PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between German Shephard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Gouken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shephard comes to the cage accompanied by K9 Justice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shephard
vs
Gouken

180 cm
26
185 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

179 cm
28
181 lbs
17 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, German Shephard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Scott Gouken!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shephard connects with an inside leg kick.
Shephard looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Shephard throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Shephard stuns Gouken with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Shephard bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Shephard thumps Gouken with a low kick.
Gouken shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

It looks like Scott Gouken has been cut.
Gouken connects with a body shot that sends Shephard's belly button to the back.
Gouken throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Shephard manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gouken on his heels. He'll look to pass Gouken's guard now, I'm sure.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gouken is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shephard stays in close to Gouken's body and controls the position.
Shephard wants to control from the top but Gouken keeps moving.
Gouken tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shephard trying to control the position from guard on top but Gouken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gouken is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Shephard is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Shephard cracks Gouken with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Gouken throws the kick towards the body but Shephard avoids it.
Shephard lands with a cross.
Gouken takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Shephard moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Gouken gets caught napping as Shephard dives in and scores a takedown. Gouken manages to retain guard.
Shephard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shephard is pushing down on Gouken's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gouken is fighting to maintain full guard but Shephard has managed to sneak the leg through.
Shephard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Shephard content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gouken is refusing to be controlled, as Shephard sits in half guard.
Shephard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gouken defending well though.
Gouken wants to get back to full guard but Shephard has passed into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shephard lands an elbow.
Gouken tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gouken managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Shephard.
Shephard working the ground and pound from side control.
Shephard looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Gouken is avoiding damage well.
The ground and pound from Shephard seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Shephard tries to move to mount but Gouken blocks the move with his legs.
Shephard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gouken keeps working.
Shephard lands a nice forearm strike.
Shephard wants to control but Gouken is keeping him busy.
Gouken is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Shephard has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gouken wants to control but Shephard postures up.
Shephard controlling the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gouken is working to avoid the ground and pound but Shephard connects with a decent elbow.
Shephard has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Shephard remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Shephard lands a nice forearm strike.
Shephard passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Gouken!
Shephard prevents Gouken from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

German Shephard dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Scott Gouken's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gouken clinches up with Shephard and pushes him back against the cage.
Shephard scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Shephard has Gouken pressed against the cage.
Shephard displaying some good clinch control by pressing Gouken up against the cage.

Shephard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shephard scores with a three punch combo!
Gouken avoids a kick to the body.
Shephard scores with a jab to the head.
Shephard shoots in for a double leg but Gouken sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Gouken! But no joy.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gouken takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Shephard.
Shephard throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gouken fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shephard lands with a hook. Gouken tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Shephard throws a leg kick but Gouken sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shephard avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A jab from Shephard finds it's way through Gouken's defenses.
A slow jab from Shephard misses its intended target.
Gouken thinks about the counter body kick.
Shephard closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gouken circles away.
Gouken moves out of range as Shephard strikes.
Gouken wants to clinch.
Shephard uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gouken has time to react.
Shephard connects with a solid leg kick.
Shephard tries a head kick but it misses.
Shephard is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gouken can do to turn this around?
Shephard uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gouken.
Shephard lands a head shot.
Shephard lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Shephard keeps the fight on the outside.
A cross from Shephard lands.

Gouken feints and as Shephard raises his hands in defense, Gouken changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gouken won't allow Shephard to sweep him here.
Gouken is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Shephard keeping moving, preventing Gouken from controlling successfully.
Gouken must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Shephard tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shephard is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Shephard feints and then cracks Gouken's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gouken down.
Shephard lands with a good body shot.
Gouken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Shephard.
Gouken throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A big left from Gouken misses.
Gouken lands a jab.
Shephard lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gouken misses the shot to the body.
Shephard misses with a hook. Gouken ducked under it nicely.
That kick from Shephard tenderised Gouken's leg. Gouken is trying to keep his angry face on.
Gouken on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Shephard. Shephard obviously looking to wear him down.
Gouken is looking to score with low kicks.
Shephard throws a quick inside leg kick.
Shephard lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shephard shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Gouken is looking to clinch.
Shephard lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gouken's sensitive parts.
Shephard connects with a leg kick. Gouken looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Gouken fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gouken throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shephard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Shephard. That's going to slow Gouken down.

Gouken is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shephard's half guard.
German Shephard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Well, if Gouken is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shephard is refusing to be controlled, as Gouken sits in half guard.
Gouken drops an elbow to the side of Shephard's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

German Shephard dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Scott Gouken's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gouken moves out of range of the leg kick from Shephard.

Gouken looking to score a takedown here. Shephard is defending well but Gouken drives through and ends up in Shephard's guard.
Shephard pulls Gouken in close to prevent any damage.
Gouken throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shephard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shephard is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gouken 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gouken trying to control but Shephard is working from the bottom.
Shephard is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Shephard keeping moving, preventing Gouken from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gouken takes a body punch but keeps moving.
German Shephard is winning the standup battle so far.

Gouken decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Gouken is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Shephard defends it well.
Gouken is just content to waste time from the top position. Shephard takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shephard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gouken manages to get himself to full guard.

Shephard prevents Gouken from getting back to his feet.
Shephard stays in close to Gouken's body and controls the position.
Gouken wants to stand up but Shephard is controlling him.
Gouken being controlled here, momentarily.
Shephard trying to control the position from guard on top but Gouken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gouken looking for a sweep. Not yet Gouken, not yet.
Scott Gouken has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shephard's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Shephard seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gouken for as long as he can get away with.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gouken is controlling Shephard's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gouken jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice takedown defense from Gouken. No joy for Shephard on that attempt.
Shephard scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gouken doesn't seem bothered though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Shephard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gouken wants to stand up but Shephard is controlling him.
Shephard chips away with some ground and pound.
Shephard lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Shephard lands a couple of digs.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shephard throws a big elbow that misses.
Shephard controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shephard trying to control but Gouken is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
German Shephard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Shephard has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... German Shephard!
An out of breath German Shephard thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.