PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Branham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Red Shady (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Branham's entrance music is You Can Hate Me Now. A fine choice. Joshua Branham has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Branham
vs
Shady

200 cm
21
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

165 cm
22
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joshua Branham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Red Shady!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shady missing with a left hand there. Branham was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Branham tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shady swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Branham really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Branham gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Shady is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Branham gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Branham unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shady lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Branham breaks from the clinch.

Branham gets a clinch.
Shady trying to land knees to the body.
Shady looks gassed!

Branham has picked Shady up - he's going for a ride! Branham dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Shady kicks Branham off and gets back to his feet.

Shady tries to keep at a distance but Branham has taken the fight into the clinch.
Shady misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Branham escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Shady gets caught flat footed, as Branham shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Branham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shady swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branham stops Shady from standing up.
Shady trying to control the position.
Shady wants to stand and escape but Branham is having none of it.
Branham trying to control but Shady is working from the bottom.
Branham has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Branham throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shady throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Branham drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Branham throwing strikes but missing.
Branham knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shady on the ground.
Branham stopping the sweep attempt from Shady.
Shady wants to get back to his feet but Branham is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Branham throwing strikes from guard but Shady blocks nicely.
Branham is looking to work some ground and pound but Shady has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shady working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Branham.
Branham is looking to stand up but Shady won't let him.

Shady pushes Branham off and scrambles back to his feet.
Branham throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Shady drives through with a takedown into guard.

Shady decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
The fight stays on the outside here - Branham looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shady drives through with a takedown into guard.
Shady stands and throws Branham's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shady controlling the position from side mount.
Branham tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shady wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Shady moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joshua Branham will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Branham punishes Shady's body with a nice straight punch.
Branham gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Shady counters with a single leg into guard. Branham didn't expect that.
Shady content to stall in guard here.
Branham is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shady is controlling him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Branham keeping moving, preventing Shady from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shady looking to pass the guard.
Shady in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Shady wants to control from the top but Branham keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shady working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Branham tries to close the distance and clinch but Shady swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Branham drives through and clinches with Shady against the cage.
Shady misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Branham manages to break the clinch.

Branham clinches.
Shady is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Branham is keeping busy.
Branham wants to stall.
A short left from Branham.
Branham goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Shady using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Branham has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Knees in the clinch landing for Branham.

Branham gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Shady is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shady kicks Branham off and gets to his feet.

Branham clinches up with Shady and pushes him back against the cage.
Branham tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shady tries to break the clinch but Branham is controlling the position.
Branham lands a body shot.
Branham lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Branham has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Shady avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Shady is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Branham is keeping busy.

Branham gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Shady regains guard.
Shady working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Branham.

Shady pushes Branham off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branham tries a head kick but it misses.
Shady tries to clinch

and Branham counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Branham.
Branham throws an elbow that misses.
Branham misses with a hook from the clinch.
Branham lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Branham tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shady just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Branham. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shady is trying to break free.
Shady tries to pull guard but Branham holds him up against the cage and eventually Shady drops back down to his feet.
Branham with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Branham tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shady tries for a takedown. No joy.

Branham jumps into guard, dragging Shady to the mat.

Branham is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Branham doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Joshua Branham will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Branham doesn't manage to clinch there - Shady circles away.
Shady looks to land a combination but Branham avoids it well.

Branham instigates a clinch.

Branham jumps guard and drags Shady to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Shady won't allow Branham to sweep him here.
Branham trying to keep a closed guard but Shady is proving a slippery customer.

Shady stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Branham drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Branham postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branham wants to stand but Shady has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Branham looking to sit in guard and control but Shady gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Branham keeping full guard, as Shady tries to pass.

Shady decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Branham, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Shady attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Branham shoots in but Shady avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Branham looks to clinch

so Shady counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Branham wants to get back to his feet but Shady is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Branham looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shady is one step ahead there.
Branham is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shady sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Branham's guard.
Branham is looking to escape.
Shady takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Branham is looking for a sweep. Shady is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Shady is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Shady is looking to take a break and control but Branham is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Branham is in trouble now - Shady has advanced to mount!
Shady sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Shady won't let Branham get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Shady throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Branham tries to lock up and control but Shady gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Shady controlling from the full mount.
Red Shady has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Branham is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Red Shady comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Branham has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joshua Branham!