PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gene Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sho Shinjo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Lopez might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Desabafo. Shinjo has chosen Theme of Sho as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Lopez
vs
Shinjo

180 cm
21
160 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

176 cm
25
171 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gene Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sho Shinjo!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shinjo lands a head kick. Lopez smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Lopez looks to land a combination but Shinjo avoids it well.
Shinjo scores with a hook to the body. Lopez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Shinjo misses with a takedown attempt - Lopez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lopez lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Lopez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lopez takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Shinjo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shinjo uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Lopez has time to react.
Shinjo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lopez circles away.
Shinjo connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shinjo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lopez.
Lopez throws a sloppy head kick and Shinjo moves out of range easily.
Shinjo misses with a jab to the body
and Lopez counters with a left to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Shinjo.
Gene Lopez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sho Shinjo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shinjo throws a shot to the body.
A good leg kick by Shinjo.
Shinjo is looking to clinch.
Lopez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Shinjo.
Shinjo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A good leg kick by Shinjo.
Shinjo connects with a body shot that sends Lopez's belly button to the back.
Lopez fails to land with a series of punches.
Shinjo listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Lopez takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Shinjo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Shinjo tries to move into range but Lopez moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shinjo cracks the inside of Lopez's front leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Shinjo tenderised Lopez's leg. Lopez is trying to keep his angry face on.
Shinjo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Shinjo avoids the body shot from Lopez.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lopez swinging wildly here.
Shinjo thows a body shot but no joy.
Shinjo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Lopez rather than just go for the knockout.
Shinjo slips a jab from Lopez.
Shinjo throws a combination. Lopez tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Gene Lopez has been cut.

Shinjo looking to score a takedown here. Lopez is defending well but Shinjo drives through and ends up in Lopez's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Shinjo postures up in Lopez's guard and throws a big left but Lopez blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shinjo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shinjo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lopez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Lopez tries to get out of the position.

Lopez manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Shinjo scoring well with a low kick there.
Shinjo feints and then cracks Lopez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lopez down.
Lopez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Shinjo moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
Shinjo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Lopez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lopez wants it to stay on the feet.
Sho Shinjo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Shinjo checks a low kick from Lopez.
Lopez is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A solid leg kick lands there for Shinjo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shinjo circles away quickly and effectively.
Lopez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lopez throws a shot from downtown. Shinjo moves away and avoids it.
Lopez takes a jab right on the kisser.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Lopez gets caught flat footed, as Shinjo shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Shinjo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Shinjo thows a huge punch but Lopez dodges it nicely.
Lopez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shinjo on the ground.
Shinjo trying to control from half guard but Lopez is working away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Shinjo is looking to advance position but Lopez won't allow it.
Shinjo trying to control the action but Lopez is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sho Shinjo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gene Lopez's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lopez throws a combination that misses
and Shinjo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lopez looks to score with a jab to the body but Shinjo is just out of range.
Shinjo tries to bum rush Lopez with a series of wild strikes but Lopez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lopez misses with a series of wild punches.
Lopez misses with a hook to the body
and Shinjo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Shinjo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Shinjo trying to control the position from guard on top but Lopez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shinjo pushing down on Lopez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez is refusing to be controlled, as Shinjo sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Shinjo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Shinjo is trying to control. Lopez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Shinjo is trying to work for a kimura but Lopez is defending well.
Shinjo sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Shinjo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shinjo wants to take a breather but Lopez is having none of it.
Shinjo wants to pass to mount but Lopez is defending the position.
Shinjo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lopez defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo is taking a breather. Lopez says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Lopez is not content to let Shinjo control the position.
Shinjo throwing shots but Lopez is blocking nicely.
Lopez wants to get back to his feet.
Shinjo thows a huge punch but Lopez dodges it nicely.
Shinjo throws a strike but Lopez avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Shinjo drops back looking for a leg! Lopez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lopez manages to kick Shinjo off! Shinjo jumps back into Lopez's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Shinjo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Lopez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shinjo forces his way into half guard.
Shinjo trying to pass the guard but Lopez defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sho Shinjo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gene Lopez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lopez connects with a good right hand that stumbles Shinjo. Shinjo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Shinjo misses with an uppercut.
Shinjo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lopez stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Shinjo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lopez's sensitive parts.
Shinjo misses with an uppercut.
Shinjo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lopez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shinjo.
Shinjo shoots in but no luck this time.
Lopez works Shinjo's body with a nice hook.
Shinjo slips under a jab.
Shinjo tests Lopez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lopez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shinjo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Shinjo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shinjo lands with a nice body punch.
Gene Lopez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shinjo chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Lopez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Shinjo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Shinjo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shinjo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo looking to pass the guard.
Shinjo passes Lopez's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Shinjo is trying to work for a kimura but Lopez is defending well.

Shinjo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Lopez is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Shinjo controlling the pace for now.
Lopez blocking the ground and pound.
Gene Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shinjo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lopez is looking to escape.
Shinjo is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Lopez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Shinjo postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lopez looks a forlorn figure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shinjo unloading with bombs!

Lopez is rocked!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shinjo with a couple of short strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sho Shinjo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shinjo 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sho Shinjo!
After winning the bout, Sho Shinjo thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.