bowhime looking for a guillotine here but Shaw defends easily.
Bowhime looks gassed!

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bowhime had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Shaw defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Bowhime is working an open guard so Shaw takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Shaw shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Shaw was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Shaw trying to control but Bowhime is having none of it.
Shaw unloading with bombs!
Bowhime is trying desperately to improve position.
Shaw lands with some strikes.
Bowhime is desperately trying to improve his position but Shaw has a good base and remains in mount.
Shaw blocks Bowhime's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw with good strikes from the mount here!
Shaw working Bowhime over with strikes here.
Shaw prevents Bowhime from getting the reversal.
Shaw unloading with bombs!
Bowhime working to try and regain half guard.
Bowhime takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Shaw trying to control but Bowhime is having none of it.
Bowhime is in a horrible position here. Shaw smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Bowhime is desperately trying to improve his position but Shaw has a good base and remains in mount.
Shaw scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bowhime?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shaw can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bowhime is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Bowhime working to try and regain half guard.
Shaw 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.
Shaw avoids the attempt from Bowhime to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bowhime tries to reverse the position but Shaw maintains control.
Shaw lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Shaw can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bowhime is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Shaw dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bowhime throws an off balance right hand

so Shaw counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Shaw drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Shaw jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Bowhime looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Bowhime is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Shaw defends well.
Shaw wants to control from the top but Bowhime keeps moving.

Bowhime is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Shaw seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Shaw with a nice head shot there.
Bowhime is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Shaw advances position into side control!
John Shaw overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shaw landing strikes.
Bowhime tries to improve position but can't.
Shaw is working Bowhime over with some ground and pound from side control.
Shaw advances to mount.
Shaw prevents Bowhime from getting the reversal.
Shaw raining down hammerfists from mount.
Shaw unloading with bombs!
Shaw fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowhime is desperately trying to improve his position but Shaw has a good base and remains in mount.
Bowhime is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Shaw with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bowhime throwing hammer fists to the chest of Shaw. What's that going to do exactly?
Shaw working Bowhime over with strikes here.
Shaw avoids the attempt from Bowhime to control.
Bowhime is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw dominating with strikes here.
Shaw lands a nice shot to the head.
Bowhime slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Bowhime looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shaw is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bowhime can do to turn this around?
Bowhime tries to get to full guard but Shaw has control of the leg.

Bowhime looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Shaw wants to take a breather but Bowhime is having none of it.

Bowhime actively working from the bottom here.
Ground and pound from Shaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bowhime does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Shaw winds up and cracks Bowhime with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Bowhime has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Shaw is working away from the top position though.
Shaw scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Shaw landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Bowhime actively working from the bottom here.

Bowhime is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Shaw pulls his head out easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shaw prevents Bowhime from improving his position.

Shaw moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Bowhime.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Shaw dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Shaw looking to score a takedown here. Bowhime is defending well but Shaw drives through and ends up in Bowhime's guard.
Shaw passes Bowhime's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Bowhime is looking to improve his position.
Shaw is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Shaw moves into full mount! Bowhime won't be happy about that!
Bowhime slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Bowhime looking for a kimura from the bottom but Shaw passes into side control!
Bowhime takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bowhime is looking to regain half guard here but Shaw keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw in side control lands a decent elbow.
Bowhime tries to bench press Shaw off him but Shaw keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shaw working the ground and pound.
Bowhime is being controlled here.
Bowhime is looking to regain half guard here but Shaw keeps moving and retains side control.

Shaw has hold of Bowhime's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Bowhime tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Shaw cranks the arm and Bowhime screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Bowhime, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). John Shaw!