PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brad Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Lopez
vs
Shaw

165 cm
22
155 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

175 cm
30
152 lbs
19 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Grand Champion Apparel
FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pedro Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 8 - 1, fighting out of New York, Brad Shaw!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Dean Styles and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shaw scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Shaw throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Shaw throws a hook but Lopez avoids it easily.

Shaw darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.
We've been hearing reports that Lopez has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Shaw is pressed up against the cage. Lopez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shaw down to the mat. Shaw avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Shaw doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Shaw thows a leg kick but Lopez checks it
and Lopez counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lopez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shaw fails to land the takedown.
Lopez is looking to counter punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez fails to land the takedown.
Shaw is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Lopez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Shaw steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Lopez.
Lopez lunges at Shaw with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Shaw's hand.
Lopez misses with a lunging right hand
and Shaw counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Shaw has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Lopez misses.
Shaw throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Shaw moves into range and clinches up with Lopez.
Shaw gets underhooks to prevent Lopez's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head punch on the inside from Shaw fails to land.

Lopez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A slow jab from Lopez misses its intended target.
Lopez connects with a nice looking jab.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lopez.

Shaw gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Shaw fails to land.
Shaw misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shaw has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lopez after a bit of a struggle.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Shaw forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Shaw lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shaw is keen to just control but Lopez is a slippery customer.
Lopez is trying to get back to full guard.
Lopez works his way to full guard. Good work.
Shaw stays in close to Lopez's body and controls the position.

Lopez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Lopez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Shaw stacks Lopez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Shaw!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw working away.
Lopez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shaw wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shaw tries to move into full mount but can't pass Lopez's legs.
Lopez is looking to regain half guard here but Shaw keeps moving and retains side control.
Lopez is trying to control Shaw's posture but Shaw avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Lopez is trying to improve his position.
Lopez manages to work his way to half guard, despite Shaw's best efforts.
Lopez wants to get back to full guard but Shaw has mounted him!
Lopez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
A nice elbow there by Shaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Shaw dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lopez moves into range and connects with a jab.
Lopez looks to score with a jab to the body but Shaw is just out of range.
Lopez connects with a nice looking jab.
Lopez throws a jab but it's blocked by Shaw.
Pedro Lopez is winning the standup battle so far.
Lopez shoots in but no luck this time.
A nice side step and Shaw releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Lopez's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Shaw connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Lopez scrambles back to his feet.
Pedro Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shaw tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shaw keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez misses with an uppercut.
Lopez swings for the body but Shaw moves out of range.
Shaw slips a straight right by Lopez.
Lopez throws a looping overhand right but Shaw ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw tries to clinch but Lopez moves out of range.
Lopez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Lopez moves out of range of the strikes.
Brad Shaw is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shaw misses with a body shot.
Lopez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Shaw tries to counter by closing the distance.
Lopez throws a right hand that misses

and Shaw holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Shaw slowing the pace effectively.
Lopez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Shaw to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shaw throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Shaw breaks the clinch.
Lopez lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Shaw tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lopez lands the left hand.

Lopez gets caught flat footed, as Shaw shoots in with a quick 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!

Lopez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Shaw defends well.
Shaw trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.
Shaw pushes down on Lopez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Lopez manages to get to full guard.
Shaw sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez has his foot on Shaw's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shaw works his way back into a safe position though.

Lopez looking for subs off his back but Shaw has passed one foot through into half guard.
Lopez tries to get to full guard but Shaw has control of the leg.
Shaw controlling the action here.
Brad Shaw has got the better of the ground game so far.

Lopez looking for submissions off his back.

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.
Lopez wants to get back to full guard but Shaw has passed into side control.
Shaw cracks Lopez with a big right hand but Lopez just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Lopez is looking for a sweep.
Lopez can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shaw tries to advance to mount but Lopez denies him.
Lopez tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brad Shaw will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lopez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Lopez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shaw misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lopez.
Shaw wants to clinch up but Lopez keeps it at a distance.
Shaw uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lopez.
Shaw staying out of range there.
Shaw feints the counter takedown.
Shaw misses with a wild body shot.
Shaw ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lopez darts in looking for a takedown but Shaw gets double underhooks and turns Lopez into the cage.
Shaw tries a quick counter leg kick but Lopez is wise to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez misses with a looping right.
Shaw is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Lopez throws a lazy uppercut

and Shaw counters by clinching up.
Lopez trying to stall but Shaw improves his position.
Lopez looking to slow down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw misses with a knee strike.
Lopez can't break the clinch.

Shaw manages to break the clinch.
Lopez throws a hook but Shaw avoids it easily.
Shaw only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Good exchange - Lopez coming out on top.
Lopez is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Shaw doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Lopez feinted with a counter takedown.
Lopez misses with a hook.
Shaw was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Shaw throws a low kick but Lopez avoids it.
Lopez throws a lazy right hand but Shaw sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Shaw uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lopez.
Shaw moves out of range of the strikes.
Brad Shaw is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lopez.
Shaw moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
Lopez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Shaw.
It looked like Lopez wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Shaw doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Lopez counters with a nice uppercut.
Lopez misses with a hook. Shaw ducked under it nicely.
Lopez throws a hook but Shaw blocks it.
Lopez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lopez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Shaw manages to avoid it.
Shaw wants to counter the offense by Lopez and move into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Lopez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Shaw throws a counter combo.
Shaw tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lopez was well out of range. Poor timing from Shaw.
Shaw throws a shot to the body.
Shaw moves away from the strike by Lopez.
Shaw throws a hook to the side of Lopez's head but Lopez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A telegraphed right hand from Lopez misses the target.
Pedro Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shaw throws a left and a right that both miss

and Lopez counters with a takedown into side control.

Lopez swings around for an armbar but Shaw sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Lopez's guard.
Shaw is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Lopez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shaw is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
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!

Lopez looking for a guillotine here but Shaw defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shaw 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pedro Lopez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Shaw has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Brad Shaw!
Brad Shaw 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.