PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jake Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Emi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Shepard
vs
Emi

210 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
24
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jake Shepard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Robert Emi!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Shepard misses the target.

Emi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Emi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Emi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Emi not doing much here.
Emi is trying to control. Shepard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepard tries to get to full guard but Emi has control of the leg.

Emi decides to return to a standing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Shepard!
Shepard is pushing Emi's head away, looking to escape. Emi manages to hold on to the position though.
Emi throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Shepard tries to bench press Emi off him but Emi keeps the position.
Emi staying calm.
Shepard tries to improve position but can't.

Emi stands up and beckons Shepard to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emi throws a chopping leg kick but Shepard manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Emi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Emi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shepard does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Shepard is trying to stand up here but Emi is controlling him well.

Emi stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Shepard blocks a head kick by Emi.

Emi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Shepard sprawls well initially but Emi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shepard is trying to stand up here but Emi is controlling him well.

Shepard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Shepard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shepard is breathing heavily.
Emi wants to pass the guard but Shepard is defending well.

Shepard actively working from the bottom here.
Shepard tries to get to full guard but Emi has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Emi controlling the pace.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Emi stands up out of the half guard.

Emi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Emi manages to pull guard.
Shepard preventing the sweep.
Emi keeps trying to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shepard being controlled here momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Emi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Emi throws a nice looking combination but Shepard bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Emi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Shepard, pushing him back against the cage.
Shepard changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Emi fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Emi tries to bum rush Shepard with a series of wild strikes but Shepard uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Shepard appears to be looking for a big counter.
Shepard really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Shepard tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Emi defends well and Shepard ends up having to push Emi into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
It seemed like Emi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Emi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shepard appears to be looking for a big counter.
Shepard's jab looks to have found its range, popping Emi under the eye.

Emi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Shepard has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Emi is on him like a limpet, forcing Shepard back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Emi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Shepard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Shepard is trying to pull guard but Emi has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shepard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Shepard is trying to pull guard but Emi has him pressed against the cage.

Shepard breaks from the clinch.

Emi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Shepard to the mat! Shepard manages to get full guard.
Emi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Shepard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Shepard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Emi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Emi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Emi is pushing down on Shepard's leg trying to pass to half guard. Shepard is fighting to maintain full guard but Emi has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Emi decides to return to a standing position.

Emi rushes Shepard and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Emi pulls guard.
Emi is pulling down on Shepard's head. It's preventing any offense from Shepard, at least for the moment.
Shepard wanted to stand there but Emi had control of the position.
Emi seems keen to control Shepard's posture.
Emi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Emi has his foot on Shepard's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shepard works his way back into a safe position though.
Shepard has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Emi is proving hard to escape from.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Emi is on top in guard.

Emi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Emi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Shepard looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Emi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Emi throws a nice looking combination but Shepard bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Shepard attempts a counter takedown but Emi avoids it well and moves away.

Emi shoots in and bounces Shepard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Shepard has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Emi is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Emi decides to pull guard.
Shepard stops Emi from standing up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Emi holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Emi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Emi is continuing to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shepard postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shepard throwing strikes from guard but Emi blocks nicely.
Shepard would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Robert Emi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Shepard tries to bum rush Emi with a series of wild strikes but Emi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Emi.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Emi just content to control the position.
Shepard is not content to let Emi control the position.
Emi misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Emi decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Emi.
Emi working the ground and pound.
Shepard is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Emi has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Emi controls the position.
Emi working away.

Emi decides to stand back up.

Emi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emi is taking a breather. Shepard says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Shepard is trying to stand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shepard won't allow Emi to pass to mount.
Jake Shepard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robert Emi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Emi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Robert Emi.
Well Emi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Emi!