PBP Commentary

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

Shaw
vs
Byrns

176 cm
22
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Deshawn Shaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zack Byrns!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Dirk Anderson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shaw closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Our sources have told us that Shaw has been working on his elbows in the gym.

Shaw's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Byrns darts in and clinches Shaw up against the cage.
Byrns fails to pull guard.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Byrns prevents Shaw from breaking the clinch.
Shaw leaning against his opponent.
Byrns tries to pull guard but Shaw forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Byrns goes for a takedown attempt but Shaw pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Deshawn Shaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Byrns.

Shaw tries to sprawl but Byrns drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Shaw kicks Byrns off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Shaw looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Byrns!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaw is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Byrns knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Shaw trying to control the position but Byrns is working away.
Shaw just content to control the position.
Shaw lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Byrns down.
Shaw tries to score with some ground and pound. Byrns controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's two 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.
Shaw trying to control the action but Byrns is working from the bottom.
Byrns is trying to control Shaw's posture but Shaw avoids it.
Byrns tries to buck Shaw off but Shaw is having none of it.

Shaw stands up.
Shaw throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Shaw closes this distance looking for a takedown but Byrns circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrns tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Shaw defends well and Byrns ends up having to push Shaw into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Byrns throws a head kick that misses.
Byrns tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shaw paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Byrns swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shaw looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Byrns is fending him off so far but Shaw persists. Nope, Byrns circles away and we're back to standing.
Byrns raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

Byrns clinches.

Byrns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Byrns shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Byrns tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shaw swivels and escapes.
Byrns looks winded!
Byrns looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shaw closes the distance and lands a one-two.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Shaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Shaw fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Byrns avoids it really well and circles away.

Byrns moves into range and clinches up with Shaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Byrns drops down looking for an ankle pick but Shaw pulls his leg out and moves away.
Shaw is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Byrns fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Byrns is looking to clinch.
Shaw keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Shaw tries to counter with a takedown but Byrns is quick to defend against it.

Byrns drives through and clinches with Shaw against the cage.
Byrns avoiding damage as Shaw throws knees to the body.
Byrns jumps guard but Shaw turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Deshawn Shaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Byrns.
Shaw tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Byrns just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shaw stalling.
Byrns lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Shaw can't get the takedown.
Shaw tries a knee to the head but Byrns blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Byrns gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Shaw stalling against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shaw is trying to pull guard but Byrns has him pressed against the cage.

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

Byrns moves into the clinch successfully.
Byrns prevents a takedown attempt there.
Byrns can't get the takedown.
Byrns is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrns prevents a takedown attempt there.
Byrns just leaning against Shaw, taking a breather.

Byrns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Byrns misses with the combination.
Byrns connects with an inside leg kick.

Shaw tries to keep at a distance but Byrns has taken the fight into the clinch.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw looks for a takedown but Byrns sprawls well.
Zack Byrns seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shaw doesn't manage to clinch there - Byrns circles away.
Shaw defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Byrns.
Byrns checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Shaw closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Byrns to the mat! Byrns manages to get full guard.
Byrns trying to control the position.
Byrns has his hands on Shaw's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrns looking for a sweep. Not yet Byrns, not yet.
Shaw postures up.
Shaw wants to control from the top but Byrns keeps moving.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Shaw distracts Byrns with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Byrns looking for subs off his back but Shaw has passed one foot through into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zack Byrns will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Byrns avoids the head kick by Shaw.
Byrns throws a head kick that half lands.
Shaw tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Byrns defends well and Shaw ends up having to push Byrns into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Byrns changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Shaw tries to avoid it but Byrns manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Shaw to the ground. Shaw escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Byrns lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Shaw.

Shaw looking to score a takedown here. Byrns is defending well but Shaw drives through and ends up in Byrns's guard.
Byrns wants to sweep here but Shaw controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Byrns pulls Shaw in close to his closed guard and prevents Shaw from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shaw tries to free his leg and advance position but Byrns is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Shaw preventing the sweep.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice takedown defense from Shaw. No joy for Byrns on that attempt.
Byrns fails in his attempt to clinch.

Shaw drives through and clinches with Byrns against the cage.
Shaw is trying to break free.
Shaw has Byrns pressed against the cage, preventing Byrns from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Byrns tries to pull guard but Shaw won't allow it.
Deshawn Shaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Byrns.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Byrns gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Byrns prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shaw is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Byrns's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A big right from Shaw misses.

Byrns gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Byrns is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Shaw presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaw tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Byrns defends well and Shaw ends up having to push Byrns into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Byrns closes the distance and pushes Shaw back into the cage.
Shaw changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Byrns fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Shaw fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Byrns rushes Shaw and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Byrns's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice sprawl there from Shaw as Byrns shoots in.
Shaw lands a body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Byrns misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Shaw circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shaw fails to land the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zack Byrns comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Byrns 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Zack Byrns!