PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony McMaster (ranked 5561 p4p, 369 weight class) and Takahiro Shirai (ranked 5559 p4p, 370 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

McMaster
vs
Shirai

195 cm
19
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
18
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Anthony McMaster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Takahiro Shirai!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McMaster throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
McMaster throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Shirai wants to counter with a clinch but McMaster pushes him away.

Shirai is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in McMaster's half guard.

McMaster kicks Shirai off and gets back to his feet.
McMaster fails in his attempt to clinch.
McMaster shoots in looking for a takedown but Shirai manages to keep the fight standing, pushing McMaster's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Shirai wants to clinch.

Shirai feints and as McMaster raises his hands in defense, Shirai changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

McMaster has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Shirai is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMaster avoids the elbow strike from Shirai, against the cage.
Shirai tries to break the clinch but McMaster is controlling the position.
McMaster fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shirai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McMaster's elbow.
McMaster holding his opponent close, against the cage.

McMaster has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Shirai uses from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shirai looking to pass the guard.
Shirai trying to control but McMaster is working from the bottom.
McMaster tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McMaster is pulling down on Shirai's head. It's preventing any offense from Shirai, at least for the moment.
McMaster keeping moving, preventing Shirai from controlling successfully.
Shirai throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McMaster works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
McMaster 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.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

McMaster working for a triangle but Shirai defends it easily.
Shirai wanted to stand there but McMaster had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shirai looking to sit in guard and control but McMaster gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shirai looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Shirai is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Shirai wants to control but McMaster passes easily into half guard.
Shirai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with McMaster. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Shirai won't allow McMaster to pass to mount.
McMaster wants to control but Shirai is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McMaster frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Shirai reaches up to try and control the position but McMaster seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Shirai rolls and tries to escape and now McMaster has his back!
Shirai tries to roll but McMaster sticks to his back.
McMaster avoiding Shirai 's attempts to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony McMaster dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

McMaster doesn't manage to clinch there - Shirai circles away.
McMaster changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Shirai tries to avoid it but McMaster manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Shirai to the ground. Shirai escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Shirai is looking to clinch but McMaster is avoiding it.

McMaster tries to sprawl but Shirai drives through with a takedown into half guard.

McMaster kicks off Shirai and gets to his feet.
McMaster shoots in but no luck this time.
Shirai moves in looking to clinch but McMaster pushes him off.
McMaster looks for a takedown but Shirai sprawls well.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Shirai! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony McMaster. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McMaster fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Shirai checks it well.
McMaster sets himself, and Shirai steps forward looking for the clinch! McMaster avoids it this time.
McMaster tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shirai misses with a combination
and McMaster counters with a three punch combo that has Shirai backing up. Shirai nods at McMaster to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

McMaster wriggles free and stands up.

Shirai pushes McMaster up against the cage in a clinch.

McMaster pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shirai fails in his attempt to clinch.

McMaster gets caught flat footed, as Shirai shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. McMaster manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

McMaster ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. McMaster no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Shirai wants to control from the top but McMaster keeps moving.

McMaster looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McMaster has Shirai pulled in close to control his posture.
McMaster keeping moving, preventing Shirai from controlling successfully.
Shirai throws an elbow that misses. McMaster uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Shirai's guard. Nice move by McMaster!

Shirai wants to control but McMaster passes easily into half guard.
Shirai trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shirai trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shirai can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shirai really wants to buck McMaster off and get back to his feet.
Anthony McMaster overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

McMaster is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Shirai stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shirai wants it to stay on the feet.
Shirai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. McMaster manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
McMaster is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shirai can do to turn this around?
Shirai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shirai is looking to clinch.
McMaster tries to score with a low kick but Shirai moves his leg out of the way.
Shirai wants to counter with a clinch but McMaster pushes him away.
Shirai shoots in looking for a takedown but McMaster manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Shirai's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

McMaster clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McMaster looking to stall.
Shirai jumps guard but McMaster stands there with Shirai around his waist. Shirai gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Shirai content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Shirai has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. McMaster avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
McMaster looking to stall.
McMaster tries a body shot but Shirai blocks it.
Shirai doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
McMaster wants a takedown but no success here.

McMaster jumps guard and drags Shirai to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony McMaster dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

McMaster fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shirai dives in for a single leg takedown but McMaster sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Anthony McMaster is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McMaster fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shirai is looking to clinch but McMaster is avoiding it.
McMaster shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony McMaster. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Shirai dives in and scores a takedown into McMaster's guard.
McMaster looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shirai looking to sit in guard and control but McMaster gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shirai is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and McMaster defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shirai trying to keep a closed guard but McMaster is proving a slippery customer.

McMaster stands and steps away. Shirai gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Shirai digs a good body shot into McMaster's ribs.
Shirai misses with a body shot.
McMaster tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shirai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A head kick misses from McMaster.
McMaster tries to bum rush Shirai with a series of wild strikes but Shirai uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Shirai fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McMaster clinches up against the cage.
Shirai tries to pull guard but McMaster forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
McMaster gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Shirai.
McMaster is stalling here.
Shirai lands a left hand.
McMaster stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
McMaster tries for a takedown. No joy.
Shirai wants to take the fight to the mat but McMaster manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McMaster pulls guard.
Shirai wants to control from the top but McMaster keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now McMaster is on top in guard.

McMaster passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Shirai tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but McMaster wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
McMaster tries to move into full mount but can't pass Shirai's legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shirai is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McMaster advances nicely into full mount.

Shirai reaches up to try and pull McMaster in and control his posture, but McMaster latches on to an arm and pivots quickly for an armbar! Shirai taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Anthony McMaster!