PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sean Conlan (ranked 6663 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Shawcross (ranked 6630 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Conlan
vs
Shawcross

183 cm
18
223 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sean Conlan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ryan Shawcross!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Richard Clark and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Conlan gets caught napping as Shawcross dives in and scores a takedown. Conlan manages to retain guard.
Shawcross content to stall in guard here.
Conlan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shawcross on the ground.

Shawcross stands up from Conlan's guard - Shawcross perhaps looking for a knockout.
Sean Conlan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice jab there from Conlan.
Conlan slaps away a takedown attempt from Shawcross, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Shawcross goes for a double leg but Conlan avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Conlan continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conlan takes a swing at Shawcross's ribcage but misses.
Shawcross avoids the body shot from Conlan.
Conlan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Shawcross.
Shawcross uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Conlan.
Shawcross shoots in but Conlan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sean Conlan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Shawcross.
Conlan misses with a wild body shot.
A jab from Conlan misses.
Conlan lands a two punch combo.
Conlan lands with an uppercut that bounces Shawcross off the cage and back into range.
Shawcross takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Shawcross tries to clinch but Conlan moves out of range.
Shawcross fails to land with a series of punches.
Conlan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Conlan jabs at Shawcross's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shawcross uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Conlan.
Danga de danga de dang - Shawcross scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Sean Conlan has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shawcross moves out of range as Conlan strikes.
Shawcross tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conlan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Conlan throws a lazy right hand but Shawcross sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
No joy there for Shawcross, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Conlan throws a body shot but no joy.
Sloppy strikes from Conlan. Those never looked like landing.
Conlan throws a lazy right hand but Shawcross sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Shawcross tries to close the distance and clinch but Conlan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Shawcross is defended easily by Conlan.
Conlan scores with a nice head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conlan throws a big shot that misses.
Sean Conlan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shawcross moves in looking to clinch but Conlan pushes him off.
Shawcross on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Conlan lands with an overhand left.
A jab from Conlan misses.
Shawcross takes a swing at Conlan's ribcage but misses.
Shawcross uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Conlan.
A right-left combo lands from Conlan.
Conlan stuffs the takedown.
Conlan throwing a counter right hand but Shawcross manages to avoid it.
Shawcross uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Conlan.
Conlan jabs Shawcross to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Conlan takes a swing at Shawcross's ribcage but misses.
Conlan lands a jab to the nose.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conlan missing with a left hand there. Shawcross was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Shawcross steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Conlan.
Shawcross shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Conlan as he jumps to the side.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shawcross shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Conlan pinned against the cage. Conlan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Conlan keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Conlan swings for the body but Shawcross moves out of range.
Shawcross closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Conlan checks a leg kick nicely.
Conlan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shawcross moves away.
Shawcross throws out a counter right but Conlan avoids it with no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Conlan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sean Conlan's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Nice sprawl there from Conlan as Shawcross shoots in.
Conlan with a jab.
Shawcross dives in for a single leg takedown but Conlan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Shawcross shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Conlan is trying to defend but Shawcross finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Shawcross seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Shawcross works his foot free and advances to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poor strikes thrown by Shawcross there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conlan holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Shawcross tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Conlan wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Conlan tries to escape but Shawcross has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Conlan is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Conlan tries to escape but Shawcross has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Conlan defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Shawcross's arms.
Shawcross biding his time, looking for the opening.
Shawcross is continuing to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conlan is trying to break free.

Conlan fending off the submission attempt from Shawcross.

Shawcross is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Conlan is defending well though. Shawcross let's go of the attempt for now.
Shawcross is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shawcross is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Conlan knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Conlan for a finish.

Shawcross is persistently looking for the submission but Conlan is defending it well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shawcross is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Shawcross gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Shawcross gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Shawcross apologises and we restart here on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Shawcross showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sean Conlan's cut.
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!

Conlan works the jab nicely.
Shawcross closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Shawcross tries to score a power double leg takedown but Conlan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Shawcross somewhat.
Shawcross tries to clinch but Conlan moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Conlan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Shawcross shoots in looking for a takedown. Conlan tries to sprawl out of it but Shawcross keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Conlan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Conlan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Shawcross connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Conlan comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Conlan. Shawcross does a little dance to reset his feet.
Shawcross darts in looking for a takedown but Conlan gets double underhooks and turns Shawcross into the cage.
Sean Conlan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Shawcross.
Conlan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shawcross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conlan lands a jab.
Conlan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shawcross can do to turn this around?
Shawcross displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Conlan throws out the jab.
Ryan Shawcross is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Conlan tests Shawcross's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Conlan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shawcross slips a straight right by Conlan.
A jab from Conlan finds it's way through Shawcross's defenses.
Conlan swings for the body but Shawcross moves out of range.
Shawcross will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
The crowd cheers as Conlan lands an impressive looking overhand right. Shawcross doesn't seem phased though.
No joy there for Conlan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice defenses there by Shawcross.
Conlan misses with an uppercut.
Conlan swings for the body but Shawcross moves out of range.
Conlan throws a body shot but no joy.
And Shawcross tries to counter it with a takedown but Conlan pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conlan throws a hook but Shawcross avoids it easily.
Shawcross steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Conlan.
Conlan sets himself, and Shawcross steps forward looking for the clinch! Conlan avoids it this time.
Shawcross fails to land the takedown.
Conlan could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Shawcross is looking to clinch.
Conlan throws a body shot but no joy.

Shawcross closes the distance and presses his opponent 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!
Conlan wants to get back to striking at distance but Shawcross won't allow it.
Shawcross is trying to drag Conlan to the mat but Conlan just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Conlan.
Conlan stalling in the clinch but Shawcross improves position.
Conlan stops a takedown attempt from Shawcross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conlan working aggressively here.
Conlan misses with some punches.
Shawcross blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Conlan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Conlan.
Conlan lands a shoulder strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Shawcross as Conlan tries to tie him up.
Shawcross blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Conlan cracks Shawcross with a nice body shot.
Conlan is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Conlan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Conlan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Conlan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Shawcross moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conlan throws a body punch but Shawcross moves out of range.
Conlan connects with a nice looking jab.
Shawcross keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Conlan.
Conlan just misses with a punch to the body.
Shawcross tries for a takedown but Conlan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Conlan throws a combination. Shawcross tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shawcross keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Conlan connects with a body shot that sends Shawcross's belly button to the back.
Conlan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Shawcross sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Conlan with a jab.
Shawcross showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Conlan.
No luck for Shawcross with that takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sean Conlan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Conlan 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sean Conlan!