PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jason Spezza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Shields (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Spezza
vs
Shields

178 cm
28
162 lbs
17 - 6 - 1

170 cm
30
157 lbs
20 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 17 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Jason Spezza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Nick Shields!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Ian Loll and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shields takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Shields shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Spezza's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shields accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Spezza wants to sweep here but Shields controlling him for the moment.
Spezza keeping full guard, as Shields tries to pass.
Shields trying to control the position from guard on top but Spezza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Spezza definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Spezza looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shields is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Shields working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Spezza keeping moving, preventing Shields from controlling successfully.
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.
Shields throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Spezza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shields accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shields forces his way into half guard.
Spezza is staying active underneath Shields, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Spezza has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Shields is working away from the top position though.
Shields is keen to just control but Spezza is a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shields scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shields misses the shot to the body.

Spezza fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Shields sprawls well initially but Spezza persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Shields looking for submissions off his back.
Shields has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shields is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Spezza's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Spezza's back!
Shields lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Spezza covers up after that shot from Shields.
Shields connects with a big shot to the side of Spezza's head.
Shields doesn't have the hooks in and Spezza manages to turn into his guard.
Spezza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Shields tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spezza throws a big right hand that misses.
Spezza looking to pass the guard.
Shields tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Spezza wants to control from the top but Shields keeps moving.
Spezza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Spezza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shields swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Spezza stopping the sweep attempt from Shields.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Shields trying to keep a closed guard but Spezza is proving a slippery customer.

Shields is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Spezza defends well.
Spezza won't allow Shields to sweep him here.
Shields wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Spezza has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Spezza slips nicely into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spezza controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Shields dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Shields misses with a wild body shot.
Shields jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A clash of legs there as Shields blocks the low kick.
Spezza displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Shields throws out the jab.
Spezza throws a front kick aimed at Shields's knee but Shields avoids it well.
Shields on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Spezza moves out of range as Shields throws a body kick.
Spezza tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Shields manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Spezza takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Spezza wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spezza scores with a jab.
Spezza takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spezza lands a leg kick that knocks Shields off balance momentarily.
Spezza moves out of range of the strikes.
Spezza tries to move into range but Shields moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Shields is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Spezza.
Spezza misses with a head kick.
Spezza misses with a leg kick

and Shields counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shields.
Spezza has Shields pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Shields manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Shields misses with some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Spezza fails to land.
Shields has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Shields lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Shields is pushing Spezza up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Shields lands a body shot in the clinch.
Shields has Spezza pushed against the cage.
Shields struggles to land a body shot inside as Spezza controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shields breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shields avoids the head kick by Spezza.
Shields feints the counter takedown.
Shields swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Spezza throws a big counter combination but Shields scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Spezza misses with a head kick.
Shields tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nick Shields seems to be getting the better of the standup.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Spezza on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Shields works the jab nicely.
Spezza misses with a head kick.
Shields feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Spezzas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Spezza is rocked!
Decent striking displayed by Spezza there.
Spezza checks the leg kick.
Spezza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
It looked like Spezza was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Shields.
Shields jabs Spezza to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Shields will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Spezza moves into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shields.
Shields blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shields tries a body shot but Spezza blocks it.
Spezza swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Shields blocking some punches.

Spezza has Shields pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Spezza pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Shields tumbling to the mat - Spezza dives into Shields's guard.

Shields has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Spezza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Shields looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spezza wants to pass the guard but Shields is keeping the position.
Spezza is working Shields over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Spezza not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Spezza wants to control from the top but Shields keeps moving.

Shields throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Shields showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Spezza buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Spezza clinches.
Shields misses with the head strike.
A short right from Shields.
Shields tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Spezza prevents a body shot from Shields.
Shields misses with some punches.
Spezza lands with a light punch inside.
Spezza is trying to pull guard but Shields turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shields misses with a body punch.
Spezza throws a head punch that misses.

Spezza has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Shields regains guard immediately.
Spezza throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spezza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jason Spezza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Spezza trying to control the position from guard on top but Shields is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Spezza slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Shields wants to sweep here but Spezza controlling him for the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shields connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Shields lands a left and a right that send Spezza crashing to the mat, dazed. Shields thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Oh Spezza is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shields misses with a wild body shot.
Shields cracks Spezza with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Spezza falls to his knees and Shields doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nick Shields!
Nick Shields decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.