PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mario Curran (ranked 1705 p4p, 178 weight class) and Shelby Foote (ranked 1261 p4p, 138 weight class). Curran comes to the cage accompanied by Shoshone Flag Song. 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.

Curran
vs
Foote

169 cm
33
154 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

167 cm
30
150 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

Organic Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mario Curran!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shelby Foote!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Curran staying out of range there.

Foote throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Curran was covering up waiting for the punch and Foote finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Foote lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Foote wants to pass the guard but Curran is keeping the position.

Curran escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Foote gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Foote forces his way into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foote not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Curran makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Curran.

Curran has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Foote can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foote trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Curran escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Foote gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Foote throws a big right hand that misses.
Foote is working Curran over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Curran is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Foote moves into full guard.
Curran advances to half guard.

Curran is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Foote is just riding it out for now. Curran eventually gives up the hold.
Foote regains full guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Curran is looking to advance position but Foote has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Curran is in a horrible position here. Foote smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Foote can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Curran is looking to escape.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Curran manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Foote is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curran regains full guard. Nicely done.
Foote must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Curran looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Curran looking to hit a scissor sweep but Foote is one step ahead there.
Foote trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Foote passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Curran is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Foote off and has taken his back!
Curran lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Foote hold on?!
Curran seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Curran controlling well, preventing Foote from escaping the position.
Curran lands punches and elbows.
Curran keeps control of the position as Foote tries to break free.
Foote covers up after that shot from Curran.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foote tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Foote takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

It looks like Shelby Foote has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Foote keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Foote keeps trying to improve his position.
Foote wants to hold on but Curran pushes him away.
Curran raining down hammerfists from mount.
Curran lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Curran controlling the pace for now.
Foote in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Foote is rocked!
Curran lands with some strikes.
Foote is still in real trouble! Can Curran finish him?
Foote really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Foote seems to have recovered his senses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Curran dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shelby Foote's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Curran scores with a jab to the jaw.

That has opened up Shelby Foote's cut even more.
Curran ducks under a wild hook from Foote.
Foote shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Curran eats them both and turns towards Foote to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Curran is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Foote.

Foote drives through with a takedown into Curran's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Foote is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Foote trying to control the position from guard on top but Curran is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Foote working his ground and pound in the gym.
Foote working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Curran's head.
Foote scoring with punches to the head and body.
Foote trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Curran manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

This has been an exciting period of action!
Curran distracts Foote with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Foote looking for a sweep. Not yet Foote, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foote keeping moving, preventing Curran from controlling successfully.
Foote is trying to control the position but Curran postures up.
Curran won't allow Foote to sweep him here.
Curran looking to pass the guard.
Curran with a flurry of punches that miss.
Foote is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Foote manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Curran manages to get himself to full guard.

Foote got a little sloppy there for a moment and Curran has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Foote has managed to get both his arms back between Curran's legs - danger averted.

Curran looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foote throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Curran works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mario Curran overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Curran wants to sweep here but Foote controlling him for the moment.
Foote stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Curran swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Curran is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Foote is aware though and is defending well.
Curran looking to hit a scissor sweep but Foote is one step ahead there.
Curran is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Curran 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.
The fighters are battling for position here. Foote manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Curran trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foote wants to sweep but no luck.
Curran passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Curran is chipping away with strikes.
Foote manages to work his way to half guard, despite Curran's best efforts.
Foote tries to roll over but Curran keeps him under control.
Curran trying to mount his opponent but Foote defends it.

Curran is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Curran looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Curran looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foote trying to control here.
Foote makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Foote.
Curran scoring with punches to the head and body.
Foote can't keep his opponent in guard - Curran advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Foote is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Curran's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Curran's back!
Foote punches Curran on the ear.

Foote is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Curran has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Curran rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Shelby Foote will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Shelby Foote's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Foote looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Foote moves into full mount! Curran won't be happy about that!
Curran is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Foote tries to control but Curran wriggling away.
Curran slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Curran blocking the ground and pound attempt from Foote.
Curran wants to improve his position but Foote is controlling well.
Curran is working hard here to advance position.
Curran gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foote postures up in Curran's guard and throws a big left but Curran blocks it.
Foote wants to control from the top but Curran keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Foote accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Curran has his foot on Foote's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Foote works his way back into a safe position though.

Curran is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Foote defends well.
Curran is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Foote pushes down on Curran's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Foote trying to pass the guard but Curran defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Foote looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Curran works his way to full guard. Good work.
Foote scoring with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Foote's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Curran lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Curran lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curran trying to control the position from guard on top but Foote is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Foote trying to keep a closed guard but Curran is proving a slippery customer.
Foote looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Foote controls Curran momentarily but Curran frees himself.
Curran advances to half guard.
Curran works his way into side control.
Foote wants to control but Curran postures up.
Foote is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foote sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Curran working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Curran is looking for a kimura here.
Curran drops an elbow to the side of Foote's head.

Foote looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are battling for position here. Foote manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Foote seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Curran sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Foote's guard.

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 Mario Curran.
I think Curran 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a draw!