PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Orlando Sharp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Whitehead (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Orlando Sharp has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Sharp
vs
Whitehead

219 cm
21
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
21
152 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Orlando Sharp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, James Whitehead!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitehead throws a right hand that Sharp ducks under and follows up with a left that Sharp also avoids with ease.
A head kick misses from Whitehead.
Whitehead waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sharp.
Sharp jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Sharp really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Whitehead throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sharp thinks about countering with a head kick.

Whitehead gets a takedown into half guard.
Whitehead blocks the strikes from Sharp.
Whitehead is taking a breather. Sharp 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sharp trying to hold on to Whitehead's head to control him but Whitehead postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharp wants to improve his position but Whitehead is controlling well.
Sharp wants to control but Whitehead is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Whitehead is controlling the pace.
Whitehead is thwarting Sharp's attempts to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Whitehead pushes Sharp up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Whitehead digs a right hand underneath Sharp's ribcage. Sharp let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Whitehead unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sharp lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sharp jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Whitehead walks away with a smile on his face. Sharp gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Whitehead throws a left and a right that both miss
and Whitehead takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Whitehead takes the fight into the clinch.
Whitehead misses with a knee to the head.

Whitehead breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Whitehead closes the distance and clinches.

Whitehead breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Whitehead gets a clinch.

Whitehead jumps into guard, dragging Sharp to the mat.
Sharp throws a strike but Whitehead rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sharp seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Whitehead working some strikes from top position.
Sharp managing to control the position.
Whitehead's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharp is trying to keep Whitehead in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sharp keeping full guard, as Whitehead tries to pass.
Whitehead is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sharp throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Despite the aggression on Whitehead's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Whitehead clinches.
Whitehead has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Whitehead jumps into guard, dragging Sharp to the mat.
Whitehead keeping moving, preventing Sharp from controlling successfully.
Sharp is standing up over Whitehead. Whitehead looks to escape but Sharp dives into side control.
Sharp taking a breather here.
Sharp in side control lands a decent elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitehead is looking for a sweep.
Sharp wants to lay and pray for a moment but Whitehead keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharp taking a breather here.
Sharp will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sharp connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Whitehead some visible discomfort.
Whitehead is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Sharp is looking to take a break and control but Whitehead is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Whitehead is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sharp is controlling him well.
Sharp trying to control the position but Whitehead is working away.
A lull in the action here as Sharp stalls from top position.

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.
Whitehead is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sharp connects with a decent elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Whitehead's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Sharp looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sharp trying to control the action but Whitehead is working from the bottom.
Whitehead is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sharp is controlling him well.

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

Whitehead rushes Sharp and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharp managing to block the knees to the body from Whitehead.

Whitehead breaks from the clinch.
Whitehead misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sharp counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sharp is looking to clinch.

Whitehead darts in and clinches Sharp up against the cage.
Sharp has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Whitehead after a bit of a struggle.
Whitehead working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sharp working hard to break the clinch.

Whitehead breaks the clinch.
Whitehead misses with a wild combination.
Sharp lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharp moves to clinch but Whitehead breaks away
and Whitehead counters with a two punch combo.

Whitehead clinches up against the cage.

Sharp breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Whitehead clinches up against the cage.
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!
Whitehead taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Whitehead drags the fight down to the ground.
James Whitehead has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Whitehead being controlled here, momentarily.
Sharp stops Whitehead from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Whitehead showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Whitehead clinches with his opponent.
Sharp blocks an elbow strike from Whitehead.
Sharp tries to throw a body punch but Whitehead avoids it by throwing Sharp back against the cage.
Sharp is trying to break the clinch but Whitehead is controlling him.

Whitehead breaks from the clinch.
Whitehead misses with a right hand
and Sharp counters with a lovely shot to the body.
James Whitehead seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Whitehead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Whitehead forces Sharp back against the cage and clinches.
Whitehead lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Orlando Sharp has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharp has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Whitehead controlling the action here for a moment.
Whitehead leaning his opponent against the cage.
Whitehead scores a nice knee to the body.
Sharp wants to break the clinch but can't.
Whitehead just leaning against Sharp, taking a breather.

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.

Whitehead breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sharp blocks a head kick by Whitehead.
Sharp is looking to counter the offense by Whitehead and move into the clinch.

Whitehead has managed to clinch.

Sharp is fighting off a takedown attempt but Whitehead is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sharp to the mat. Sharp regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sharp trying to keep a closed guard but Whitehead is proving a slippery customer.
Whitehead postures up in Sharp's guard and throws a big left but Sharp blocks it.
Sharp is trying to keep Whitehead in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead stops Sharp from standing up.
Sharp is trying to control the position but Whitehead postures up.
Whitehead trying to control but Sharp is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sharp avoids the head kick by Whitehead.
Whitehead takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sharp scores with a hook to the body. Whitehead takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

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

Sharp is trying to trip Whitehead. He has hold of a leg but Whitehead is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Sharp persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Whitehead has his feet on Sharp's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Whitehead blocks a head kick by Sharp.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharp tries to clinch up but Whitehead circles away and keeps his distance.
Whitehead throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
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!
Whitehead lands with a shot to the body.
Whitehead misses the shot to the body.

Whitehead has managed to clinch.

Whitehead jumps guard.
Whitehead has Sharp pulled in close to control his posture.
Whitehead is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sharp is controlling him.
Sharp controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Whitehead comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Whitehead 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Whitehead!
A relieved looking James Whitehead thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.