PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Minowa Shittu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ron James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shittu
vs
James

195 cm
22
218 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

183 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Solid chin

Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Minowa Shittu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ron James!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shittu fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shittu shoots in for a double leg but James sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice takedown defense from James. No joy for Shittu on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Minowa Shittu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
James tries to clinch up but Shittu circles away and keeps his distance.
Minowa Shittu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
James moves in looking to clinch but Shittu pushes him off.
Shittu looks for a takedown but James sprawls well.
Shittu shoots in but no luck this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horrible takedown by Shittu or perhaps it was just good defense by James which made him look bad.
James misses with a head kick.
Shittu shoots in but no luck this time.
Shittu is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
James tries to clinch up but Shittu circles away and keeps his distance.
Shittu fails to land the takedown.
Shittu closes the distance and clinches up with James, looking for a takedown. Shittu pushes James against the cage but James circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James tries to clinch but Shittu moves out of range.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Shittu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts James as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Shittu decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Shittu looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
James keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Shittu sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Shittu trying to control from half guard but James is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Shittu is tying to control. James wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Shittu tries to pass to full mount but James defends it.
Shittu not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shittu tries for a takedown but James sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Shittu shoots in and drives through. James sprawls well.

James closes the distance and clinches.
James throws a knee to the head but misses.
James tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shittu looking for a takedown.

Shittu has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but James regains guard immediately.
Shittu prevents James from getting back to his feet.
Shittu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. James swivels though and keeps the full guard.
James pulls Shittu in close to his closed guard and prevents Shittu from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Minowa Shittu will probably get the nod.
That's time! Shittu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Shittu has a takedown stuffed.
Shittu shoots for a takedown but James saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
James throws a head kick that half lands.
Minowa Shittu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shittu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Minowa Shittu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shittu keeps the fight on the outside.
James is looking to clinch but Shittu is avoiding it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shittu throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around James's waist but James gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shittu off to one side.

James closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
James drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shittu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Shittu takes a knee right on the jaw!
James connects with a knee to the head.
James tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
James is stalling here.
James tries to land a knee to the head but Shittu blocks with his arms.
James landing knees to the body.
James tries a knee to the head but Shittu blocks it.
James is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.

Shittu has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics James uses from the top position.

Shittu has his foot on James's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. James works his way back into a safe position though.
Shittu is controlling James's posture.
James trying to stand up but can't free himself from Shittu's 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.
Shittu looking to hit a scissor sweep but James is one step ahead there.
Shittu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
James won't allow Shittu to sweep him here.
Shittu working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because James is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
James tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shittu shoots for a double leg takedown but James sprawls well. He's pushed Shittu's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
James throws a head kick that half lands.
Shittu fails to land the takedown.
A head kick misses from James.
James stuffs the takedown attempt from Shittu. Shittu gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Shittu fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shittu will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Shittu looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says James as he avoids it easily.
No luck for Shittu with that takedown attempt.
Shittu shoots in but James avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ron James showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Shittu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts James as he jumps to the side.
James fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shittu tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but James swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Minowa Shittu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James lands a high kick!
James tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shittu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
James fails with the takedown.

James moves into the clinch successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James misses with a knee strike.
James connects with a nasty looking knee right to Shittu's face.
James gets underhooks to prevent Shittu's takedown attempt.
A knee to the head by James.
A knee to the head by James.
James trying to stall but Shittu improves his position.
James lands a knee to the head.
Shittu is trying to work for a single leg takedown but James pulls him back up using the underhooks.
James tries for a takedown. No joy.
Shittu prevents James from breaking the clinch.
James throws a knee to the head but misses.

Shittu gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Shittu trying to control the position from guard on top but James is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shittu controls from within his opponent's guard.
James keeping moving, preventing Shittu from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shittu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shittu trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
Shittu throws a big right hand that misses.
James is looking to stand up but Shittu isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. James swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shittu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. James tries to avoid it but Shittu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag James to the ground. James escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Shittu shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has James pinned against the cage. James gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
James is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shittu shoots and misses

and James counters by moving into the clinch.
James lands a knee to the head.
James scores with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Shittu is looking for a takedown up against the cage. James gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
James prevents a takedown attempt there.
James crunches a lovely knee into Shittu's ribcage.

Shittu drags the fight down to the ground.
Shittu has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Shittu is trying to control the position but James postures up.
Shittu has his hands on James's head, controlling the position.
Shittu tries to land a sweep but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ron James.
I think James has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ron James!