PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thabiso Rowan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oraine Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Rowan
vs
Shaw

180 cm
22
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

194 cm
18
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thabiso Rowan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Oraine Shaw!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shaw gets caught flat footed, as Rowan shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rowan looking to pass the guard.
Rowan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rowan landing with the ground and pound.
Shaw manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rowan manages to get himself to full guard.

Shaw drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Shaw jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Shaw pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rowan is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rowan is on top in guard.

Shaw working for a triangle but Rowan defends it easily.
Shaw is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rowan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shaw swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw keeping moving, preventing Rowan from controlling successfully.

Shaw has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rowan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rowan controlling from the top position.
Rowan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rowan stops Shaw from standing up.

Shaw has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rowan is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Shaw.
Shaw looks gassed!
Shaw tries to improve position but can't.
Rowan has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Shaw!
Shaw is desperately trying to improve his position but Rowan has a good base and remains in mount.
Rowan cracks Shaw with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowan looking to finish Shaw with some ground and pound. This is bad for Shaw!
Rowan landing strikes from the mount.
Rowan landing strikes from the mount and Shaw is in trouble!
Rowan punishing his opponent with strikes.
Shaw takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rowan wants to control the pace but Shaw is squirming around nicely.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rowan scoring with strikes but Shaw is staying in there.
Rowan scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Shaw?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rowan breaks from Shaw's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rowan fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Shaw is rocked!
Rowan unloading with bombs!
Shaw is still in real trouble! Can Rowan finish him?
Shaw is in a horrible position here. Rowan smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Rowan raining down shots from the mount!
Shaw in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowan connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Shaw seems to have recovered his senses.
Rowan postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Shaw looks a forlorn figure.
Rowan landing punches.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rowan lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shaw really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rowan trying to control but Shaw is having none of it.
Rowan avoids the attempt from Shaw to control.
Shaw sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Shaw is pressing down on Rowan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rowan lands a couple of elbows.
Rowan lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowan thows a big elbow that misses.

Shaw has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rowan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Shaw working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rowan doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rowan manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rowan is working Shaw over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rowan lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rowan scoring with some ground and pound.
Rowan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Shaw's head.
Rowan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shaw wants to stand up but Rowan is controlling him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shaw keeping full guard, as Rowan tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thabiso Rowan dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Rowan closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Shaw is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rowan landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shaw wants to get back to full guard.
Rowan wants to control but Shaw is keeping him busy.
Rowan lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rowan is nestled in close to Shaw, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Shaw is pressing down on Rowan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rowan wants to pass the guard but Shaw is keeping the position.
Rowan connects with a couple of short punches.
Rowan stays in close to Shaw's body and controls the position.
Rowan stopping the sweep attempt from Shaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaw is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Shaw is breathing heavily.
Rowan works over Shaw with some ground and pound from guard.

Shaw escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rowan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Shaw working a defensive guard but Rowan manages to pass into side control anyway.
Rowan grinds an elbow into Shaw's temple.
Shaw manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Shaw is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Rowan pulls his head out easily.
Rowan drops an elbow to the side of Shaw's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rowan is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Shaw!
Shaw tries to reverse the position but Rowan maintains control.
Shaw is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rowan has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Shaw's face.
Shaw is trying to escape the mount.
Rowan lands a heavy elbow.
Shaw manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Shaw is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Rowan pulls his head out easily.
Rowan looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rowan connects with a nice short shot to Shaw's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rowan looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rowan has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rowan is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Shaw can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rowan lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shaw hang on?
A nice elbow there by Rowan.
Rowan lands a heavy elbow.
Shaw regains half guard.
Rowan lands with a punch from half guard.
Shaw is in trouble now - Rowan has advanced to mount!
Shaw taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is looking to improve his position but Rowan isn't that keen on the idea.
Rowan breaks from Shaw's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Shaw tries to reverse the position but Rowan maintains control.
Rowan connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Shaw is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rowan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rowan lands a big shot there that rocks Shaw but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Shaw wants to control but Rowan is having none of it.
Shaw tries to reverse the position but Rowan maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thabiso Rowan dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rowan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rowan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rowan landing punches.
Rowan putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Rowan looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rowan working the ground and pound effectively.
Shaw slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Shaw gets full guard.
Rowan is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rowan stopping the sweep attempt from Shaw.
Rowan postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rowan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rowan's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowan postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Thabiso Rowan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rowan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shaw is keeping the position for now.
Rowan works over Shaw with some ground and pound from guard.
Rowan distracts Shaw with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Shaw tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rowan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Shaw's guard.
Rowan seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rowan is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Rowan lands a big elbow.
Rowan is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rowan has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Shaw's face.
Shaw taking shots to the head.
Shaw regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowan lands strikes from half guard.
Shaw is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rowan scores with a couple of nice shots.
Shaw tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Rowan winds up and cracks Shaw with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Shaw tries to roll over but Rowan keeps him under control.
Shaw gets full guard.
Shaw is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rowan trying to control here.
Shaw wants to free his trapped foot but Rowan is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Shaw is trying to work for a kimura but Rowan is defending well.

Shaw seems to be working for a kimura but Rowan defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Rowan's thigh. Rowan counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Rowan looking to control.
Rowan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shaw tries to free his leg and advance position but Rowan is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Rowan gets the takedown into side control.
Rowan scores with punches from side control.
Shaw taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rowan is working Shaw over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rowan scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowan trying to control the action but Shaw is working from the bottom.
Shaw manages to work his way to half guard, despite Rowan's best efforts.
Shaw taking some punishment here, with Rowan in his half guard.

Shaw looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rowan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Shaw wants to get back to full guard.
Rowan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Shaw trying to control but Rowan postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shaw is looking to improve his position.
Oraine Shaw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Shaw actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thabiso Rowan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rowan 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thabiso Rowan!