PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Levi Garrison (ranked 8409 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Sheppard (ranked 6093 p4p, 0 weight class). Sheppard has chosen Highway to Hell as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Garrison
vs
Sheppard

224 cm
18
278 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

200 cm
20
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Levi Garrison!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Sheppard!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Chris Downing and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sheppard throws a body kick that misses

and Garrison counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Garrison.

Sheppard uses the cage to get back to his feet.
James Sheppard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sheppard takes the fight into the clinch.
Sheppard misses with a body punch.
Garrison misses with a hook from the clinch.

Sheppard ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sheppard no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Sheppard looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Garrison passes into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sheppard sneaks out the side door and pushes Garrison away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garrison tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sheppard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sheppard should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Sheppard throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Garrison was covering up waiting for the punch and Sheppard finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sheppard wants to control from the top but Garrison keeps moving.
Garrison being controlled here, momentarily.
Sheppard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard preventing the sweep.
Sheppard throws an elbow that misses. Garrison uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sheppard's guard. Nice move by Garrison!

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

Garrison stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Garrison instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard slowing the pace effectively.

Sheppard lands a takedown into guard.
Sheppard loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Garrison will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sheppard is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sheppard wants to control from the top but Garrison keeps moving.

Sheppard gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard jabs Garrison to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sheppard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Sheppard clinches.

Garrison is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sheppard is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Garrison to the mat. Garrison regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sheppard trying to control but Garrison is working from the bottom.
Sheppard sitting in guard here, content to control.

Sheppard decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Sheppard shoots in and gets a takedown into Garrison's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sheppard shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Sheppard seems to be working for a kimura but Garrison defends the submission attempt.

Garrison kicks off Sheppard and gets to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Garrison gets caught napping as Sheppard dives in and scores a takedown. Garrison manages to retain guard.
Sheppard trying to control but Garrison is working from the bottom.
Sheppard loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheppard sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sheppard prevents Garrison from getting back to his feet.
Sheppard seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sheppard trying to control the position from guard on top but Garrison is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Garrison gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Sheppard has Garrison pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sheppard pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Garrison tumbling to the mat - Sheppard dives into Garrison's guard.
Garrison is looking to sweep but instead, Sheppard has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard controlling the action here.
Sheppard's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Let's hope that Sheppard has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Sheppard has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Sheppard fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Garrison, pushing him back against the cage.

Sheppard has clasped his hands together around Garrison's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Garrison managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Sheppard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Sheppard 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!

Sheppard feints and as Garrison raises his hands in defense, Sheppard changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Garrison trying to keep a closed guard but Sheppard is proving a slippery customer.
Sheppard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Sheppard is looking to pass into half guard but Garrison pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Garrison is in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sheppard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sheppard wants to sweep here but Garrison controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sheppard has an active guard here but Garrison has managed to pass into half guard.

Garrison escapes and gets back to his feet.

Sheppard gets the takedown into side control.
Garrison regains half guard.
Garrison tries to roll over but Sheppard keeps him under control.
Garrison keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Garrison is trying to maintain the position but Sheppard is very close to passing his half guard.

Sheppard is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Garrison doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sheppard.
Sheppard is looking to take a break and control but Garrison is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheppard trying to control the pace.

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

Sheppard shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Garrison is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sheppard stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Garrison to get to his feet.
Garrison really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Sheppard manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Garrison on his heels. He'll look to pass Garrison's guard now, I'm sure.
Sheppard stands and throws Garrison's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Sheppard decides to stand back up.
Levi Garrison has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Sheppard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Sheppard darts in and clinches Garrison up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Sheppard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sheppard 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Sheppard!
James Sheppard seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.