PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Lodge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bartek Szpakiewicz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lodge
vs
Szpakiewicz

190 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shawn Lodge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bartek Szpakiewicz!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lodge looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Szpakiewicz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Szpakiewicz wants to clinch.
Lodge keeps the fight on the outside.
Lodge closes this distance looking for a takedown but Szpakiewicz circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Lodge. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lodge manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Szpakiewicz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lodge swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Szpakiewicz moves in looking to clinch but Lodge pushes him off.
Szpakiewicz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lodge swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Szpakiewicz moves in looking to clinch but Lodge pushes him off.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Lodge moves into the clinch.
Lodge with a knee to the head.
Szpakiewicz looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Szpakiewicz throws an elbow that misses.
Lodge lands with a short shot to the head.
Szpakiewicz throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lodge wants to stall.
Szpakiewicz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lodge has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Szpakiewicz lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Shawn Lodge has been cut.
Szpakiewicz misses with a knee to the head.
Szpakiewicz avoiding damage.
Szpakiewicz scores with a knee to the head.

Szpakiewicz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Szpakiewicz has Lodge up against the cage in a clinch.
Lodge is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Szpakiewicz gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Lodge can't get the takedown.
Szpakiewicz tries to land a knee to the head but Lodge blocks with his arms.
Szpakiewicz tries a knee to the head but Lodge blocks it.
Szpakiewicz tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Szpakiewicz looking to throw knees to the head but Lodge is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Szpakiewicz lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Szpakiewicz misses with a knee strike.
Szpakiewicz looking to throw knees to the head but Lodge is blocking nicely.
Szpakiewicz looks gassed!

Lodge drags the fight down to the ground.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Lodge working for a triangle but Szpakiewicz defends it easily.
Lodge looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lodge uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch
and Lodge counters with a big head kick but Szpakiewicz shrugs it off.
Lodge shoots in looking for a takedown. Szpakiewicz tries to sprawl out of it but Lodge keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Szpakiewicz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch up but Lodge circles away and keeps his distance.
Bartek Szpakiewicz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch there but Lodge circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szpakiewicz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lodge.
Lodge throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lodge swats away the attempt to clinch by Szpakiewicz.
Szpakiewicz leaves Lodge with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lodge shoots in but no luck this time.
Szpakiewicz is looking to clinch but Lodge is avoiding it.
Szpakiewicz tries to close the distance and clinch but Lodge swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch but Lodge is having none of it.
Lodge keeps the fight on the outside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lodge tries to close the distance and clinch up but Szpakiewicz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch up but Lodge circles away and keeps his distance.
Szpakiewicz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lodge paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bartek Szpakiewicz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shawn Lodge's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Szpakiewicz fails in his attempt to clinch.

Lodge has closed the distance and engaged Szpakiewicz in a clinch.
Lodge has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Szpakiewicz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Lodge pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Szpakiewicz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lodge will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Lodge circles away from the clinch attempt
and Lodge counters with a nice body shot.
Szpakiewicz wants to clinch up but Lodge keeps it at a distance.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch there but Lodge circles away.
Szpakiewicz wants to clinch

and Lodge holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Szpakiewicz pulls guard.
Lodge is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Szpakiewicz is wriggling around but Lodge manages to pass to half guard.
Szpakiewicz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lodge not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Szpakiewicz tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Lodge manages to move to mount!
Lodge trying to control but Szpakiewicz is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lodge is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Szpakiewicz is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Szpakiewicz is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szpakiewicz blocking the ground and pound.
Szpakiewicz is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Lodge controlling from the full mount.
Szpakiewicz blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lodge thowing shots but they're missing.
Lodge looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lodge unloads with some shots from mount but Szpakiewicz bucks and avoids them well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Lodge dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Shawn Lodge's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lodge fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Szpakiewicz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lodge.

Lodge rushes Szpakiewicz and presses him up against the cage.

Lodge drags the fight down to the ground.
Szpakiewicz wants to stand and escape but instead Lodge has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Lodge is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Lodge stops Szpakiewicz from standing up.

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Shawn Lodge.
A right-left combo lands from Lodge.
Lodge will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Szpakiewicz closes the distance but Lodge moves to the side
and Lodge counters with a nice body kick.

Lodge clinches.
Szpakiewicz prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Lodge. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lodge jumps into guard, dragging Szpakiewicz to the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lodge controls Szpakiewicz momentarily but Szpakiewicz frees himself.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Szpakiewicz decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Lodge, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch

and Lodge counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Szpakiewicz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Lodge closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Szpakiewicz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lodge prevents it.
Lodge goes for a takedown in the clinch but Szpakiewicz prevents it.
Lodge pressing his opponent against the cage.
Szpakiewicz is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Lodge's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Szpakiewicz moves to clinch but Lodge breaks away
and Lodge counters with a series of strikes. Szpakiewicz will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lodge wants to clinch up but Szpakiewicz keeps it at a distance.
Szpakiewicz is looking to clinch but Lodge is avoiding it.
Lodge swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lodge circles away from the clinch attempt.

Szpakiewicz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Bartek Szpakiewicz seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Lodge avoids the elbow strike from Szpakiewicz, against the cage.
Lodge takes a knee right on the jaw!
Szpakiewicz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Szpakiewicz misses with a knee to the head.
Lodge blocks the elbow strike.
Szpakiewicz prevents a takedown attempt there.
Szpakiewicz is pressed up against the cage. Lodge has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Szpakiewicz down to the mat. Szpakiewicz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch but Lodge moves out of range.
Lodge shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Szpakiewicz wants to clinch up but Lodge keeps it at a distance.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch but Lodge is having none of it.

Szpakiewicz closes the distance and pushes Lodge back into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Szpakiewicz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lodge drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Szpakiewicz looking to throw knees to the head but Lodge is blocking nicely.
Lodge blocks an elbow strike from Szpakiewicz.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Szpakiewicz misses with a knee to the head.

Lodge escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Szpakiewicz tries to clinch up.
Lodge misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Shawn Lodge.
I think Lodge 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight for Shawn Lodge!
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight for Shawn Lodge!
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight for Bartek Szpakiewicz!

Shawn Lodge wins by split decision!