PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jesse James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryan Sherpard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sherpard has chosen Truth as his entrance music. Jesse James has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

James
vs
Sherpard

185 cm
19
192 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesse James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bryan Sherpard!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James scores with a jab to the jaw.
Sherpard doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
James stuffs the takedown.
James works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
James scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sherpard closes the distance looking to clinch
and James counters with a left and a right that stings Sherpard.
Sherpard takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sherpard takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sherpard tries to clinch but James moves away

and James counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by James.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

James moves into the clinch successfully.
Sherpard using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Sherpard fails to pull guard.

James is trying to trip Sherpard. He has hold of a leg but Sherpard is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. James persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
James throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sherpard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
James missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
James working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
James trying to control but Sherpard is working from the bottom.
Sherpard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sherpard trying to keep a closed guard but James is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James thows a big elbow that misses.
James in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

James moves into the clinch.

James has clasped his hands together around Sherpard's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Sherpard wants to get back to his feet but James drags him back down.
Sherpard defending against the ground and pound.
Sherpard dodges the ground and pound from James.

James is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sherpard knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sherpard manages to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

James is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sherpard is just riding it out for now. James eventually gives up the hold.

Sherpard actively working from the bottom here.
Sherpard looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
James throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

James is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
James lands strikes from half guard.
James missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sherpard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sherpard has hold of James's hands but James slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse James dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

James closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

James has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sherpard regains guard immediately.
James wants to stand but Sherpard has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
James controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sherpard keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
Sherpard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James postures up in Sherpard's guard and throws a big left but Sherpard blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sherpard controls James momentarily but James frees himself.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
James tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sherpard paws at him with a jab and circles away.

James clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sherpard jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as James walks away with a smile on his face. Sherpard gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sherpard tries to clinch up
and James counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sherpard darts in trying to clinch
and James counters with a nice uppercut.
Jesse James is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts James, as that shot connected.
Sherpard tries to clinch up
and James counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherpard shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and James counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sherpard is breathing heavily.
Jab, jab by James - just one landing.
Sherpard tries for a takedown but James circles away easily

and James counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Jesse James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bryan Sherpard.

James wants the takedown. Sherpard is fighting it off but James persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Sherpard's guard against the cage.
James distracts Sherpard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
James postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

James avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sherpard working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from James.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
James missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
James throwing strikes but missing.
James is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
James cracks Sherpard with a solid left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse James dominated that second round.
That's time! James's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

James clinches up with Sherpard and pushes him back against the cage.

James breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
James fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
James is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sherpard can do to turn this around?
James displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Jesse James is winning the standup battle so far.
James circles away from the clinch attempt

and James counters by clinching up.
James tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sherpard has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. James avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

James gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Sherpard is looking to control James's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sherpard avoid being mounted?
James tries to pass to full mount but Sherpard defends it.
Sherpard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherpard trying to control but James postures up.

James is working for a kimura but Sherpard is defending it quite comfortably.
James performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sherpard is trying to control but James passes into side control!
James is putting a hurting on Sherpard here, landing some big shots from side control.
James wants to control but Sherpard is keeping him busy.
A control attempt from Sherpard but he's now mounted!
Sherpard in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherpard is in a horrible position here. James smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Sherpard working to try and regain half guard.
James is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Bryan Sherpard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James scoring with strikes but Sherpard is staying in there.
James trying to control but Sherpard is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James with good strikes from the mount here!
James landing strikes from the mount.
Jesse James is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
James punishing his opponent with strikes.
James looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse James showed his dominance in that final round.
Well James has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:25
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:25
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse James!