PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Courtney Upshaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ja Masterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Upshaw comes to the cage accompanied by Retaliation. Masterson is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Hyena -by- Rancid. Ja Masterson is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Upshaw
vs
Masterson

194 cm
24
261 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

195 cm
33
255 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Courtney Upshaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ja Masterson!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Upshaw swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Upshaw swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Upshaw misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A punch lands to the side of Masterson 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Upshaw ducks under a wild hook from Masterson.
Upshaw misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice shot lands for Upshaw.
Masterson takes a head kick and keeps coming.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Upshaw throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A looping hook to the body misses from Upshaw. Masterson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Masterson throws a hook to the side of Upshaw's head but Upshaw sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Courtney Upshaw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Upshaw moves away from the strike by Masterson.
Masterson cracks Upshaw with a good jab.

It looks like Courtney Upshaw has been cut.
Masterson throws a hook to the side of Upshaw's head but Upshaw sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A head kick misses from Upshaw.
Masterson throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Upshaw's head.
Masterson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Upshaw misses the jab.
Upshaw connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Masterson's hands.
Upshaw listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Masterson is rocked!
Upshaw throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Masterson is still on wobbly legs! Can Upshaw finish him?
Masterson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Upshaw manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Masterson seems to have recovered his senses.

Masterson clinches with his opponent.
Upshaw is trying to maintain a safe position but Masterson gets an underhook and turns Upshaw into the cage.
Masterson tries to land knees in the clinch but Upshaw avoids the damage to the body.
Upshaw tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Masterson tries to throw a body punch but Upshaw avoids it by throwing Masterson back against the cage.
Masterson lands with a left to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Still in the clinch, Upshaw scores with a nice short uppercut.
Masterson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Masterson blocking some punches.
Masterson takes a shot to the head.
Masterson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Masterson blocks an uppercut.
Masterson lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Upshaw blocks a body shot from Masterson.
Masterson lands a shoulder strike.
Masterson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Masterson lands with a left to the head.

Courtney Upshaw's cut is getting worse.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Masterson looking to throw knees to the head but Upshaw is blocking nicely.
Upshaw is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Masterson working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nice body punch from Masterson - that landed with a thud.
Upshaw gets through Masterson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Masterson is working Upshaw over against the cage.
Upshaw throws a head punch that misses.
Masterson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Upshaw.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Masterson.
The referee calls for Upshaw to work.
Masterson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masterson lands a body punch in the clinch.
Masterson tries a body shot but Upshaw blocks it.
Upshaw managing to block the knees to the body from Masterson.
Masterson is working Upshaw over against the cage.
Upshaw is breathing heavily.
A short right from Masterson.
Masterson blocks an uppercut.
Masterson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A short uppercut from Masterson.
Masterson swings wildly with an uppercut but Upshaw uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masterson wants to break free but Upshaw has control.
Masterson scores with a shoulder strike.
Masterson lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Upshaw blocks a body shot from Masterson.
Masterson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Masterson lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Upshaw misses with some punches.
Upshaw taking a breather.
A short right from Masterson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masterson blocks an uppercut.
Masterson can't find room to land a body shot as Upshaw controls the action.
Upshaw tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Masterson avoids it.
Masterson lands with a left to the head.
Masterson blocks an uppercut.
Masterson digs a right hand into Upshaw's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Upshaw's gas tank.

Masterson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Upshaw misses with an uppercut. Masterson saw that one coming.
Masterson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Upshaw.
A cross from Masterson lands.
Masterson tries to move into range but Upshaw moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Masterson moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Masterson moves out of range as Upshaw throws a body kick.
Upshaw tries a head kick but it misses.
That kick from Masterson tenderised Upshaw's leg. Upshaw is trying to keep his angry face on.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ja Masterson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Courtney Upshaw's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Masterson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Upshaw swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Masterson misses with a right hand
and Upshaw counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Masterson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Upshaw swings for the body but Masterson moves out of range.
Upshaw lands a body shot.
Masterson loads up on a big right hand but Upshaw slips the punch.
Masterson tries a head kick but it misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Upshaw. Masterson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Masterson slips under a jab.
Masterson throws out a leg kick but Upshaw moves out of range and Masterson only half commits.
Jab by Upshaw.
A combination from Upshaw does no damage.
A combination from Upshaw does no damage.
A swing and a miss from Masterson.
Courtney Upshaw is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masterson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Upshaw paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Courtney Upshaw is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Upshaw takes one to the side of the head.
Masterson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Masterson lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Courtney Upshaw's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Masterson comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Upshaw walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Upshaw throws a hook to the side of Masterson's head but Masterson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Masterson avoids the head kick by Upshaw.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Upshaw throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Masterson throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Upshaw takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A nice leg kick lands there from Masterson.
Masterson lands a nice looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Upshaw misses with a right hand
and Masterson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Upshaw thinking.
Upshaw tries to move into range but Masterson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Jeez, Courtney Upshaw's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

Masterson closes the distance and clinches.
Masterson lands a left hand.
Masterson lands a body punch.
A short left from Masterson.
Masterson lands a body punch in the clinch.
Masterson scores with a nice hook to the head.
Upshaw on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A short uppercut from Masterson.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Courtney Upshaw's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Ja Masterson!
In his post fight interview, Ja Masterson started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.