PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rufus Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kyle Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shepherd kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Alter Bridge - Addicted to pain . Kyle Ward has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Rufus Shepherd's chin.

Shepherd
vs
Ward

180 cm
22
161 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

174 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

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 - 5 - 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kyle Ward!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepherd will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ward defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Shepherd.

Ward closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Shepherd quickly recovers to half guard.
Ward thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Shepherd has hold of Ward's hands but Ward slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ward is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ward is looking to take a break and control but Shepherd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shepherd on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shepherd moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Shepherd seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ward is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ward is looking to advance position but Shepherd has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shepherd working for a submission but Ward is keeping him at bay.
Shepherd misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Ward really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Shepherd. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Shepherd looking to control and managing it successfully.

Shepherd looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Shepherd is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Ward is surviving well by controlling Shepherd's body position as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward is desperately trying to improve his position but Shepherd has a good base and remains in mount.
Shepherd looking to finish with strikes here!
Shepherd looking to control but Ward is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Shepherd working for a submission but Ward is keeping him at bay.

Shepherd working for a guillotine from mount but Ward is in no mood to give up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward is trying desperately to improve position.
Ward is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Shepherd looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Ward is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Ward has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Shepherd's lack of action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd is working for a submission of some sort.
Ward looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ward is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ward pushes Shepherd off looking to stand but Shepherd dives back in and keeps control.

Shepherd is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ward is just riding it out for now. Shepherd eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kyle Ward will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ward gets the takedown into side control.
Ward throwing strikes but Shepherd manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

Shepherd is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ward knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Shepherd wants to control but Ward is keeping him busy.
Kyle Ward has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shepherd fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Ward managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Shepherd.
Ward tries to bench press Shepherd off him but Shepherd keeps the position.

Shepherd is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ward is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Shepherd thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Shepherd tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward is looking to reverse the position.
Ward wants to control but Shepherd postures up.
Shepherd throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Ward tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shepherd throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Ward works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ward can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ward keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Shepherd passes to full mount!

Shepherd swings around for an armbar and he's got it! Wow, that came out of nowhere! What a finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rufus Shepherd!
Rufus Shepherd decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.