PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rhys Drew (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johny Shoes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Drew
vs
Shoes

186 cm
20
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

195 cm
23
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rhys Drew!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johny Shoes!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Anthony Taglia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shoes tries to close the distance and clinch but Drew swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shoes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Drew fails with a takedown attempt.
Drew fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Shoes as Drew shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rhys Drew. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shoes stuffs the takedown attempt from Drew. Drew gets slowly back to his feet.
Drew tries to bum rush Shoes with a series of wild strikes but Shoes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Shoes wants to clinch.
Drew looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Shoes throws a sloppy head kick and Drew moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Drew moves into the clinch.
Drew tries for a takedown but Shoes manages to get underhooks.

Drew's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shoes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drew looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A combination from Shoes does no damage.
Shoes throws a combination that misses
and Drew counters with a three punch combo that has Shoes backing up. Shoes nods at Drew to acknowledge the strikes.
Shoes is looking to land body kicks.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Drew.

Drew has Shoes up against the cage in a clinch.
Shoes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Drew's efforts to push away.

Shoes breaks the clinch.
Drew keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shoes.
Shoes tries to clinch but Drew is having none of it.
Sloppy strikes from Shoes. Those never looked like landing.
Drew tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shoes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johny Shoes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Oooooh!!! Drew has knocked Shoes down with a huge combo! Drew steps away and waves a wobbly Shoes back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Johny Shoes has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shoes throws a right and a left that Drew avoids nicely.
A head kick misses from Shoes.

Drew rushes Shoes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Drew blocks a body shot from Shoes.
Shoes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Drew can't break the clinch.
Drew goes for a takedown attempt but Shoes pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Drew looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Shoes throws a series of punches but Drew moves out of range.

Shoes clinches with his opponent.
Shoes tries to throw a body punch but Drew avoids it by throwing Shoes back against the cage.
Shoes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shoes throws a head punch that misses.
Drew is trying to force a seperation but Shoes has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drew manages to break the clinch.
Drew steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Shoes. That one must have hurt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Drew looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shoes swats away the attempt to clinch by Drew.

Drew has closed the distance and engaged Shoes in a clinch.

Drew breaks from the clinch.
Drew changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Shoes tries to avoid it but Drew manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Shoes to the ground. Shoes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Drew tries to clinch but Shoes is having none of it.
Drew avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shoes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Shoes tries to clinch but Drew moves out of range.
Drew shoots in and drives through. Shoes sprawls well.
Drew misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shoes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drew paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Drew slips a jab and a cross from Shoes.
Drew tries to clinch there but Shoes circles away.
Good shot there by Shoes.
Some wild striking there from Shoes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sloppy strikes from Shoes. Those never looked like landing.
Drew dives in for a single leg takedown but Shoes sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Drew is looking to break free of the clinch but Shoes has double underhooks.
Shoes misses with a punch on the inside.

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

Drew closes the distance and clinches.
Shoes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Drew breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shoes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Drew gets a clinch.
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 Rhys Drew will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Johny Shoes's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Drew shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Drew seems to be looking for submissions.
Shoes is trying to stand back up but Drew is controlling him
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drew is trying to control the action in half guard but Shoes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Shoes is trying is best to control the position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shoes is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drew is keen to just control but Shoes is a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shoes moves in looking to clinch but Drew pushes him off.
Shoes tries to clinch but Drew moves out of range.

Drew fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Shoes, pushing him back against the cage.
Shoes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shoes is trying to break free.

Drew ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Drew no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Drew keeping full guard, as Shoes tries to pass.
Drew controls Shoes momentarily but Shoes frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shoes sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Drew uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Shoes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Drew looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Shoes throws a combination that misses
and Drew counters with a left and a right that stings Shoes.
Drew tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shoes swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shoes keeps the fight on the outside.
Shoes throws a low kick but Drew avoids it.
Shoes tries a head kick but it misses.
Drew tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Shoes is able to avoid easily.
Shoes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Shoes connects with a high kick.
Johny Shoes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shoes is breathing heavily.

Drew gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Shoes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Drew pulls his leg out and moves away.
A punch combination from Shoes misses.

Drew shoots in and gets a takedown into Shoes's guard.
Drew wants to control from the top but Shoes keeps moving.
Shoes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drew wants to control from the top but Shoes keeps moving.
Drew is standing up over Shoes. Shoes looks to escape but Drew dives into side control.
Drew controls the position from side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drew trying to control the position but Shoes is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rhys Drew dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Johny Shoes's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Drew tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shoes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shoes wants it to stay on the feet.
Shoes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Shoes tries to clinch but Drew moves out of range.
Shoes lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Drew fails with the takedown.
Shoes tries to bum rush Drew with a series of wild strikes but Drew uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Shoes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Drew manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Drew fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rhys Drew. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shoes tries to close the distance and clinch but Drew swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rhys Drew is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shoes throws a nice looking combination but Drew bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Shoes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shoes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Shoes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Drew is looking to clinch but Shoes is avoiding it.
Drew is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Drew closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Shoes wants to sweep but Drew has passed to side control!
Drew slows the pace down.
Shoes is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Drew asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Drew content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Johny Shoes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drew working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Drew wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shoes keeps working.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Check out the look on Drew's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drew wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shoes keeps working.
Drew controlling from side mount.
Drew postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Drew is looking to clinch but Shoes is avoiding it.

Drew shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Drew showed some decent athleticism there.
Drew wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shoes keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drew lands strikes from half guard.
Drew wants to control but Shoes is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drew performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rhys Drew.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Drew, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rhys Drew!
Rhys Drew was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.