PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mackey Shain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heston Butcher (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.

Shain
vs
Butcher

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mackey Shain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Heston Butcher!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, John Mangel and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A clash of legs there as Shain blocks the low kick.
Butcher tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shain looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shain tries for a takedown but Butcher sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Butcher lands a head kick!
Shain throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Butcher's waist but Butcher gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shain off to one side.
A head kick misses from Butcher.
Shain is looking to clinch but Butcher is avoiding it.
Shain tries to close the distance and clinch up but Butcher swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butcher lands a nice looking body kick.
Butcher tries a head kick but it misses.
Shain fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shain shoots in looking for a takedown. Butcher tries to sprawl out of it but Shain keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Butcher manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mackey Shain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shain stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Butcher.
Butcher misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Butcher keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's two 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.
Butcher lands a high kick!
Shain takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Shain throws a head kick that misses
and Butcher counters with a big head kick but Shain shrugs it off.
Butcher lands a high kick!

Butcher moves into the clinch successfully.

Butcher turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Butcher creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Shain sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Butcher trying to control the action but Shain is working from the bottom.
Shain can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shain tries to improve position but can't.
Butcher cracks Shain with a big right hand but Shain just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Butcher working the body and head with strikes.
Butcher wants to control but Shain is keeping him busy.
Shain avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Butcher.
Butcher working the ground and pound from side control.
Butcher tries to score with some ground and pound. Shain controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

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.
Shain wants to control but Butcher postures up.
Shain tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Butcher wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Shain's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Shain is breathing heavily.

Butcher decides to stand back up.
Butcher tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A chopping leg kick lands by Butcher.

Butcher clinches.
Shain is looking to break free of the clinch but Butcher has double underhooks.
Shain looking for a takedown.
Shain throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Butcher blocks it with crossed arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heston Butcher dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Shain throws a leg kick
and Butcher counters with an inside leg kick.
Shain tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Butcher counters with a nice low kick that buckles Shain's knee momentarily.
Butcher pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Butcher circles away from the clinch attempt
and Butcher counters with a low kick, right behind Shain 's knee.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butcher misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shain misses with a takedown
and Butcher counters with a slapping leg kick.
Butcher throws a sloppy head kick and Shain moves out of range easily.
Butcher throws a sloppy head kick
enabling Shain to counter with a crisp jab.
Butcher throws a sloppy head kick and Shain moves out of range easily.
Shain darts in trying to clinch

and Butcher holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Butcher lands a damaging elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shain throws an elbow that misses.
Butcher keeps control of Shain as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Shain is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Butcher missing with knees to the body.
Shain tries to score a body lock takedown but Butcher shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Shain fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mackey Shain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shain is looking to control Butcher's arms but Butcher gets an underhook and turns him. Now Shain has his back to the cage.
Butcher pushes off an throws an elbow but Shain leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Butcher throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Butcher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Shain takes an elbow to the forehead.
Butcher lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Shain can't get the takedown.
With the fighters up against the cage, Butcher throws an elbow but misses.
Butcher pushes off an throws an elbow but Shain leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Butcher has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Shain uses from the top position.
Butcher wants to stand up but Shain is controlling him.
Butcher looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Butcher striking from the bottom here.
Butcher pulls Shain in close to prevent any damage.
Shain won't allow Butcher to sweep him here.
Butcher is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Butcher throws a nice head kick!
Shain looks to clinch

and Butcher counters by clinching up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Butcher on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shain creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Butcher.
Shain stalling in the clinch but Butcher improves position.
Shain wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heston Butcher showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Butcher connects with a solid leg kick.
Shain fails with the takedown

and Butcher counters by clinching up.
Butcher lands a damaging elbow.
Shain goes for a takedown in the clinch but Butcher prevents it.
Shain avoiding damage as Butcher throws knees to the body.
Butcher lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Butcher throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Butcher lands a damaging elbow.
Butcher misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shain.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shain takes an elbow to the temple.
Shain is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Shain drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Butcher gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mackey Shain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Butcher lands a nice elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shain blocks an elbow strike from Butcher.
Shain tries to pull guard but Butcher won't allow it.
Butcher comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Shain misses with an elbow strike.
Shain takes an elbow to the forehead.
Shain managing to block the knees to the body from Butcher.
Shain takes an elbow to the forehead.
Shain takes an elbow to the forehead.

Butcher wants the takedown. Shain is fighting it off but Butcher persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Shain's guard against the cage.
Butcher is stalling in the full guard.
Shain is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Butcher controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shain wants to stand up but Butcher is controlling him.
Shain keeping moving, preventing Butcher from controlling successfully.
Butcher won't allow Shain to sweep him here.
Shain is working hard here to advance position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Butcher throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shain misses with a takedown attempt

and Butcher counters by moving into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shain.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Butcher just misses with a elbow thrown towards Shain's brow.
Butcher prevents Shain from breaking the clinch.

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

Shain is working an open guard so Butcher takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Good work by Shain as he checks the leg kick.
Shain throws a leg kick but Butcher moved away.
Shain has his takedown stuffed

and Butcher counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shain tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Butcher lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shain tries to land knees in the clinch but Butcher avoids the damage to the body.
Shain leaning against his opponent.
Shain blocks an elbow strike.

Shain jumps guard.
Mackey Shain has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Butcher decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Shain clinches but Butcher breaks the clinch
and Butcher counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Butcher plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Butcher clinches.
Butcher is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shain pulls him back up using the underhooks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heston Butcher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Butcher has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 26:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 26:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heston Butcher!