PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chris Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bellerophon Shanks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Li
vs
Shanks

188 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

184 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chris Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bellerophon Shanks!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li avoids the body shot from Shanks.
A shot to the liver by Shanks. Beautiful body shot.
Li fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Shanks avoids it really well and circles away.
Shanks misses with a body shot.
Shanks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Li was well out of range. Poor timing from Shanks.

Shanks throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Li tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Shanks is in Li's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Shanks postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Li is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Shanks, into his guard.
Li throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shanks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shanks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Li is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shanks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Li 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.

Shanks is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Li is aware though and is defending well.

Li gets to his feet - Shanks follows without any prompting.

Shanks closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Shanks lands in his opponent's guard.
Shanks trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Shanks stays in close to Li's body and controls the position.
Shanks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Li is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Li keeping full guard, as Shanks tries to pass.
Shanks wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Li has Shanks pulled in close to control his posture.
Shanks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li trying to keep a closed guard but Shanks is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Shanks fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Li to the ground. Shanks is now in Li's guard.
Shanks trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Shanks drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Li dives on top into guard.

Shanks is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Shanks is retaining full guard.

Li drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Li jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Shanks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Li is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li tries to stand but Shanks is controlling from the bottom.
Shanks 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.
Shanks manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Shanks takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Li is squirming around, avoiding Shanks's attempts to control the action.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Shanks is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Li has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Li!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bellerophon Shanks dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Li takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Shanks gets a double leg takedown into Li's guard.

Shanks drops back, looking for a kneebar! Li looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Li looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Li!
Shanks tries to bench press Li off him but Li keeps the position.
Li working the ground and pound but Shanks is defending the strikes.
Shanks tries to buck Li off but Li is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shanks is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Li's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Shanks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Li. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Li is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shanks can do anything to dispel that myth.
Li thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Shanks keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Shanks tries to roll over but Li keeps him under control.
Shanks is staying active underneath Li, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Shanks keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Shanks sees it coming and defends easily.
Li is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Shanks wants to improve his position but Li is controlling well.
Shanks slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Li tries to stand but Shanks is controlling from the bottom.
Shanks keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li is really struggling to control Shanks but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shanks had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Li defends it easily.

Shanks working for a triangle but Li defends it easily.

Shanks working for a triangle but Li defends it easily.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Shanks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Shanks is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Shanks manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Li has Shanks in his guard.
Shanks wants to pass the guard but Li is keeping the position.
Shanks wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Shanks is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Li is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Li has escaped and now he's on top!
Li stopping the sweep attempt from Shanks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bellerophon Shanks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Shanks shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Li but Li pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Li misses with a takedown attempt - Shanks sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Shanks throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Shanks closes the distance and clinches up with Li, looking for a takedown. Shanks pushes Li against the cage but Li circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shanks fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Chris Li has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bellerophon Shanks.

Li gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Shanks to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Li controls Shanks momentarily but Shanks frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Shanks is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Shanks trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shanks looking to pass the guard.
Shanks wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Shanks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Shanks.
Shanks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Li staying out of range there.
Li avoids the body shot from Shanks.
Shanks swings for the body but Li moves out of range.
Shanks thows a body shot but no joy.
Chris Li is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shanks fails with a takedown attempt.
Shanks takes a swing at Li's ribcage but misses.
Chris Li has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shanks takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Shanks scores with a jab to the body.
Li uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shanks.

Shanks shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Shanks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Shanks is working for a submission of some sort.
Li throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shanks is thwarting Li's attempts to control the position.
Shanks passes the guard and advances to mount!
Shanks can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Li is looking to escape.
Li prevents Shanks from taking his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Shanks goes for an armbar but Li turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Li.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bellerophon Shanks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shanks 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bellerophon Shanks!
In his post fight interview, Bellerophon Shanks gave a big smile as he said 'Oh yeah, I got a cool catch phrase... I've just never had the chance to use it... it goes 'Damn, thats cold ya'll''.