PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sheldon Wooten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Augustus Hercules (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Wooten
vs
Hercules

183 cm
21
177 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

182 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sheldon Wooten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Augustus Hercules!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Wooten misses.
Wooten has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Wooten there as he acknowledges the shot.
Augustus Hercules seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hercules scores with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheers as Hercules lands an impressive looking overhand right. Wooten doesn't seem phased though.
Wooten tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hercules paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Wooten clinches up against the cage.
Hercules throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hercules wants to break free but Wooten has control.
Hercules is trying to break free.
Hercules can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wooten manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wooten moves out of range as Hercules throws a body kick.
Wooten throws a big counter combination but Hercules scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Wooten walks into a stiff left hand from Hercules.
Wooten tries to clinch there but Hercules circles away.
A nice combination there by Hercules.
Wooten avoids a kick to the body.
Wooten seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Wooten tries to clinch but Hercules is having none of it.
Wooten takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Hercules digs a good body shot into Wooten's ribs.
Hercules scores with the left hand. Wooten knows he should have avoided that one.

Wooten has Hercules up against the cage in a clinch.

Hercules wants the takedown. Wooten is fighting it off but Hercules persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Wooten's guard against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hercules 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.
Wooten trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hercules scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hercules's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Wooten manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Hercules lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Hercules connects with a single shot there.
Wooten takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Hercules dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hercules with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Hercules lands a slapping body shot.
Hercules jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hercules swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hercules scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Wooten doesn't seem bothered though.
Wooten tries to clinch there but Hercules circles away.
Hercules lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Hercules looks winded!
Hercules cracks Wooten with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Hercules lands a nice hook to Wooten's body. Wooten takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nice cross by Hercules.
Hercules's corner calls for a 1-2. Hercules obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Wooten tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hercules paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wooten dodges the punch combination from Hercules.
Hercules looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Wooten throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooten displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hercules throws out the jab.
Hercules is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Wooten had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hercules lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Wooten takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Wooten pushes Hercules up against the cage in a clinch.
Wooten controlling the action here for a moment.
Hercules looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Wooten manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Wooten working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hercules doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hercules manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

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

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

Augustus Hercules dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sloppy strikes from Wooten. Those never looked like landing.
Wooten avoids a punch combination nicely.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hercules.
Wooten moves out of range of the body kick from Hercules.
Augustus Hercules seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hercules takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Wooten avoids a kick to the body.
Wooten is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Hercules.
Hercules misses with a kick to the body.
Hercules cracks Wooten with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wooten gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Hercules circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wooten tries to clinch but Hercules is having none of it.
Hercules misses with a body kick.
Hercules swats away the attempt to clinch by Wooten.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hercules scores with a jab to the jaw.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wooten looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hercules sizes up Wooten with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Hercules is breathing heavily.
Good exchange - Hercules coming out on top.
Hercules misses with the body kick

and Wooten counters by moving into the clinch.
Hercules throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Wooten lands a nice elbow.
Hercules looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Wooten prevents Hercules from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wooten successfully pulls guard.
Wooten is looking to stand up but Hercules isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Wooten manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hercules manages to get himself to full guard.

Wooten drops back looking for a leg! Hercules is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hercules manages to kick Wooten off! Wooten jumps back into Hercules's guard.

Wooten decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hercules, up you get!
Sheldon Wooten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hercules connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Hercules throws a body shot but no joy.
Hercules scores with a sloppy right hand. Wooten should have avoided that one.

Wooten closes the distance and clinches.
Wooten looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Wooten lands with a short shot to the head.

Wooten pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hercules throws a left and a right that both miss
and Wooten counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Wooten wants to clinch up but Hercules keeps it at a distance.
Hercules thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hercules misses with a hook
and Wooten counters with a straight right hand.
Hercules keeps the fight on the outside.
Hercules has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Wooten tries to clinch there but Hercules circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wooten clinches with his opponent.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Wooten's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wooten is looking to clinch.

Wooten forces Hercules back against the cage and clinches.
Hercules wants to break the clinch but can't.
Wooten has Hercules pushed against the cage.
Wooten using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Wooten breaks the clinch.
Hercules connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Wooten tries to clinch but Hercules moves out of range.

Wooten instigates a clinch.
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 Sheldon Wooten will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Wooten looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hercules!
Hercules tests Wooten's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hercules wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Wooten is looking to clinch but Hercules is avoiding it.
Wooten moves in looking to clinch but Hercules pushes him off.
Hercules looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wooten clinches with his opponent.

Wooten gets control of Hercules's arms and successfully pulls guard. Wooten will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hercules loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hercules throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wooten looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hercules landing with the ground and pound.
Hercules scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Wooten preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Wooten is looking to stand up but Hercules isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooten will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hercules postures up and lands a big shot to Wooten's brow.
Hercules scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hercules takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wooten preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two 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.
Hercules controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

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

Wooten gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Wooten misses with an elbow over the top.
Hercules has had enough of the clinch but Wooten keeps him there for the moment.

Wooten breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wooten is looking to clinch but Hercules is avoiding it.
Hercules stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hercules lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Wooten takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hercules's corner calls for a 1-2. Hercules obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Hercules swats away the attempt to clinch by Wooten.
Hercules misses with a kick to the body
and Wooten counters with a series of strikes. Hercules will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hercules lands with an overhand left.
Wooten tries to close the distance and clinch but Hercules swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hercules wants to counter with a clinch but Wooten pushes him away.
Hercules digs a good hook to Wooten's body.
Hercules cracks Wooten with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Wooten keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wooten tries to clinch but Hercules is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hercules throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A combination from Wooten does no damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Wooten tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hercules paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wooten looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Wooten tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hercules paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hercules swats away the attempt to clinch by Wooten.
Wooten fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wooten wants to clinch up but Hercules keeps it at a distance.
Wooten tries to close the distance and clinch but Hercules swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wooten tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

And that's the end of the fight!
Augustus Hercules comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hercules has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Augustus Hercules!