PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Red Beard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Shepard
vs
Beard

186 cm
18
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gabriel Shepard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Red Beard!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beard fails in his attempt to clinch.
Beard punishes Shepard's body with a nice straight punch.
Beard tries to clinch up.
Beard misses with a wild combination.
Beard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Beard throws a right and a left that Shepard avoids nicely.
Beard doesn't manage to clinch there - Shepard circles away.

Shepard closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Beard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shepard has him pressed against the cage.
Beard lands an elbow just above Shepard 's eye.
Shepard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Beard takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Beard manages to break the clinch.
Beard looks to clinch
and Shepard counters with an inside leg kick.
Shepard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Beard darts in trying to clinch

and Shepard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Beard tries to land knees in the clinch but Shepard avoids the damage to the body.
Beard'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.

Shepard has Beard pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Shepard pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Beard tumbling to the mat - Shepard dives into Beard's guard.
Shepard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Shepard trying to control but Beard is working from the bottom.
Shepard pushing down on Beard's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shepard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Shepard trying to mount his opponent but Beard defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard throwing shots but Beard is blocking nicely.

Shepard is trying to work for a kimura but Beard is defending well.
Beard is refusing to be controlled, as Shepard sits in half guard.
Beard is looking for a sweep. Shepard is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beard wants to control but Shepard is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Beard darts in trying to clinch

and Shepard moves into the clinch.
Beard gets underhooks to prevent Shepard's takedown attempt.

Beard breaks the clinch.
Beard wants to clinch

and Shepard counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Shepard is breathing heavily.

Shepard is working for a submission of some sort.
Shepard working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Beard's thigh. Beard counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Beard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Beard wants to stand up but Shepard is controlling him.
Shepard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Beard is keeping the position for now.
Shepard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Shepard dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Beard tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Shepard counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Beard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Shepard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Beard's head.

Shepard is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Beard is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Beard has escaped and now he's on top!
Shepard throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beard won't allow Shepard to sweep him here.

Shepard looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shepard throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Beard trying to stand up but can't free himself from Shepard's guard.
Beard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shepard is keeping the position for now.

Shepard had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Beard is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Shepard Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Beard's back instead.
Beard tries to escape but Shepard has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Shepard is looking for the choke from the back position but Beard is controlling his hands well.

Shepard working for a choke but Beard is defending well.
Beard tries to escape but Shepard has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Shepard's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Beard tries to roll but Shepard sticks to his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Beard tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Beard is trying desperately to improve position.
Beard's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Beard tries to improve his position but instead Shepard has taken his back!

Shepard patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Shepard is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Beard is defending well though. Shepard let's go of the attempt for now.
Beard can't escape the position.
Shepard somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Beard is trying to get back to his feet but Shepard has full control of the position and if anything, Beard has just worked his way into a worse spot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Beard wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.
Beard tries to lock up and control but Shepard gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Shepard dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Beard tries to clinch up

and Shepard counters with a takedown into side control.

Shepard is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Beard has escaped the position, nice work there.
Shepard wants to control but Beard is keeping him busy.
Beard is looking to reverse the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shepard misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Beard is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shepard working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Shepard is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Beard has escaped the position, nice work there.
Beard is looking for a sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Beard tries to clinch up.
Red Beard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Beard darts in trying to clinch

and Shepard counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Shepard wants to work for an arm triangle but Beard is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Shepard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Beard defending well though.
Beard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Shepard.
Beard is looking to escape.
The fighters are battling for position here. Beard manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Shepard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Beard swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard is working hard here to advance position.
Beard is trying to control the position but Shepard postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Beard tries to clinch up

and Shepard counters by moving into the clinch.

Beard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice combo by Beard! Oh, that's hurt him - Shepard falls to the canvas and Beard follows him into side control.

Shepard is rocked!

It looks like Gabriel Shepard has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shepard is looking to regain half guard here but Beard keeps moving and retains side control.
Beard in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Beard wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Beard wants to stand but Shepard is controlling his arm.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Beard working away.
Gabriel Shepard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Red Beard.
I think Shepard 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gabriel Shepard!