PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mos Def (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Shagger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Def's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Mathematics. Craig Shagger acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Def
vs
Shagger

179 cm
28
174 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
181 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Red Hand Clothing

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 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mos Def!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Craig Shagger!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shagger circles away from the clinch attempt
and Shagger makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Shagger looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A low kick from Def is predictable there
and Shagger counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Def thinking.
Shagger scores with a shot to the body.
Def takes one to the side of the head.
Def fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shagger throws a head kick that misses.
Shagger connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Def momentarily.
Def tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shagger throws a leg kick but Def moved away.
Def tries to close the distance and clinch but Shagger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shagger misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Def rushes Shagger and presses him up against the cage.
Def is trying to pull guard but Shagger turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Def prevents a body shot from Shagger.
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Def using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shagger is trying to break free.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Shagger creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Def misses with a knee to the head.
Shagger tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Shagger takes a knee right on the jaw!
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Def as Shagger tries to tie him up.
Def throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Shagger blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shagger managing to block the knees to the body from Def.
Def tries to land knees in the clinch but Shagger avoids the damage to the body.
Def tries to land a knee to the head but Shagger blocks with his arms.
Def taking a breather.
Def connects with a nasty looking knee right to Shagger's face.
Def tries a knee to the head but Shagger blocks it.
Shagger taking a breather.
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shagger avoiding damage as Def throws knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Def tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shagger just stands there and leans against the cage.
Def trying to land knees to the body.
Def stalling.
Def tries to land a knee to the head but Shagger blocks with his arms.
Def is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shagger is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Def looking to slow down the pace here.
Def tries to pull guard but Shagger holds him up against the cage and eventually Def drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mos Def. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Def jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Shagger walks away with a smile on his face. Def gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Def looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A low kick from Shagger is predictable there

and Def moves into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Def.
Shagger is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Def using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shagger has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shagger looking to stall.
Shagger seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shagger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Shagger takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shagger stalling the fight.
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Def misses with a knee strike.
Def slows down the pace here.
Def tries to land knees in the clinch but Shagger avoids the damage to the body.
Def is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shagger is defending well for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Def tries a knee to the head but Shagger blocks it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Shagger as Def tries to tie him up.
Def misses with a knee strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mos Def dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Shagger 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 Def has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Def and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Def tries to close the distance and clinch but Shagger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Def stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Shagger.
Shagger misses the shot to the body.
Shagger pivots, looking for a leg kick but Def is out of range and Shagger settles back down.
A combination from Shagger does no damage.
Shagger is looking to land body kicks.
Def connects with an inside leg kick.
Shagger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Def clinches up with Shagger and pushes him back against the cage.
Shagger scores with a shot to the side of Def's head.

It looks like Mos Def has been cut.
Shagger is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shagger throws a head punch that misses.
Def with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Def is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shagger is defending well for now.
Def using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shagger has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Def will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Shagger up against the cage.
Shagger will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Def up against the cage.
Shagger is trying to maintain a safe position but Def gets an underhook and turns Shagger into the cage.
Def looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Def tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shagger tries to stall but Def uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Def with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shagger on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Def lands a good knee to the midsection. Shagger won't want to take too many of those.
Def using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Def is trying to pull guard but Shagger turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Shagger managing to block the knees to the body from Def.
Shagger has Def pushed against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Def is looking to control Shagger's arms but Shagger gets an underhook and turns him. Now Def has his back to the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shagger taking a breather.
Def slows down the pace here.
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Def trying to land knees to the body.
Shagger takes a knee to the side of the body.
Def jumps guard but Shagger stands there with Def around his waist. Def gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Def with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Def trying to land knees to the body.
Def with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shagger is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Def using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shagger has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shagger on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shagger managing to block the knees to the body from Def.
Shagger looking to slow down the pace here.
Def has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Def blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shagger pushes Def back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Shagger stalling the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Craig Shagger.
Def wants to clinch
and Shagger counters with a low kick, right behind Def 's knee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mos Def dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mos Def's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Shagger checks the leg kick nicely there.
Def tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Shagger counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Shagger throws a head kick but Def moves out of range.
Def tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shagger swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shagger throws a left and a right that both miss

and Def counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Def pressing his opponent against the cage.
Def tries to land knees in the clinch but Shagger avoids the damage to the body.
Shagger tries to break free but Def pushes him back against the cage.
Shagger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Def with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Def tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Def fails to pull guard.
Def throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Shagger blocks it with crossed arms.
Shagger on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shagger avoiding damage as Def throws knees to the body.
Shagger manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Def tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shagger avoids it.
Def misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shagger.
Shagger takes a knee right on the jaw!
Def stalling in the clinch but Shagger improves position.
Shagger stalling against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Def misses with a knee to the head.
The referee calls for Shagger to work.
Shagger struggles to land a body shot inside as Def controls his hands.
Def with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shagger taking a breather.
Def is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shagger is defending well for now.
Def just leaning against Shagger, taking a breather.
Def is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shagger is defending well for now.
Shagger is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Def tries to land a knee to the head but Shagger blocks with his arms.
Def tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shagger avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Def just leaning against Shagger, taking a breather.
Shagger misses with a body punch.
Def is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shagger is defending well for now.
Def wants to stall.
Shagger holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Def with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Def is trying to maintain a safe position but Shagger gets an underhook and turns Def into the cage.
Shagger trying to stall but Def improves his position.
Def misses with a knee to the head.
Craig Shagger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mos Def has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Def tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shagger avoids it.
Shagger misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shagger avoiding damage as Def throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Def tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shagger avoids it.
Shagger avoiding damage as Def throws knees to the body.
Shagger tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Def's elbow.
Shagger is struggling to control the position.
A right hand to the body from Shagger.
Shagger content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Def missing with knees to the body.
Shagger trying to stall but Def improves his position.
Shagger tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Def avoids it.
Shagger scores with a shot to the side of Def's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shagger can't find room to land a body shot as Def controls the action.
Def stalling in the clinch but Shagger improves position.
Def is trying to pull guard but Shagger turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Mos Def is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Shagger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mos Def.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Def, 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mos Def!
Mos Def managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Sydney BEAST Clothing , into his post fight interview.