PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Royce Sherman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Flex (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Royce Sherman has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Royce Sherman seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Sherman
vs
Flex

150 cm
22
140 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Royce Sherman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johnny Flex!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Viktor Lagutenko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flex pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Flex clinches.
Sherman prevents the takedown attempt.
Flex prevents the takedown attempt.
Sherman is trying to pull guard but Flex turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Flex lands a nice knee to the body.
Come on Flex - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sherman wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Sherman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sherman is looking for a takedown.
Flex scores a nice knee to the body.

Flex escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flex displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Flex shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sherman as he avoids it easily.
Sherman takes a kick to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sherman is looking to clinch but Flex is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flex fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sherman manages to avoid it.
Flex pushes Sherman away with a front kick.
Sherman takes a kick to the side of the head.
Sherman avoids a kick to the body.
Flex misses with a body shot.
Flex throws a head kick but Sherman moves out of range.
Flex fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sherman has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Flex darts in and clinches Sherman up against the cage.
Sherman is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Flex is keeping busy.
Flex connects with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flex lands a nice uppercut.
Sherman fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Flex tries for a takedown but Sherman manages to get underhooks.
Flex looks winded!

Flex lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sherman looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Sherman actively working from the bottom here.
Sherman keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sherman is not content to let Flex control the position.
Flex frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sherman is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Flex has Sherman pulled in close to control his posture.
Flex trying to control the position.
Sherman postures up and lands a big shot to Flex's brow.
Flex not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sherman is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Flex is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Flex has escaped and now he's on top!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Flex tries to free his leg and advance position but Sherman is retaining full guard.
Flex trying to control but Sherman is working from the bottom.
Flex won't allow Sherman to get back to his feet.
Flex wants to control from the top but Sherman keeps moving.
Sherman wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Flex dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sherman is looking to clinch but Flex is avoiding it.
Flex lands a body shot.
Sherman tries to clinch up but Flex circles away and keeps his distance.
Sherman moves in looking to clinch but Flex pushes him off.
Flex throws a head kick but Sherman moves out of range.
Sherman darts in trying to clinch
and Flex counters with a two punch combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flex shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sherman as he avoids it easily.
Sherman is looking to counter punch.
Sherman tries to clinch there but Flex circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Sherman as Flex shoots in.
And Sherman counters with a quick kick to the body but Flex blocks it.

Sherman forces Flex back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sherman gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Flex pulls Sherman in close to prevent any damage.
Sherman loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sherman works over Flex with some ground and pound from guard.
Flex is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sherman is controlling him.
Flex trying to keep a closed guard but Sherman is proving a slippery customer.
Flex is breathing heavily.

Flex looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sherman passes into half guard.

Sherman is looking for a kimura but Flex is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sherman to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flex trying to hold on to Sherman's head to control him but Sherman postures up.
Sherman could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sherman passes into side control, despite Flex's attempt to control the position.

Sherman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Flex, who protects the arm well.
Flex is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sherman's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Flex with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Flex wants to control but Sherman is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Sherman is looking for a kimura here.
Sherman is thwarting Flex's attempts to control the position.
Flex keeps control of the position for the meantime.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

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.
Flex trying to control but Sherman postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Sherman on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Flex. Flex obviously looking to wear him down.
Flex throws a leg kick which misses Sherman's front leg but catches the back leg as Sherman tries to avoid it.
Nice takedown defense from Sherman. No joy for Flex on that attempt.
Royce Sherman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Flex.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Flex darts in looking for a takedown but Sherman gets double underhooks and turns Flex into the cage.
Sherman tries to clinch but Flex moves away
and Flex counters with a head kick.
Sherman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Flex manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Royce Sherman will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Sherman moves in looking to clinch but Flex pushes him off.
Johnny Flex seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Flex throws a head kick that misses
and Sherman counters with a left and a right that stings Flex.
Sherman dodges the punch combination from Flex.
Sherman tries to close the distance and clinch but Flex swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Flex is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sherman is looking to clinch.

Flex rushes Sherman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Flex taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sherman pulls guard.
Flex trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Flex takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Sherman looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Flex is defending well. Sherman quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Flex has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Sherman celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Royce Sherman!