PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Jones (ranked 5392 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shunte Calhoun (ranked 25146 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Jones
vs
Calhoun

191 cm
24
217 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
18
210 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shunte Calhoun!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jones moves into the clinch.
Jones tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Calhoun is trying to pull guard but Jones turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Jones avoiding damage as Calhoun throws knees to the body.
Calhoun looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Calhoun tries to pull guard but Jones forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Jones lands a right hand that snaps the head of Calhoun backwards.
Jones lands an elbow that stopped Calhoun in his tracks for a moment.

Calhoun lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Calhoun is thwarting Jones's attempts to control the position.
Calhoun is trying to control. Jones wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jones is looking for a sweep. Calhoun is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Jones makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calhoun tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jones misses with a takedown attempt - Calhoun sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nice takedown defense from Calhoun. No joy for Jones on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Calhoun keeps the fight on the outside.
Jones changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Calhoun tries to avoid it but Jones manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Calhoun to the ground. Calhoun escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jones shoots in for a takedown but Calhoun shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Jones misses with a combination

and Calhoun counters by clinching up.
Jones is breathing heavily.
Calhoun tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Jones smiles and moves away.
Jones throws a head kick that misses.

Jones drives through and clinches with Calhoun against the cage.
Calhoun goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Calhoun content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones connects with a nasty looking knee right to Calhoun's face.
Calhoun blocking some punches.
Jones misses with a knee strike.
Jones misses with a hook to the ribs.
Calhoun fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Calhoun looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Calhoun is trying to force a seperation but Jones has the dominant position.
Calhoun cracks Jones with a nice body shot.
Jones changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Calhoun fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nick Jones seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Calhoun manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Jones on his heels. He'll look to pass Jones's guard now, I'm sure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones striking off his back but it's not causing Calhoun any problems.
Calhoun looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Jones is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Calhoun looking to sit in guard and control but Jones gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Jones is stalling in the full guard.

That's four 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.

Jones decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Calhoun stuffs the takedown attempt from Jones. Jones gets slowly back to his feet.
Calhoun misses with an attempted mid kick.
Jones half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Calhoun takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Jones delivers a nice body kick.

Calhoun instigates a clinch.
Calhoun stalling.
Jones jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Calhoun walks away with a smile on his face. Jones gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Jones is trying hard to land a takedown here. Calhoun sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Nick Jones will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jones lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Jones.
Nick Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jones misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Calhoun shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense.
Nice sprawl there from Calhoun as Jones shoots in.
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch but Calhoun swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Calhoun feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Jones working a defensive guard here.
Calhoun stops Jones from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calhoun wants to stand but Jones is controlling his posture from full guard.

Jones has his foot on Calhoun's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Calhoun works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is trying to keep Calhoun in close.
Calhoun preventing the sweep.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Jones is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Calhoun keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Jones passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calhoun tries to lock up and control but Jones gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Jones working for a submission but Calhoun is keeping him at bay.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Calhoun is squirming around, avoiding Jones's attempts to control the action.
Jones is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Calhoun can do to turn this around?
Jones controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calhoun throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Jones controlling from mount.
Jones throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Calhoun can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four 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.
Calhoun tries to control the position but Jones now has his back.
Calhoun covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Jones controls the action.
Calhoun wants to control his opponent's hands but Jones gets his hands free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Calhoun is trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Jones dominated that second round.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jones shoots in for a double leg but Calhoun sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jones uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Calhoun.
Jones looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Calhoun looks for a takedown but Jones sprawls well.
Jones was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Calhoun drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Jones bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Shunte Calhoun seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones shoots for a double leg takedown but Calhoun sprawls well. He's pushed Jones's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jones doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Calhoun to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calhoun shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Jones defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Calhoun takes the fight into the clinch.
Jones tries to work over Calhoun's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Jones avoiding damage as Calhoun throws knees to the body.
Jones putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Calhoun in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Jones.
Jones struggles to land a body shot inside as Calhoun controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calhoun trying to control the position but instead, Jones has worked for underhooks and has pushed Calhoun into the cage.
Jones jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Calhoun walks away with a smile on his face. Jones gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Jones fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Jones with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Calhoun misses with a knee to the head.
Calhoun blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones looking for a takedown.
Calhoun fails to pull guard.
Jones with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Calhoun tries to land a knee to the head but Jones blocks with his arms.
Calhoun wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Jones has him pressed against the cage.
Calhoun is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Jones scores with a nice hook to the head.
Jones is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Jones doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones jumps guard but Calhoun turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Calhoun looking for a takedown.
Jones tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nick Jones has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Calhoun's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Calhoun just leaning against Jones, taking a breather.
Calhoun wants to take the fight to the mat but Jones manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Calhoun wants to break free but Jones has control.
Shunte Calhoun has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nick Jones is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jones lands a hook to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Jones showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Jones, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Jones!