PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ward Weber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Deair Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Deair Shaw will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Weber
vs
Shaw

214 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

156 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ward Weber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Deair Shaw!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shaw throws a left and a right that both miss
and Weber counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Shaw moves into the clinch.
Weber stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Weber with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Weber throws a punch but it's blocked by Shaw.

Weber is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Shaw can't fight it off and eventually Weber manages to take the fight to the floor. Shaw looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Shaw looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Weber gets to his feet - Shaw follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weber misses with an attempted mid kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shaw.
Weber tries to work over Shaw's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Shaw trying to stall but Weber improves his position.
Weber keeps control of Shaw as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Weber gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Shaw trying to keep a closed guard but Weber is proving a slippery customer.

Weber gets to his feet - Shaw follows without any prompting.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shaw shoots in and gets a takedown into Weber's guard.
Weber has a closed guard, preventing Shaw from standing up.
Shaw throws a strike but Weber rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Weber stands up and waves to Shaw to follow him.
Shaw throws a right hand that Weber ducks under and follows up with a left that Weber also avoids with ease.
It looked like Weber was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Shaw throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Weber counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Weber lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Shaw shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Shaw wants to work for an arm triangle but Weber is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Shaw looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is looking to pass Weber's guard but actually Weber recovers to full guard.
Shaw trying to control the position from guard on top but Weber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shaw wants to stand and escape but instead Weber has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ward Weber dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Weber tries a head kick but it misses.
Shaw throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Weber closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Weber lands a nice uppercut.
Weber has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Shaw blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Weber taking a breather.
Weber is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shaw is defending well for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Weber scores with a shot to the side of Shaw's head.
Shaw has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Shaw blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weber lands an uppercut.
Weber content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Shaw is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A head punch on the inside from Weber fails to land.
A nice right hand lands inside from Weber.
Weber misses with a hook from the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Weber scores with a nice short uppercut.
Weber managing to block the knees to the body from Shaw.
Weber lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shaw backwards.
With the fighters up against the cage, Weber throws an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weber scores with a shoulder strike.
Shaw can't break the clinch.
Ward Weber has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short right from Shaw on the inside.

Weber gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Weber will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Weber stands up and beckons Shaw to join him on the feet.

Shaw scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Shaw is trying to get an arm triangle but Weber is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shaw wants to stand but Weber is controlling his arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw moves into full mount!
Weber sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Shaw is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Weber reverses the position - he's now on top in Shaw's guard.

Weber decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Shaw, up you get!
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Shaw is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weber showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Shaw.

Weber takes the fight into the clinch.

Weber ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Weber no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ward Weber dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Weber instigates a clinch.
A right hand to the body from Weber.
Shaw tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Weber avoids it.
Shaw is trying to stall.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Weber just misses with a elbow thrown towards Shaw's brow.
Weber lands with a left to the head.
Shaw avoiding damage as Weber throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Weber lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The referee calls for Weber to work.

Weber gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Shaw regains guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaw looking for a guillotine here but Weber defends easily.

Shaw looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Weber passes into side control.
Shaw tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Weber presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Deair Shaw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
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.

That's two 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.
Shaw is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Weber controlling from the full mount.

Weber stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Shaw takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shaw throws a sloppy head kick

and Weber counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weber lands a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Weber.
Shaw tries to break the clinch but Weber is controlling the position.
Weber using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shaw has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Weber stalling.
Weber lands a right hand.
Shaw wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Weber jumps guard and drags Shaw to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Weber is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shaw can do to turn this around?

Shaw got a little sloppy there for a moment and Weber has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Shaw has managed to get both his arms back between Weber's legs - danger averted.
Weber is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shaw looking for subs from the bottom but Weber mounts him!

Weber stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Shaw clinches up against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Weber throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shaws head.
Weber will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Shaw up against the cage.
Ward Weber is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Weber pulls guard effortlessly.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ward Weber showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Weber 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:26
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:26
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ward Weber!