PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Papa Shango (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Otis Whittaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shango comes to the cage accompanied by Shango Tango. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Shango
vs
Whittaker

189 cm
27
280 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

200 cm
27
250 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Fast

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Papa Shango!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Otis Whittaker!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Michael Johnstone and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shango wants to clinch.
Shango is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

It looks like Papa Shango has been cut.

Shango pushes Whittaker up against the cage in a clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Shango.
Shango throws a head punch that misses.
Shango misses with the head strike.
Whittaker blocks an uppercut.
Whittaker swings wildly with an uppercut but Shango uses good head movement to avoid it.
Whittaker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whittaker slowing the pace effectively.
Shango lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Shango lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Shango lands with a short shot to the head.
I was talking to Shango's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch on the inside from Shango fails to land.
Shango lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shango lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Shango presses Whittaker against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Whittaker looks winded!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shango.
Whittaker throws a head punch that misses.
Shango misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shango works on Whittaker's body with a couple of short punches.
Shango misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shango misses with the head strike.
Whittaker lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Shango misses with a punch on the inside.
Whittaker misses with a punch to the body.
Shango lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Shango lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Shango misses with a short punch on the inside.
Whittaker tries to work over Shango's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Whittaker has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Shango seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Whittaker can turn it around.
Shango has a couple of punches blocked by Whittaker.
Shango lands on the inside with an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Whittaker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shango moves away from the strike by Whittaker.
Shango is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Whittaker.
Shango tries to bum rush Whittaker with a series of wild strikes but Whittaker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shango throws a jab when Whittaker was well out of range.
Shango's jab looks to have found its range, popping Whittaker under the eye.
Shango looks to throw the jab but Whittaker is out of range.
Whittaker moves out of range of the strikes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Whittaker! But no joy.
Whittaker takes a jab right on the kisser.

It looks like Otis Whittaker has been cut.
Nice shot lands for Shango.

Whittaker is rocked!
Papa Shango seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shango cracks Whittaker with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Whittaker falls to his knees and Shango doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Papa Shango!
In his post fight interview, Papa Shango started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
Otis Whittaker was interviewed post fight and said 'I felt the tingle, again. Congrats Theo and Ryan!'.