PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jason Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Riki Maru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shepherd comes to the cage accompanied by Radioactive by Imagine Dragons Ft. Kendrick Lamar. Maru has chosen Chris Brown - Ayo as his entrance music. Riki Maru struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.6lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Riki Maru was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Shepherd
vs
Maru

193 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 9 - 0

183 cm
27
204 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Victory! Sports Nutrition

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 4 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jason Shepherd !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Riki Maru!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Daniel Cesar and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maru with a lazy takedown attempt

and Shepherd counters with a takedown into side control.
Maru defending against the ground and pound.
Maru can't do much from the bottom here.
Maru manages to get back to half guard.
Maru keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Ground and pound from Shepherd .
Maru is trying to control but can't.

Maru looking for submissions off his back.
Maru has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maru wants to get back to his feet.
Maru wants to control but Shepherd is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru is looking for a sweep. Shepherd is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maru is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Shepherd scores with a couple of nice shots.
Maru is trying to stand.

Shepherd seems to be looking for submissions.
Maru trying to hold on to Shepherd 's head to control him but Shepherd postures up.

Shepherd is working for a submission of some sort.
Shepherd is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Maru misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd lands strikes from half guard.
Maru is trying to get back to full guard.
Maru looks like he's trying to stand up.
Nice strikes from Shepherd there.
Maru is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maru wants to control but Shepherd is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maru is trying to get back to full guard.
Shepherd lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Maru actively working from the bottom here.
Maru wants to get back to his feet.
Shepherd working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ground and pound from Shepherd .
Shepherd is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Maru wants to get back to full guard.

Maru actively working from the bottom here.
Shepherd lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shepherd is pressing down on Maru's thigh, looking to free his foot. Maru is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Shepherd connects with a nice short shot to Maru's temple.
Maru desperately trying to maintain half guard.

Shepherd seems to be looking for submissions.

Maru looking for submissions off his back.

Maru looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maru slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Shepherd dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maru tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shepherd swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maru throws a leg kick
and Shepherd counters with a series of strikes. Maru will be more careful next time no doubt.

Shepherd shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Nice strikes from Shepherd there.
Maru is looking for a sweep. Shepherd is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jason Shepherd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shepherd is thwarting Maru's attempts to control the position.
Shepherd is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maru can do to turn this around?
Maru is trying to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maru is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Shepherd knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maru on the ground.
Maru wants to control but Shepherd is keeping busy.
Nice strikes from Shepherd there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru wants to control but Shepherd is keeping busy.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Shepherd connects with a nice short shot to Maru's temple.
Ground and pound from Shepherd .
Shepherd is thwarting Maru's attempts to control the position.
Maru is looking to improve his position.
Maru trying to hold on to Shepherd 's head to control him but Shepherd postures up.
Shepherd prevents Maru from improving his position.
Shepherd lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Maru on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Shepherd lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shepherd is nestled in close to Maru, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Shepherd lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Shepherd throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Shepherd blocks the strikes from Maru.
Maru taking some punishment here, with Shepherd in his half guard.
Shepherd is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maru manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd cracks Maru with a solid left hand.
Shepherd not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Shepherd lands a couple of digs.
Maru tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Shepherd 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Shepherd makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Shepherd got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maru has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Shepherd has managed to get both his arms back between Maru's legs - danger averted.
Shepherd lands a couple of elbows.
Shepherd with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maru manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shepherd manages to get himself to full guard.

Maru trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Shepherd can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Maru controls the pace.
Maru postures up in Shepherd 's guard and throws a big left but Shepherd blocks it.
Shepherd tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maru throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shepherd works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Maru missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maru throws a big right hand that misses.
Maru trying to control but Shepherd is working from the bottom.
Maru missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Shepherd dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Maru misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shepherd ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Maru with a poor takedown
and Shepherd counters with a big head kick but Maru shrugs it off.
Horrible takedown attempt by Maru or perhaps it was just good defense by Shepherd , which made it look bad.
Maru misses with a kick to the body
and Shepherd counters with a stiff right hand.
Shepherd shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Maru eats them both and turns towards Shepherd to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Maru is rocked!
Maru shoots for a takedown but Shepherd saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Maru is still on wobbly legs! Can Shepherd finish him?
Jason Shepherd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Riki Maru.

Shepherd shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Maru pushes Shepherd off and gets back to his feet.
Maru takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Riki Maru seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Shepherd throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Maru was covering up waiting for the punch and Shepherd finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Maru seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd won't allow Maru to sweep him here.
Shepherd landing with the ground and pound.
Shepherd trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shepherd slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Maru is looking for a sweep.
Maru is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Shepherd 's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Shepherd is trying to work for a kimura but Maru is defending well.
Shepherd lands with a punch from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maru slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Shepherd lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Shepherd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Shepherd has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Maru is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Maru looking for subs off his back but Shepherd has passed one foot through into half guard.
Maru is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Shepherd jumps into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maru is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Shepherd working the body and head with strikes.
Maru throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Maru manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Shepherd scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Riki Maru has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maru tries to get to full guard but Shepherd has control of the leg.
Shepherd working the head and body with strikes.
Shepherd lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Maru trying to hold on to Shepherd 's head to control him but Shepherd postures up.
Maru on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maru strikes from the bottom but Shepherd uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Shepherd working the ground and pound from side control.
Jason Shepherd is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Shepherd is putting a hurting on Maru here, landing some big shots from side control.
Shepherd cracks Maru with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Shepherd working away.
A lull in the action here.
Maru tries to buck Shepherd off but Shepherd is having none of it.
Maru takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shepherd wants to control but Maru is keeping him busy.
Maru tries to get back to half guard but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Shepherd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Shepherd 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jason Shepherd !
During a confident post fight interview, Jason Shepherd thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Riki Maru spoke after the fight, saying 'I Will Come Back.'.