PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Petey Flowers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Avital Shafir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Avital Shafir will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Flowers
vs
Shafir

150 cm
25
135 lbs
9 - 16 - 0

177 cm
27
140 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Petey Flowers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Avital Shafir!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Steve Smith and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shafir scores with a head kick.

Flowers shoots in and gets a takedown into Shafir's guard.

Shafir isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Flowers stacks Shafir on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Flowers!
Shafir really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Flowers. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
A lull in the action here.
Shafir gets back to half guard.
Flowers could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flowers not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shafir tries to roll over but Flowers keeps him under control.
Shafir trying to hold on to Flowers's head to control him but Flowers postures up.
Still in half guard, Flowers seems content to control.
Shafir trying to control but Flowers postures up.
Flowers content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

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.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Shafir.
Shafir scores with a head kick. Flowers tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Flowers drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Flowers advances to mount.
Flowers is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Shafir really wants to buck Flowers off and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shafir tries to lock up and control but Flowers gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Flowers sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Shafir is looking to improve his position but Flowers isn't that keen on the idea.
Flowers looking to control and managing it successfully.
Flowers in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Shafir is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flowers content just to control the position here.
Shafir is in all sorts of trouble here.
Shafir is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Flowers landing shots from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shafir is looking to improve his position but Flowers isn't that keen on the idea.
Shafir takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petey Flowers dominated that round.
That's time! Flowers's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Shafir throws a series of punches but Flowers moves out of range.
Flowers throws a right hand that Shafir ducks under and follows up with a left that Shafir also avoids with ease.
Shafir is looking for the big counter here.
Flowers shoots and misses
and Shafir counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Flowers is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shafir can do to turn this around?
Shafir misses with a double jab.
Shafir throws a nice looking combination but Flowers bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Avital Shafir seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shafir lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Shafir fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shafir misses with a few strikes there.
Shafir scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
This has been an exciting period of action!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Shafir enables Flowers to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Shafir manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Flowers might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Flowers working some strikes from top position.

Flowers stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Shafir scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Avital Shafir seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shafir throws a right hand that Flowers ducks under and follows up with a left that Flowers also avoids with ease.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Shafir, right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Flowers drives through with a takedown into Shafir's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Shafir can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Flowers controls the pace.

Shafir looking for subs off his back but Flowers has passed one foot through into half guard.
Flowers stops Shafir from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shafir is trying to control but can't.

Shafir looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Shafir actively working from the bottom here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Flowers lands a nice short elbow.
Shafir wants to sweep but Flowers has passed to side control!
You can see the frustration on Shafir's face as Flowers controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shafir tries to buck Flowers off but Flowers is having none of it.
Flowers lands an elbow.
Flowers scores with a couple of short elbows.
Flowers controlling the position from side mount.
Flowers working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Flowers is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shafir is looking to reverse the position.
A control attempt from Shafir but he's now mounted!
Flowers unloading with bombs!
Shafir tries to lock up and control but Flowers gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Flowers controlling from the full mount.
Flowers seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Shafir for as long as he can get away with.
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 Petey Flowers will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Flowers slips a jab and a cross from Shafir.
Shafir throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Shafir!
Shafir throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Flowers.

Flowers changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Shafir looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Shafir explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shafir misses with a combination

and Flowers moves into the clinch.

Flowers pulls Shafir into guard.
Flowers is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Shafir trying to control but Flowers is working from the bottom.
Flowers looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shafir loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Flowers lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Shafir throwing strikes from guard but Flowers blocks nicely.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Shafir is looking to pass into half guard but Flowers pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Flowers is in guard.

Flowers trying to control the position from guard on top but Shafir is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Avital Shafir has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Flowers stops Shafir from standing up.

Shafir has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Flowers can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Shafir is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Shafir looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shafir takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Shafir has an active guard here but Flowers has managed to pass into half guard.

Flowers seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shafir desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Flowers landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Flowers content to control rather than advance.

Shafir looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

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.
Flowers trying to control the pace.

Shafir looking for submissions off his back.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Shafir throws a right and a left that Flowers avoids nicely.
Shafir throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Flowers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Shafir throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Flowers escapes and throws Shafir's legs to the side, diving into side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Avital Shafir.
I think Flowers has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!