PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Myles Sheppard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felix Cole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Felix Cole has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Sheppard
vs
Cole

193 cm
18
278 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

195 cm
25
226 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Myles Sheppard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Felix Cole!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Steve Erwin and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cole is looking to clinch.
Sheppard swats away the attempt to clinch by Cole.
Sheppard fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cole avoids it really well and circles away.
Cole tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sheppard swivels and escapes.
Cole tries to clinch up.
Cole goes for a double leg but Sheppard avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Sheppard continues to drive forward.
Sheppard holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cole misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sheppard.

Cole manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Sheppard working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sheppard looking to sit in guard and control but Cole gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheppard wants to stand but Cole is controlling the position.
Cole is fighting to break Sheppard's control of his arms but Sheppard is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sheppard keeping moving, preventing Cole from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sheppard wants to sweep but no luck.
Sheppard thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Felix Cole was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Cole dives in and scores a takedown into Sheppard's guard.
Sheppard is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cole really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sheppard. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sheppard pulls Cole in close to prevent any damage.
Cole wanted to stand there but Sheppard had control of the position.
Cole postures up in Sheppard's guard and throws a big left but Sheppard blocks it.
Cole must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cole won't allow Sheppard to get back to his feet.
Sheppard trying to control the position here.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

We're going to have a standup here because Myles Sheppard wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Sheppard tries a low kick but Cole avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole fails with the takedown

so Sheppard counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Myles Sheppard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felix Cole.
Cole looks winded!
Sheppard pushing down on Cole's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sheppard slows the pace down in half guard.
Sheppard has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cole on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sheppard looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sheppard performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sheppard is thwarting Cole's attempts to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sheppard is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sheppard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sheppard changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cole tries to avoid it but Sheppard manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cole to the ground. Cole escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sheppard misses with a takedown attempt - Cole sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Sheppard feints and as Cole raises his hands in defense, Sheppard changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cole keeping full guard, as Sheppard tries to pass.
Cole looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheppard has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cole is proving hard to escape from.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Felix Cole hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Sheppard misses with a hook.

Cole decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cole is breathing heavily.
Cole tries to stand and escape but Sheppard is controlling the position.
Myles Sheppard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sheppard keeping control of the position.
Sheppard manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sheppard keeping full guard, as Cole tries to pass.
Sheppard has Cole pulled in close to control his posture.
Sheppard could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Sheppard striking off his back but it's not causing Cole any problems.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sheppard is on top in guard.
Sheppard controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Sheppard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cole's head.
Sheppard sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sheppard lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sheppard tries to stand but Cole is controlling from the bottom.
Sheppard slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Sheppard tries for a kimura but Cole is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard scoring with punches from side control.

Sheppard is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cole has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sheppard remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Sheppard wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cole, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Myles Sheppard dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sheppard shoots in and bounces Cole off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sheppard preventing the sweep.
Sheppard wanted to stand there but Cole had control of the position.
Sheppard throws an elbow that misses. Cole uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sheppard's guard. Nice move by Cole!
Sheppard has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheppard wants to sweep here but Cole controlling him for the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Cole trying to control but Sheppard is working from the bottom.
Cole postures up in Sheppard's guard and throws a big left but Sheppard blocks it.
Cole takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cole being controlled here momentarily.

We're going to have a standup here because Myles Sheppard wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Cole throws a leg kick which misses Sheppard's front leg but catches the back leg as Sheppard tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sheppard darts in and clinches Cole up against the cage.
Sheppard can't find room to land a body shot as Cole controls the action.
Cole tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sheppard's elbow.
Cole is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sheppard pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cole stops a takedown attempt from Sheppard.

Sheppard jumps guard.
Sheppard controlling the position.
Sheppard looking to control.
Sheppard is pulling down on Cole's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard tries to land a sweep but no joy.

We're going to have a standup here because Myles Sheppard wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Cole shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sheppard fails with an attempt to clinch.

Sheppard closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sheppard taking a breather here.
Cole tries to improve position but can't.

Sheppard has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Sheppard shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sheppard was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard is staying tight to Cole's torso, preventing him from escaping.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sheppard works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cole tries to bench press Sheppard off him but Sheppard keeps the position.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Myles Sheppard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sheppard 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Myles Sheppard!