PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Bonham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Shurk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shurk has chosen Achy Breaky Heart as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bonham
vs
Shurk

190 cm
26
158 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

170 cm
27
155 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

CEC Nutrition Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Bonham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shawn Shurk!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bonham shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Bonham really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Shurk throws a series of punches but Bonham avoids them all with ease.
Bonham scores with a body shot.
Bonham connects with an inside leg kick.
Shurk shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bonham defends it nicely.
Bonham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bonham pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Shurk's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Bonham connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Shurk scrambles back to his feet.
Bonham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bonham throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Shurk misses with a straight right.
Shurk avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonham connects with a body shot.
Bonham misses with a wild body shot.
John Bonham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bonham scores with a jab to the body.
A leg kick checked by Shurk.
Shurk chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bonham can pounce on him.
Bonham throws a quick inside leg kick.
Bonham is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bonham looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Bonham swings and misses with a hook to the body.
John Bonham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bonham thuds his right hand into Shurk's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Shurk throws a right and a left that Bonham avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonham scores with a nice head shot.
Shurk takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Bonham cracks Shurk with a right hand to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bonham misses with a straight left.
Bonham throws a looping overhand right but Shurk ducks down to avoid it.
Bonham throws a solid leg kick but Shurk takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Bonham.
Bonham misses the shot to the body.
Bonham misses with a low kick.
Shurk throws a combination that misses
and Bonham connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bonham throws a hook but Shurk avoids it easily.
Bonham scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Bonham comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonham throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bonham pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bonham dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Shurk crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Bonham - the referee stops the clock and Shurk gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Bonham. Shurk manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Shurk misses with a series of wild punches.
Bonham tests Shurk's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Shurk takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Bonham throws out a powerful jab.
Bonham is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Bonham listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shurk ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A big left from Bonham misses.
Bonham tries to clinch but Shurk moves out of range.
Shurk shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bonham throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bonham just misses with a punch to the body.

Bonham clinches up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice body punch from Bonham - that landed with a thud.
Shurk drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bonham gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Shurk goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bonham prevents it.
John Bonham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Shurk.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bonham with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Bonham dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Shurk slips under a jab from Bonham.
Bonham just misses with a punch to the body.
Shurk misses with a looping right.
Bonham misses with an uppercut. Shurk saw that one coming.
Shawn Shurk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shurk takes one to the side of the head.
Bonham looks to land a right hand but Shurk moved out of range.
Shurk dodges the punch combination from Bonham.
Shurk takes a kick to the side of the head.
Shurk looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
An inside leg kick from Bonham misses.
Bonham with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonham stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Crunch! Bonham slams his shin into Shurk's torso.
Bonham throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shurk sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bonham.
Shurk misses with a takedown attempt - Bonham sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Shurk throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bonham.
Bonham fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Shurk looks to land a combination. Bonham sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Shurk misses with a lunging right hand
and Bonham counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Bonham lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Shurk has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Shurk and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Shurk is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shurk's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Shurk duly obliges.
Bonham dodges the punch combination from Shurk.
Shurk throws a series of punches but Bonham avoids them all with ease.
Bonham lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Shurk at a distance.
Shurk takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bonham is looking to slow Shurk down with leg kicks.
Bonham throws a sloppy head kick and Shurk moves out of range easily.
Shurk takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
John Bonham is winning the standup battle so far.
Shurk misses with a wild combination.
Bonham is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Horrible takedown by Shurk or perhaps it was just good defense by Bonham which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Bonham misses.
Bonham throws a hook but Shurk blocks it.
Bonham connects with a crisp jab.
Bonham lands with a nice body punch.
Bonham is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shurk.
Shurk walks into a stiff left hand from Bonham.
A slapping leg kick lands for Bonham.
Bonham connects with a single shot there.
Bonham throws a leg kick which misses Shurk's front leg but catches the back leg as Shurk tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bonham throws a right hand that misses

and Shurk counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bonham preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Shurk missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Shurk looking to pass the guard.
Shurk wants to control from the top but Bonham keeps moving.
Shurk prevents Bonham from getting back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bonham trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Bonham dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bonham lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Bonham lands an overhand right.
Bonham lands a leg kick that knocks Shurk off balance momentarily.
Shurk throws a combination that misses
letting Bonham counter with a right hand.

Shurk tries to keep at a distance but Bonham has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bonham with a knee to the head.
Shurk is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Shurk has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Bonham stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Bonham lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Shawn Shurk has been cut.
Shurk is working for takedown but Bonham is calmly controlling the position for now.
Shurk can't get the takedown.
John Bonham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Shurk.
Bonham working Shurk over with knees to the body.
Bonham stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shurk goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bonham prevents it.
Bonham lands an uppercut.
Bonham is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shurk can do to turn this around?
Bonham lands a nice uppercut.
Shurk wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bonham blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bonham tries to throw a body punch but Shurk avoids it by throwing Bonham back against the cage.
Bonham is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Shurk drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Shurk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A shot in the inside from Bonham.
Shurk tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bonham's elbow.
Bonham is stalling here.
Shurk is trying to break free.
Bonham stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shurk is trying to break free.
Shurk working hard to break the clinch.
Shurk tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bonham working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bonham connects with a knee to the head.
Shurk digs a right hand underneath Bonham's ribcage. Bonham let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Bonham unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shurk lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bonham lands a left hand.
Shurk looking for a takedown.
Shurk tries to break the clinch but Bonham is controlling the position.
Bonham blocks a body shot from Shurk.
Shurk has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bonham after a bit of a struggle.
Bonham holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Bonham unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shurk lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shurk's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Shurk has Bonham pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bonham manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Shurk's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonham stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Shurk struggles to land a body shot inside as Bonham controls his hands.
Bonham has Shurk pressed against the cage.
Bonham lands a body shot.
Bonham lands a knee to the head.
Bonham throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shurks head.
Shawn Shurk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A nice right hand lands inside from Bonham.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bonham.
Bonham with a knee to the head.
Bonham stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Bonham pushes Shurk back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bonham lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Shurk tries for a takedown. No joy.
Good body shot from Bonham.
Bonham lands a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shurk looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Good body shot from Bonham.
Bonham putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Shurk in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bonham lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Shurk.
A short uppercut from Bonham.
A right handed body shot lands from Bonham.
Bonham lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shurk backwards.
Shurk being controlled against the cage.
Shurk is working for takedown but Bonham is calmly controlling the position for now.
John Bonham has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Shurk tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bonham's elbow.
Shurk misses with the head strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Come on Bonham - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Bonham works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Bonham showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bonham, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Bonham!
John Bonham decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.