PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ravi Shankoli (ranked 1325 p4p, 205 weight class) and Billy West (ranked 1365 p4p, 212 weight class). Shankoli comes to the cage accompanied by Ravi Shankar - Om Shiva. West has chosen Gojira - Shooting Star as his entrance music. Billy West told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Shankoli
vs
West

187 cm
37
203 lbs
48 - 19 - 0

192 cm
33
226 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Sportivité
Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

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 48 - 19 - 0, fighting out of London, Ravi Shankoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Billy West!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
West looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shankoli is fending him off so far but West persists. Nope, Shankoli circles away and we're back to standing.
West looks to land a body kick but Shankoli moved away.
Shankoli takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
West lands a nice leg kick that just misses Shankoli's sensitive parts.
West thuds his right hand into Shankoli's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
West lands with a straight right. Shankoli didn't see that one coming.
West gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Shankoli holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
West working aggressively here.
Shankoli doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shankoli tries to work over West's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
West misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shankoli swings away with an uppercut that misses.
West swings wildly with an uppercut but Shankoli uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shankoli scores with a shot to the side of West's head.
Shankoli works on West's body with a couple of short punches.
Shankoli stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Shankoli swings away with an uppercut that misses.
West working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short left from West.
A left hand lands to the body for Shankoli.
West misses with a body punch.
Shankoli lands a nice shot to the body.
A head punch on the inside from West fails to land.
Stalling in the clinch from Shankoli.
West blocking some punches.
West goes for a takedown attempt but Shankoli pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ravi Shankoli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy West.
West misses with a takedown
and Shankoli counters with a nice kick to the body.
West looks winded!
Shankoli staying out of range there.
It looked like Shankoli wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from West does no damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
West rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Shankoli counter with a right hand.

It looks like Billy West has been cut.
West looks to land a left hand but Shankoli moved out of range nicely.
West with a lazy takedown attempt
and Shankoli counters with a right hand to the body.
West thuds a left hand into Shankoli's body.
A head kick misses from West.
West misses with a left hand
and Shankoli counters with a stiff right hand.

West decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Shankoli has one foot on West's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
West throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shankoli counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps West thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shankoli moves out of range of the strikes.
West misses the shot to the body.
West throws a poor cross that misses
and Shankoli counters with a stiff jab, followed by a cross and an uppercut! That's too much punishment for West to take - he tumbles to the canvas, blood pouring from his nose, barely conscious. That's the end of the fight! Great knockout by Shankoli!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Ravi Shankoli!
Post fight, Ravi Shankoli took to the microphone: 'His spirit was strong, but my intention was to crush him. Psychologically, as well as physically with my boxing. I knew that he would be a willing opponent, and he showed heart, but my soul wanted this more! I feel strongly against animal violence, but in this case taking the hammer to the panda wa'.