PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rufus Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sotir Parvanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shepherd comes to the cage accompanied by Alter Bridge - Come to life. Parvanov has chosen Last Hope - Fuck Police as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shepherd
vs
Parvanov

180 cm
20
161 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
24
163 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rufus Shepherd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sotir Parvanov!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Valeri Chadov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shepherd shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Parvanov's guard.

Parvanov looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shepherd controls from within his opponent's guard.
Parvanov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Parvanov looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

We're going to have a standup here because Rufus Shepherd wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Parvanov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Parvanov misses with a takedown
and Shepherd cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shepherd stuffs the takedown attempt from Parvanov. Parvanov gets slowly back to his feet.
Rufus Shepherd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sotir Parvanov.

Shepherd closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Shepherd has Parvanov pressed against the cage.
Shepherd scores a nice knee to the body.
Parvanov fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Shepherd pulls guard effortlessly.
Parvanov looking to pass the guard.
Parvanov trying to control but Shepherd is working from the bottom.
Parvanov wants to pass the guard but Shepherd is keeping the position.
Shepherd pulls Parvanov in close to his closed guard and prevents Parvanov from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Rufus Shepherd wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Parvanov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Shepherd holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Shepherd pressing his opponent against the cage.
Parvanov fails to pull guard.
Parvanov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Shepherd walks away with a smile on his face. Parvanov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Parvanov.
Parvanov with a lazy takedown attempt

and Shepherd moves into the clinch.
Parvanov looks winded!

Shepherd ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Shepherd no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Shepherd keeping moving, preventing Parvanov from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Shepherd managing to control the position.
Shepherd is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Parvanov is controlling him.
Shepherd keeping full guard, as Parvanov tries to pass.
Shepherd wants to get back to his feet but Parvanov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Shepherd throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shepherd can't keep his opponent in guard - Parvanov advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Parvanov trying to control the action but Shepherd is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Shepherd dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Parvanov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shepherd is fending him off so far but Parvanov persists. Nope, Shepherd circles away and we're back to standing.

Parvanov fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Shepherd to the ground. Parvanov is now in Shepherd's guard.
Parvanov won't allow Shepherd to get back to his feet.
Shepherd pulls Parvanov in to control the position.
Shepherd keeping moving, preventing Parvanov from controlling successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sotir Parvanov hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Parvanov with a poor takedown
and Shepherd counters with a body kick that stops Parvanov in his tracks momentarily.
Shepherd slaps away a takedown attempt from Parvanov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rufus Shepherd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sotir Parvanov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Parvanov shoots in looking for a takedown. Shepherd tries to sprawl out of it but Parvanov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shepherd manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Parvanov is breathing heavily.
Parvanov misses with a takedown
and Shepherd counters with a head kick.
Horrible takedown by Parvanov or perhaps it was just good defense by Shepherd which made him look bad.
Parvanov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Shepherd as he avoids it easily.

Shepherd has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shepherd unloads a knee to the mid-section. Parvanov lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shepherd lands an elbow that stopped Parvanov in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Shepherd takes the fight into the clinch.
Shepherd avoiding damage.
Parvanov fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Shepherd clinches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shepherd will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Parvanov up against the cage.

Shepherd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Parvanov tries for a takedown but Shepherd circles away easily

and Shepherd counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shepherd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd lands with a light punch inside.
Shepherd lands a left hand that snaps the head of Parvanov backwards.
Parvanov fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Shepherd with a knee to the head.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shepherd looks for a takedown but Parvanov sprawls well.
Parvanov dives in and grabs Shepherd's left leg, looking for a takedown. Shepherd pushes down on Parvanov's head and hops out.
Shepherd looks for a takedown but Parvanov sprawls well.
Shepherd stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shepherd wants it to stay on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd shoots in looking for a takedown. Parvanov tries to sprawl out of it but Shepherd keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Parvanov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sotir Parvanov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Parvanov shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Shepherd is holding on to half guard well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shepherd is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Shepherd dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Parvanov shoots in but no luck this time.
Parvanov shoots in and drives through. Shepherd sprawls well.
Shepherd is trying hard to land a takedown here. Parvanov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Horrible takedown by Parvanov or perhaps it was just good defense by Shepherd which made him look bad.
Rufus Shepherd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sotir Parvanov.
Shepherd fails with a takedown attempt.
Parvanov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shepherd swivels and escapes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shepherd defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Parvanov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd lands a nice leg kick that just misses Parvanov's sensitive parts.
Parvanov shoots for a double leg takedown but Shepherd sprawls well. He's pushed Parvanov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Shepherd fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Parvanov, pushing him back against the cage.
Parvanov fails to pull guard.

Shepherd drags the fight down to the ground.

Shepherd looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shepherd keeping moving, preventing Parvanov from controlling successfully.

Shepherd has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Parvanov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Parvanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Shepherd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Parvanov wants to pass the guard but Shepherd is keeping the position.
Shepherd keeping moving, preventing Parvanov from controlling successfully.

Shepherd is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Parvanov defends well.
Parvanov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shepherd keeping moving, preventing Parvanov from controlling successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Sotir Parvanov.
Parvanov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shepherd sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Parvanov shoots in but Shepherd avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Shepherd drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Parvanov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shepherd controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rufus Shepherd.
Parvanov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Shepherd fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Parvanov to the ground. Shepherd is now in Parvanov's guard.
Rufus Shepherd is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Shepherd is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Rufus Shepherd has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Parvanov fails to land the takedown.
Sotir Parvanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Shepherd rushes Parvanov and presses him up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rufus Shepherd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Shepherd has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27

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