PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Buddy Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Shoupp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shoupp has chosen Send The Pain Below as his entrance music. Alex Shoupp will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Morales
vs
Shoupp

156 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

188 cm
25
245 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Buddy Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Shoupp!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Dean Styles and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Morales.

Shoupp drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shoupp not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Morales controls Shoupp momentarily but Shoupp frees himself.
Shoupp stays in close to Morales's body and controls the position.
Shoupp looks winded!
Shoupp trying to control but Morales is working from the bottom.
Morales might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Alex Shoupp has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Shoupp throws a jab when Morales was well out of range.

Shoupp gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Morales trying to land knees to the body.
Morales lands a body shot.
Morales blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shoupp takes a shot to the head.
Morales really is a fat lump.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales is looking to control Shoupp's arms but Shoupp gets an underhook and turns him. Now Morales has his back to the cage.

Shoupp has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Morales is trying to keep an underhook but Shoupp manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Morales is trying to control but can't.
Morales is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Morales is looking for a sweep. Shoupp is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Morales trying to control but Shoupp postures up.

Buddy Morales has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Morales takes the fight into the clinch.

Shoupp is trying to trip Morales. He has hold of a leg but Morales is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Shoupp persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morales throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Shoupp must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Shoupp trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shoupp preventing the sweep.
Shoupp throws a big right hand that misses.
Shoupp wants to pass the guard but Morales is keeping the position.
Shoupp postures up.
Shoupp working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Morales is looking to stand up but Shoupp isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morales will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Shoupp content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Shoupp is stalling in the full guard.
Morales looking for a sweep. Not yet Morales, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shoupp seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
No luck for Morales with that takedown attempt.
Alex Shoupp seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shoupp.
Morales is pushing Shoupp's head away, looking to escape. Shoupp manages to hold on to the position though.
Morales can't do much from the bottom here.
Morales trying to remain calm as Shoupp controls from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alex Shoupp wasn't active enough on the ground.
Shoupp throws a hook but Morales avoids it easily.

Shoupp looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Morales wants to improve his position but Shoupp is controlling well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morales trying to hold on to Shoupp's head to control him but Shoupp postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Shoupp dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Shoupp shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Morales's guard.
Shoupp is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Morales wants to stand up but Shoupp is controlling him.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alex Shoupp wasn't active enough on the ground.
Shoupp keeps the fight on the outside.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Shoupp shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Morales napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Morales is not content to let Shoupp control the position.
Morales wants to control but Shoupp postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales tries to escape but Shoupp is in control.
Shoupp slows the pace down.

Shoupp stands up.

Shoupp forces Morales back against the cage and clinches.
Shoupp avoiding damage as Morales throws knees to the body.

Shoupp gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Morales keeping moving, preventing Shoupp from controlling successfully.
Morales controls Shoupp momentarily but Shoupp frees himself.
Alex Shoupp has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morales wants to stand and escape but Shoupp is having none of it.
Morales tries to strike from the bottom.
Morales controls Shoupp momentarily but Shoupp frees himself.
Shoupp showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

We're going to have a standup here because Buddy Morales wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Shoupp looking to score a takedown here. Morales is defending well but Shoupp drives through and ends up in Morales's guard.
Morales is looking to stand up but Shoupp isn't so interested in that idea.
Morales controls Shoupp momentarily but Shoupp frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Morales being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Buddy Morales.

Shoupp closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Morales quickly recovers to half guard.
Morales tries to get to full guard but Shoupp has control of the leg.
Shoupp slips a nice elbow through Morales's hands, connecting with Morales's forehead.

Shoupp decides to stand up.
Morales wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shoupp moves into range and clinches up with Morales.
Morales tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Morales lands a nice elbow.

Shoupp works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morales keeping full guard, as Shoupp tries to pass.
Morales trying to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shoupp stands up over Morales, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Shoupp showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Morales's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shoupp.
Morales is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Shoupp's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Morales trying to control but Shoupp postures up.
Morales pushes Shoupp off looking to stand but Shoupp dives back in and keeps control.
Shoupp trying to control the pace.
Morales wants to control but Shoupp is keeping busy.
Shoupp controlling the action here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shoupp trying to mount his opponent but Morales defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Buddy Morales wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Morales tries to clinch up.

Shoupp gets tackled into the cage by Morales. Morales maintains the clinch.
Shoupp managing to block the knees to the body from Morales.
Morales tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shoupp just stands there and leans against the cage.
Shoupp working aggressively here.

Shoupp works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Morales has Shoupp pulled in close to control his posture.
Morales is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shoupp is controlling him.
Shoupp pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morales is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shoupp wants to stand and escape but instead Morales has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Morales stands up over Shoupp, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Morales decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Shoupp throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Morales was covering up waiting for the punch and Shoupp finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Shoupp seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shoupp is one step ahead there.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Shoupp stays in close to Morales's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alex Shoupp.

Shoupp closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Shoupp stalling.
Morales is trying is best to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shoupp perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alex Shoupp was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Morales tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Shoupp manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Morales tries to clinch but Shoupp is having none of it.

Shoupp closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Morales quickly recovers to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shoupp keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Shoupp is keen to just control but Morales is a slippery customer.
Buddy Morales has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alex Shoupp is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Morales is trying to stand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Shoupp comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Shoupp winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Shoupp!
Alex Shoupp decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.