PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cam Newton (ranked 602 p4p, 88 weight class) and Shape Shifter (ranked 601 p4p, 87 weight class). Newton comes to the cage accompanied by Superman. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Newton
vs
Shifter

196 cm
34
226 lbs
24 - 12 - 0

192 cm
33
214 lbs
22 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

KAISER Nutrition - Q160
Urban Fighter

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 24 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cam Newton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, Shape Shifter!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Ian Loll and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Newton's jab looks to have found its range, popping Shifter under the eye.
Shifter takes a jab right on the kisser.
We've been told by Newton's head coaches at soundcloud.com/spinmanfinn that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Shifter shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
It looked like Newton was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Shifter fails with a takedown attempt.

Shifter pushes Newton up against the cage in a clinch.

Newton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shifter keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big left from Newton misses.
Newton backing away here, and Shifter unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Newton throws a right hand that misses

and Shifter counters with a single leg into guard. Newton didn't expect that.

Newton is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shifter has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Newton is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cam Newton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shape Shifter.
Newton wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Newton working hard to break the clinch.

Shifter jumps guard and drags Newton to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Newton avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Shifter is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Newton defends well.

Shifter is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Newton defends well.
Newton wants to stand but Shifter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Newton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Newton decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Newton keeps the fight on the outside.
Newton misses with a lunging right hand
and Shifter counters with an outside leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Newton. Shifter does a little dance to reset his feet.
Shifter tries a quick counter leg kick but Newton is wise to it.
Shifter ducks under a wild hook from Newton.
Shifter wants to clinch.
Shifter uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Newton.
Shifter avoids the body shot from Newton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Newton misses with a looping left.
Newton looks to score with a jab to the body but Shifter is just out of range.
Shifter flicks out a counter leg kick but Newton steps away.
Shifter takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Shifter fails with an attempt to clinch.
Newton misses with a looping right.
Newton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Shifter gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shifter is trying to pull guard but Newton has him pressed against the cage.

Newton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Newton throws a body shot but no joy.
Newton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Newton misses with a hook
and Shifter counters with an inside leg kick.
A big left from Newton misses.
Newton misses with a right hand
and Shifter counters with an outside leg kick.
Shifter avoids a punch combination nicely.

Shifter has Newton up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cam Newton dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Shifter shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Newton pinned against the cage. Newton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Newton lands with a nice body punch.
Shifter has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Shifter there as he acknowledges the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shifter lands a nice shot that snaps Newton's head back.
Newton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shifter can do to turn this around?
Shifter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Newton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shifter uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Newton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shifter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Newton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Newton is looking for a counter combo.
Cam Newton is winning the standup battle so far.
Shifter tries to clinch up
and Shifter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Newton misses with a double jab.
Shifter feints a counter leg kick.
Newton just misses with a punch to the body.
Newton just misses with a punch to the body.
Newton fails to land with a series of punches.
Shifter counters with a body kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Newton. Shifter does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cam Newton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shifter fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Newton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Newton backing away here, and Shifter unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Newton fails to land with a series of punches.
Newton misses with a right hand
and Shifter counters with a nice leg kick.

Shifter drives through and clinches with Newton against the cage.

Shifter is trying to trip Newton. He has hold of a leg but Newton is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Shifter persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shifter passes Newton's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Shifter is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Newton defends it well.

Shifter is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newton is trying to stand.

Shifter is trying to work for a kimura but Newton is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Shifter is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Newton defends it well.
Shifter prevents Newton from standing back up.
Newton on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Newton is trying to stand back up but Shifter is controlling him

Shifter is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Shifter trying to mount his opponent but Newton defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Shifter is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Newton has managed to free his arm - good work.

Shifter is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Newton pushes Shifter off looking to stand but Shifter dives back in and keeps control.
Shifter thows a huge punch but Newton dodges it nicely.
Shifter prevents Newton from standing back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Shifter is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Newton has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Shifter is on him like a limpet, forcing Newton back against the cage.
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 Cam Newton will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Newton tests Shifter's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Newton throws a combination that misses

and Shifter holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Shifter prevents Newton from breaking the clinch.

Newton is fighting off a takedown attempt but Shifter is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Newton to the mat. Newton regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Shape Shifter has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shifter slips nicely into half guard.
Newton looks like he's trying to stand up.

Shifter is working for a submission of some sort.

Shifter is working for a kimura but Newton is defending it quite comfortably.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton tries to kick Shifter off but Shifter keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Newton manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Shifter keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Newton tries to circle away but Shifter has him pinned against the cage.
Shifter tries to pull guard but Newton holds him up against the cage and eventually Shifter drops back down to his feet.
Shifter is looking to take this one to the mat.
Newton has had enough of the clinch but Shifter keeps him there for the moment.

Shifter manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Shifter is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Newton stopping the sweep attempt from Shifter.
Newton wants to stand but Shifter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shifter throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Newton tries to stand but Shifter is controlling from the bottom.

Shifter looking for a guillotine here but Newton defends easily.
Newton has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Shifter is proving hard to escape from.
Shifter wants to sweep but no luck.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Newton wanted to stand there but Shifter had control of the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Shifter closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shifter moves into the clinch successfully.

Newton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A jab lands there for Newton.
No joy there for Newton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

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

Shifter is looking for a kimura here.
Newton wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shifter is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Newton defends it well.

Shifter is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Newton wants to get back to his feet.

Shifter seems to be working for a kimura but Newton defends the submission attempt.
Shape Shifter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shifter prevents Newton from standing back up.
Newton regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Shifter.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shape Shifter.
I think Newton 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 William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cam Newton!
After the fight, Cam Newton was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.