PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jake Shields (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazunori Ishii (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ishii comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Imagine Dragons - Radioactive kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Jake Shields had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 156.4lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Shields
vs
Ishii

183 cm
37
170 lbs
30 - 25 - 0

176 cm
36
165 lbs
20 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Project Mayhem

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jake Shields!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kazunori Ishii!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Eliza Hachem and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ishii throws a lazy right hand but Shields sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ishii pivots, looking for a leg kick but Shields is out of range and Ishii settles back down.
Shields tries to counter with a takedown but Ishii is quick to defend against it.
Ishii looks to throw the jab but Shields is out of range.
Ishii connects with an inside leg kick.
Shields moves out of range as Ishii strikes.
Shields moves away from the strike by Ishii.
Ishii lands a really nice looking cross but Shields seems unphased.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishii misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ishii throws a right hand that misses

and Shields counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Shields preventing the sweep.

Shields postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Ishii is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Shields, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shields looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ishii must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ishii 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.
Ishii tries to free his leg and advance position but Shields is retaining full guard.
Ishii controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Shields seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Shields not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two 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.
Shields looking for a sweep. Not yet Shields, not yet.
Shields is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Shields is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ishii looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ishii stays in close to Shields's body and controls the position.
Shields looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ishii advances to half guard.

Shields looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ishii slows the pace down in half guard.
Shields wants to get back to full guard.
Shields is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Ishii jumps into side control!
Shields wants to control but Ishii postures up.
Ishii wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shields keeps working.
Shields is looking to reverse the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Shields is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Shields is looking for a sweep.
Ishii wants to control but Shields is keeping him busy.
Shields is looking for a sweep.
Ishii trying to control the position but Shields is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shields ducks under a wild hook from Ishii.
Nice uppercut lands for Ishii. That snapped Shields's head back.
Ishii scores with a leg kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ishii throws a leg kick

and Shields counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Shields.
Shields looking to sit in guard and control but Ishii gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ishii's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazunori Ishii dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ishii throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Shields feinted with a counter takedown.
Ishii throws a low kick but Shields avoids it.
Shields appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Shields checks the leg kick.
Shields attempts a counter takedown but Ishii avoids it well and moves away.
Shields avoids the body shot from Ishii.
Shields appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Ishii tries a low kick but Shields avoids it.
Kazunori Ishii seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ishii scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ishii misses with a looping right.
Shields tries to counter with a takedown but Ishii is quick to defend against it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shields slips a jab and a cross from Ishii.
A telegraphed right hand from Ishii misses the target.
Kazunori Ishii is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shields takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

It looks like Jake Shields has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishii throws a hook to the side of Shields's head but Shields sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ishii misses with a leg kick

and Shields counters with a takedown into side control.
Ishii manages to work his way to half guard, despite Shields's best efforts.
Ishii trying to control here.
Shields sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ishii defending well though.
Kazunori Ishii has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ishii desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ishii looks like he's trying to stand up.

Shields seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shields thows a huge punch but Ishii dodges it nicely.
Shields sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ishii defending well though.

Shields looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Shields is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ishii sees it coming and defends easily.
Ishii is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shields trying to control the action but Ishii is working from the bottom.

Shields is trying to work for a kimura but Ishii is defending well.
Ishii has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Sydney Shootfighting. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

Shields is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Shields is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ishii defends it well.
Shields is trying to control. Ishii wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ishii scores with a jab to the jaw.
Ishii misses with a hook

and Shields counters with a single leg into guard. Ishii didn't expect that.

Ishii is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Ishii breaks the clinch.
Ishii is looking to score with low kicks.
Shields tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ishii misses with a body shot.
Shields appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Ishii throws a poor cross that misses

and Shields counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Shields.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazunori Ishii showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jake Shields's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Shields takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Ishii misses with a jab to the body

and Shields decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ishii's guard.
Ishii is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ishii bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shields's guard.

Shields has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Ishii should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Shields has tightened it up now! Ishii should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jake Shields!
Our winner, Jake Shields, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.