PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Slacks Houligan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Trent Shelton (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.

Houligan
vs
Shelton

175 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Slacks Houligan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Trent Shelton!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, William Peck and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shelton stuffs the takedown attempt from Houligan. Houligan gets slowly back to his feet.

Houligan drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Houligan wants to control but Shelton is keeping him busy.

Houligan swings around for an armbar but Shelton sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Houligan's guard.
Shelton controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shelton wants to control from the top but Houligan keeps moving.
Houligan tries to strike from the bottom.
Shelton connects with a couple of short punches.
Shelton controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shelton stops Houligan from standing up.
Shelton is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Shelton avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Houligan looking for a guillotine here but Shelton defends easily.
Shelton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Shelton slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
I looks like Shelton might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Shelton trying to control but Houligan is working from the bottom.

Despite being in the dominant position, Trent Shelton just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shelton changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Houligan tries to avoid it but Shelton manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Houligan to the ground. Houligan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Houligan with a poor takedown
and Shelton counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Houligan is breathing heavily.
Houligan misses with a takedown

and Shelton counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Slacks Houligan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice strikes from Shelton there.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Shelton lands a nice short elbow.
Shelton is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shelton decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Shelton changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Houligan tries to avoid it but Shelton manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Houligan to the ground. Houligan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Shelton drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Houligan is looking for a sweep.
Houligan sneaks back into half guard.
Shelton is looking to take a break and control but Houligan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Houligan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Shelton seems to be looking for submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Houligan clinches up against the cage.

Houligan is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Shelton can't fight it off and eventually Houligan manages to take the fight to the floor. Shelton looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Houligan looking to pass the guard.
Shelton wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Houligan with a poor takedown

so Shelton counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Houligan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shelton controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Shelton trying to control but Houligan is working from the bottom.
Shelton stopping the sweep attempt from Houligan.
Shelton wants to control from the top but Houligan keeps moving.
Shelton passes Houligan's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Shelton passes to full mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shelton scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shelton landing punches.
Shelton wants to control the pace but Houligan is squirming around nicely.
Shelton prevents Houligan from getting the reversal.
Shelton with the ground and pound from mount.
Houligan can't escape the position.
Shelton scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Houligan is looking to improve his position but Shelton isn't that keen on the idea.
Shelton scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Houligan?
Shelton putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houligan swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Houligan is trying to escape the mount.
Houligan sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Houligan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Houligan tries to get out of the position.
Houligan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Houligan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shelton manages to get himself to full guard.
Shelton is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Houligan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Shelton utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Shelton looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shelton has a closed guard, preventing Houligan from standing up.
Shelton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Shelton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Houligan works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Trent Shelton has got the better of the ground game so far.

Houligan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Shelton doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Houligan.
Shelton is trying to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Houligan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Shelton counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houligan tries to buck Shelton off but Shelton is having none of it.
Shelton working the ground and pound.
Houligan stops Shelton from passing to mount.
Houligan is trying to improve his position.
Houligan looking for a sweep but Shelton has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Houligan regains half guard.

Houligan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trent Shelton 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Houligan has his takedown stuffed

and Shelton counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Shelton seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Houligan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Houligan actively working from the bottom here.
Houligan tries to roll over but Shelton keeps him under control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Houligan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Shelton controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shelton wants to control from the top but Houligan keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shelton working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Houligan's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houligan has his foot on Shelton's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shelton works his way back into a safe position though.
Shelton stands up over Houligan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Shelton passes into half guard.
Shelton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Shelton has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Still in half guard, Shelton seems content to control.

Shelton seems to be looking for submissions.
Houligan is trying to control but can't.
Ground and pound from Shelton.

Shelton is working for a kimura but Houligan is defending it quite comfortably.
Houligan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shelton working Houligan over with strikes.

Houligan is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Shelton pulls his head out easily.
Houligan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Shelton is working away from the top position though.
Shelton is keen to just control but Houligan is a slippery customer.

Shelton is trying to work for a kimura but Houligan is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houligan gets full guard.

Houligan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Houligan trying to control the position.

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

Houligan clinches.
Shelton is trying to maintain a safe position but Houligan gets an underhook and turns Shelton into the cage.
Shelton tries to score a body lock takedown but Houligan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Shelton can't get the takedown.

Houligan gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shelton is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Houligan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Houligan's back!
Shelton trying to control.
Shelton has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Houligan's body.
Shelton scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Houligan is trying to stand back up.
Shelton scores with punches to the body.
Shelton controls the position.
Slacks Houligan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shelton is trying to stick to Houligan's back but Houligan is turning into Shelton. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Shelton's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Houligan.

And that's the end of the fight!
Trent Shelton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Shelton winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Trent Shelton!