PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Toney Shields (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Draco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Shields
vs
Draco

195 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

187 cm
19
191 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Toney Shields!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Draco!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Draco moves into range and connects with a jab.

It looks like Toney Shields has been cut.
Draco shoots in but Shields avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Shields dives in and scores a takedown into Draco's guard.
Shields is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Draco has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad MMA Helsinki. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Draco throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shields trying to control but Draco is working from the bottom.
Shields showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Draco has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Draco is trying to keep Shields in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shields thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Draco is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Draco lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Shields at a distance.

Draco instigates a clinch.

Draco escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Draco clinches.
Draco wants to take the fight to the mat but Shields manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Draco escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shields stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shields wants it to stay on the feet.
Toney Shields has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Draco.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Shields as Draco shoots in.
Draco throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Shields's waist but Shields gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Draco off to one side.
Draco looks winded!
Draco looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shields is fending him off so far but Draco persists. Nope, Shields circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice takedown defense from Draco. No joy for Shields on that attempt.
Draco stuffs the takedown.

Draco takes the fight into the clinch.
Shields tries to pull guard but Draco won't allow it.

Draco manages to break the clinch.
Shields shoots in but Draco avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Draco instigates a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Shields misses with a hook from the clinch.

Draco escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steve Draco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Draco closes the distance and clinches up with Shields, looking for a takedown. Draco pushes Shields against the cage but Shields circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shields looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Draco is fending him off so far but Shields persists. Nope, Draco circles away and we're back to standing.
Shields wants to clinch up but Draco keeps it at a distance.

Draco pushes Shields up against the cage in a clinch.

Draco breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draco wants to clinch up but Shields keeps it at a distance.
Shields throws a big counter combination but Draco scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Shields closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Draco drives through and clinches with Shields against the cage.

Shields manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Draco wants to stand but Shields is controlling his posture from full guard.

Draco stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Draco connects with a solid leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shields defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Draco.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Draco dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Toney Shields's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Draco fails with the takedown.
Shields lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Draco jabs at Shields's body.

Draco gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Shields tries to break free but Draco pushes him back against the cage.
Shields jumps guard but Draco turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shields tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Draco smiles and moves away.
Draco displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Shields.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toney Shields. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shields shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Draco but Draco pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Shields looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Draco is fending him off so far but Shields persists. Nope, Draco circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Draco moves into the clinch successfully.
Draco is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Shields is defending well.

Draco breaks the clinch.
Draco fails to land the takedown.
Shields tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Draco swivels and escapes.
Draco is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Shields shoots in and drives through. Draco sprawls well.
Draco tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shields swivels and escapes.
Shields appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Draco with that takedown attempt.
Draco shoots for a takedown but Shields saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Draco looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shields is fending him off so far but Draco persists. Nope, Shields circles away and we're back to standing.
Shields changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Shields shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Draco pinned against the cage. Draco gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Shields throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Draco's waist but Draco gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shields off to one side.
Draco throws a nice head kick!
Draco closes the distance but Shields moves to the side
and Shields counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco closes the distance and clinches up with Shields, looking for a takedown. Draco pushes Shields against the cage but Shields circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shields shoots for a double leg takedown but Draco sprawls well. He's pushed Shields's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Shields darts in and clinches Draco up against the cage.

Draco breaks the clinch.
Draco wants to clinch.
Draco shoots in looking for a takedown. Shields tries to sprawl out of it but Draco keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shields manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draco fails to land with a series of punches.
Draco fails with the takedown
and Shields counters with a three punch combo that has Draco backing up. Draco nods at Shields to acknowledge the strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Shields. Those never looked like landing.
Draco drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Shields defends it well.
Draco tries to clinch up but Shields circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice sprawl there from Draco as Shields shoots in.
Shields avoids the head kick by Draco.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Draco forces Shields back against the cage and clinches.
Draco blocks a body shot from Shields.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Steve Draco will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Toney Shields's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! 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.

Shields swats away the attempt to clinch by Draco.
Shields fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Draco shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Shields as he jumps to the side.
Shields checks the leg kick.
Draco shoots in and drives through. Shields sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shields has his takedown stuffed
and Draco cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Draco takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shields fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draco stuffs the takedown attempt from Shields. Shields gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toney Shields. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Draco as Shields shoots in.
Draco throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Shields's head.
Shields scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Draco shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Shields as he avoids it easily.
Draco chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Shields has his takedown stuffed
and Draco counters with a nice uppercut.

Draco rushes Shields and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Draco breaks the clinch.
Draco misses with a jab, cross combination.
Shields showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Draco.

Shields shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Draco's guard.

Draco uses the cage to get back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Draco looks for a takedown but Shields sprawls well.
Shields fails with the takedown
and Draco counters with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco throws a head kick that half lands.
Nice takedown defense from Shields. No joy for Draco on that attempt.
Shields shoots for a double leg takedown but Draco sprawls well. He's pushed Shields's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Draco lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Draco instigates a clinch.
Shields tries to pull guard but Draco won't allow it.
Draco lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Draco has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Draco lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shields backwards.

Draco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draco misses with a jab, cross combination.
Steve Draco seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shields changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Draco tries to avoid it but Shields manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Draco to the ground. Draco escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Shields tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Draco defends well and Shields ends up having to push Draco into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Shields slips a jab and a cross from Draco.
Draco fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shields shoots in but no luck this time.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Draco is defended easily by Shields.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Draco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Draco has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Draco!