PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Billy Fotherby (ranked 8142 p4p, 588 weight class) and Henry Shaw (ranked 6363 p4p, 512 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fotherby
vs
Shaw

182 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Billy Fotherby!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Henry Shaw!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fotherby rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shaw moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fotherby tries to clinch but Shaw is having none of it.
Fotherby tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shaw paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fotherby throws a right and a left that both miss.
Shaw is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Shaw is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Fotherby.
Shaw throws a series of punches but Fotherby moves out of range.
Fotherby gets cracked there but stands up to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Fotherby!

Fotherby clinches up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fotherby looking to throw knees to the head but Shaw is blocking nicely.
Shaw tries to break the clinch but Fotherby is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw wants to get back to striking at distance but Fotherby won't allow it.

Fotherby breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fotherby swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Shaw counters with a series of strikes. Fotherby will be more careful next time no doubt.
Shaw swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Fotherby.
Shaw looks to land a combination but Fotherby avoids it well.
Fotherby wants to clinch.
As Fotherby backs off Shaw throws a huge counter combo but Fotherby manages to avoid it all.
Fotherby misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fotherby sets himself, and Shaw steps forward looking for the clinch! Fotherby avoids it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fotherby lands with a nice combination. Shaw backs away looking to recover.
Fotherby throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fotherby is looking to clinch.
The fighters circling - Fotherby throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Shaw rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fotherby moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fotherby wants to clinch

and Shaw counters with a series of strikes that sends Fotherby to the canvas! Shaw follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!

Fotherby is rocked!
Shaw is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Oh Fotherby is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shaw's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Fotherby is wriggling around but Shaw manages to pass to half guard.
Fotherby seems to have got his legs back now.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fotherby avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fotherby doesn't manage to clinch there - Shaw circles away.
Fotherby tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shaw paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shaw swats away the attempt to clinch by Fotherby.
Fotherby misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Fotherby rushes Shaw and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shaw.

Fotherby breaks from the clinch.
Shaw swats away the attempt to clinch by Fotherby.
Fotherby's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Fotherby duly obliges.
Fotherby wants to clinch but Shaw slips to the side
and Shaw counters with a nice uppercut.
Shaw misses with a wild combination.
Fotherby is looking to clinch.
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 Billy Fotherby will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Fotherby tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Shaw counters with a series of strikes that sends Fotherby to the canvas! Shaw follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!
Fotherby working a defensive guard here.
Shaw throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fotherby throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shaw's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Fotherby throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fotherby wants to get back to his feet but Shaw is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Shaw looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shaw misses with a wild combination.
Fotherby fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shaw throws a counter combo.
A combination from Shaw does no damage.
Fotherby fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shaw throws a counter combo.
Fotherby tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fotherby fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shaw shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fotherby pinned against the cage. Fotherby gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A low kick from Shaw misses
and Fotherby counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fotherby is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fotherby fails to land with a series of punches.
Shaw misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fotherby tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Shaw manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fotherby tries to clinch up.
Shaw throws a counter combo.
A right-left combo lands from Fotherby.
Fotherby closes the distance looking to clinch
and Shaw counters with a two punch combo.
Henry Shaw seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fotherby is looking to clinch.
Shaw swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Fotherby counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Shaw enables Fotherby to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Shaw manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Fotherby has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fotherby throws a strike but Shaw rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Shaw throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shaw engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Shaw throws a big elbow that misses.
We've been informed that Shaw has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Shaw must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Shaw trying to control the position from guard on top but Fotherby is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shaw stops Fotherby from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henry Shaw showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Fotherby's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Fotherby duly obliges.
Shaw avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
As Fotherby backs off Shaw throws a huge counter combo but Fotherby manages to avoid it all.
Fotherby scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Fotherby misses with a series of wild punches.
Fotherby looks to land a combination but Shaw avoids it well.
Fotherby moves in looking to clinch but Shaw pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fotherby tries to clinch but Shaw moves out of range.
Shaw lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Oooh a lovely combination from Shaw sends Fotherby down but not out. Shaw dives into side control looking to finish.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The strikes coming from Shaw are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Henry Shaw has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fotherby keeps working.

Shaw tries for a kimura but Fotherby is defending well.
Shaw controlling from side mount.

Shaw goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Fotherby has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Shaw but great work by Fotherby.
The strikes coming from Fotherby are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fotherby prevents Shaw from escaping the position.
Fotherby throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Fotherby creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Shaw sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Fotherby controls the position from side control.
Shaw wants to control but Fotherby postures up.
Fotherby scores with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw struggling a bit here.
Shaw pushes Fotherby away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Fotherby gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fotherby decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Fotherby wants to clinch up but Shaw keeps it at a distance.
Shaw throws a counter combo.
Fotherby tries to clinch up.
Fotherby misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shaw circles away from the clinch attempt
and Fotherby takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fotherby wants to clinch.
Shaw unleashes a big counter combination but Fotherby bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Fotherby tries to clinch but Shaw is having none of it.
Fotherby shoots in but no luck this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shaw throws a series of punches but Fotherby avoids them all with ease.
Fotherby moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Fotherby is looking to clinch but Shaw is avoiding it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Billy Fotherby.
I think Fotherby 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Billy Fotherby!
An out of breath Billy Fotherby thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.