PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Myles Sheppard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexandru Balauru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Sheppard
vs
Balauru

178 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

168 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, 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 London, Alexandru Balauru!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Ackerman and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balauru clinches with his opponent.

Balauru manages to break the clinch.

Balauru gets a clinch.

Balauru has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sheppard uses from the top position.
Balauru keeping moving, preventing Sheppard from controlling successfully.
Sheppard sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sheppard won't allow Balauru to sweep him here.

Myles Sheppard has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Balauru scores with a takedown into Sheppard's guard.
Balauru controlling from the top position.
Sheppard wants to get back to his feet but Balauru is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheppard trying to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Balauru shoots in and bounces Sheppard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Balauru's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balauru passes into half guard.

Balauru is working for a submission of some sort.
Balauru should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Balauru performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sheppard wants to control but Balauru is keeping busy.

Balauru is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balauru moves into full mount! Sheppard won't be happy about that!
Balauru controlling his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balauru tries to control but Sheppard wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandru Balauru dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sheppard tries to score a power double leg takedown but Balauru sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sheppard somewhat.

Balauru closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sheppard quickly recovers to half guard.
Balauru is controlling the pace.
Sheppard knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Balauru on the ground.
Balauru thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sheppard's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheppard won't allow Balauru to pass to mount.
Balauru controlling the action here.

Alexandru Balauru has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Balauru gets a double leg takedown into Sheppard's guard.
Balauru slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alexandru Balauru.
Balauru fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sheppard shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Balauru counters with a solid body kick.

Balauru drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sheppard is trying to control the position but Balauru postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Balauru stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sheppard looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Balauru is trying to stand back up but Sheppard is controlling him

Balauru has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Sheppard is on him like a limpet, forcing Balauru back against the cage.
Sheppard is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Balauru to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Myles Sheppard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sheppard tries to stall but Balauru uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Balauru decides to pull guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Balauru manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Sheppard looking to stall.
Sheppard dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Balauru breaks from the clinch.
Sheppard avoids the head kick by Balauru.

Balauru scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Balauru working the body and head with strikes.

Balauru has an Americana. Sheppard didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Balauru is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Balauru hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Alexandru Balauru!