PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kurt Angle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Layne Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Angle
vs
Shepherd

195 cm
24
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
209 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kurt Angle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Layne Shepherd!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Michael Johnstone and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepherd moves to clinch but Angle breaks away
and Angle counters with a stiff right hand.
Angle tried to score with a low kick but Shepherd checks it.
Angle fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shepherd lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Shepherd closes the distance and clinches.

Shepherd pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Shepherd gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are getting on Shepherd's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shepherd tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Angle manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Shepherd defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Angle.
Shepherd fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Angle dives in and grabs Shepherd's left leg, looking for a takedown. Shepherd pushes down on Angle's head and hops out.

Shepherd gets a clinch.

Angle pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Shepherd.

Shepherd fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Angle, pushing him back against the cage.
Angle tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shepherd just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurt Angle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepherd holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Angle looking to slow down the pace here.
Shepherd misses with a knee strike.
Shepherd gets underhooks to prevent Angle's takedown attempt.

Shepherd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shepherd tries a head kick but it misses.
Shepherd closes the distance but Angle moves to the side
and Angle counters with a three punch combo that has Shepherd backing up. Shepherd nods at Angle to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Shepherd closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shepherd lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Angle tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shepherd just stands there and leans against the cage.
Shepherd slows down the pace here.

Shepherd breaks from the clinch.
Shepherd throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Kurt Angle has been cut.
Shepherd avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Angle is having none of it.
Shepherd throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Angle.
Layne Shepherd is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Angle circles away from the clinch attempt.
Angle throws a head kick but Shepherd moves out of range.
Shepherd tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Angle manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd rushes Angle and presses him up against the cage.

Shepherd pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shepherd misses with a kick to the body.
Shepherd throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Angle throws a head kick but Shepherd moves out of range.
Shepherd tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shepherd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Angle paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Angle doesn't manage to clinch there - Shepherd circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Angle.

Shepherd closes the distance and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Angle is trying to pull guard but Shepherd has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Angle stalling in the clinch but Shepherd improves position.
Angle is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Shepherd to keep the fight standing.
Shepherd misses with a knee strike.
Shepherd taking a breather.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Angle avoids the head kick by Shepherd.

Shepherd darts in and clinches Angle up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Angle is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Shepherd looking to slow down the pace here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Shepherd just leaning against Angle, taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Layne Shepherd dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kurt Angle's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Angle shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Shepherd pinned against the cage. Shepherd gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Angle throws a sloppy head kick and Shepherd moves out of range easily.
Layne Shepherd seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Shepherd has managed to clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Shepherd breaks from the clinch.
Angle tries to clinch there but Shepherd circles away.

Shepherd moves into the clinch.
Shepherd leaning against his opponent.
Angle is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Shepherd is keeping busy.

Shepherd breaks from the clinch.
Angle tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Angle blocks a head kick by Shepherd.
Shepherd lets loose with a powerful body kick. Angle will feel that in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd wants to clinch but Angle slips to the side
and Angle counters with a right hand to the body.

Shepherd rushes Angle and presses him up against the cage.

Angle gets control of Shepherd's arms and successfully pulls guard. Angle will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Shepherd postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Shepherd stands up and waves to Angle to follow him.

Shepherd closes the distance and pushes Angle back into the cage.

Shepherd pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shepherd tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Angle manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Layne Shepherd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angle misses with a head kick.
Shepherd lands with a kick to the ribs.
Shepherd scores with a head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shepherd displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Angle.
Angle swats away the attempt to clinch by Shepherd.

Angle gets tackled into the cage by Shepherd. Shepherd maintains the clinch.
Shepherd unloads a knee to the mid-section. Angle lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shepherd misses with a hook to the ribs.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Angle throws a shot to the body.
Angle shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Shepherd pinned against the cage. Shepherd gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurt Angle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepherd throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Angle wants to clinch
and Shepherd counters with a big head kick but Angle shrugs it off.
Angle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Angle closes the distance looking to clinch

and Shepherd counters by clinching up.
Shepherd lands a good knee to the midsection. Angle won't want to take too many of those.
Shepherd stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Shepherd escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick misses from Angle.
Shepherd throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shepherd pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Shepherd forces Angle back against the cage and clinches.
Shepherd prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shepherd stalling the fight.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Shepherd obliges.
Angle takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shepherd crunches a lovely knee into Angle's ribcage.
Angle tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Shepherd lands a knee to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Shepherd slowing the pace effectively.
Shepherd tries a body shot but Angle blocks it.

Shepherd breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Layne Shepherd showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kurt Angle's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Shepherd has managed to clinch.
Angle fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Shepherd obliges.

Shepherd breaks from the clinch.
Shepherd throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The fight stays on the outside here - Angle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shepherd stuffs the takedown attempt from Angle. Angle gets slowly back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Shepherd comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Angle is trying to pull guard but Shepherd has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurt Angle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Angle is trying to pull guard but Shepherd has him pressed against the cage.
Angle is trying to pull guard but Shepherd has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shepherd escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kurt Angle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Angle tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Shepherd moves into the clinch.
Shepherd has Angle pressed against the cage.
Shepherd has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Shepherd landing knees to the body.
Shepherd putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Angle in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Shepherd creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Angle's defenses.
Shepherd lands a knee to the body.
Shepherd stalling in the clinch.
Shepherd lands a nice knee to the body.
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!
Shepherd tries a knee to the head but Angle blocks it.

Shepherd manages to break the clinch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Shepherd. Angle shrugs it off though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd moves into the clinch successfully.
The referee is keeping an eye on Shepherd - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Shepherd misses with a knee to the head.

Shepherd manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shepherd connects with an inside leg kick.
Shepherd tries to clinch up.
Shepherd slips under a jab.
Shepherd is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Angle tries to clinch but Shepherd moves out of range.
Shepherd tries to clinch but Angle is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Angle tries to clinch but Shepherd is having none of it.
Angle fails in his attempt to clinch.
Angle tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shepherd paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Shepherd closes the distance and pushes Angle back into the cage.

Shepherd manages to break the clinch.
Angle circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shepherd slaps away a takedown attempt from Angle, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shepherd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Shepherd clinches up with Angle and pushes him back against the cage.
Shepherd leaning against his opponent.
Shepherd is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Shepherd pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd landing knees to the head.
Shepherd comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Shepherd looking to throw knees to the head but Angle is blocking nicely.
Shepherd tries a knee to the head but Angle blocks it.
Angle is looking for a takedown.
Shepherd stalling the fight.
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!
Angle tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shepherd stalling.
Shepherd using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shepherd lands a nice knee to the body.
Kurt Angle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Layne Shepherd is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Shepherd connects with a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Layne Shepherd comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shepherd has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Layne Shepherd!