PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ravi Shankoli (ranked 1560 p4p, 211 weight class) and Billy West (ranked 1855 p4p, 237 weight class). Shankoli comes to the cage accompanied by Ravi Shankar - Om Shiva. West has chosen Gojira - Shooting Star as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Shankoli
vs
West

187 cm
41
204 lbs
56 - 27 - 0

192 cm
37
223 lbs
25 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 56 - 27 - 0, fighting out of London, Ravi Shankoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 18 - 0, fighting out of New York, Billy West!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Steve Montenegro and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
West throws a predictable looking body shot
and Shankoli counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

West takes the fight into the clinch.
Shankoli letting West take a breather here.
West is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Shankoli gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A hook to the body from Shankoli.
West misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shankoli lands with a light punch inside.
West has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Shankoli avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
West misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Shankoli goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
West lands a hook that snaps the head of Shankoli backwards.
Shankoli lands a right hand that snaps the head of West backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Shankoli.
Shankoli tries a body shot but West blocks it.
Shankoli lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Shankoli tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and West avoids it.
West tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Shankoli tries to land knees in the clinch but West avoids the damage to the body.
West tries to throw a body punch but Shankoli avoids it by throwing West back against the cage.
West misses with a punch to the body.
West misses with some punches.

Shankoli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
West jabs Shankoli to the body, keeping him at a distance.

West fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Shankoli, pushing him back against the cage.
West tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Shankoli's elbow.
West misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shankoli lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shankoli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
West with a poor takedown
and Shankoli makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ravi Shankoli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy West.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

West closes the distance and pushes Shankoli back into the cage.
Shankoli blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shankoli tries a body shot but West blocks it.
Shankoli fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

West works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
West postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Shankoli controls West momentarily but West frees himself.
West loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Shankoli has West pulled in close to control his posture.
Shankoli has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
West postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shankoli has West pulled in close to control his posture.
West pushes down on Shankoli's leg and manages to get into half guard.

West 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.
West wants to take a breather but Shankoli is having none of it.
Shankoli trying to control but West postures up.
Shankoli is concentrating on defense, preventing West from advancing position.
Shankoli avoiding damage under a succession of punches from West.

Shankoli pushes West off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

West has Shankoli up against the cage in a clinch.

Shankoli manages to break the clinch.
West cracks Shankoli with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Shankoli seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
West tries to clinch but Shankoli is having none of it.
A quick step to the side and Shankoli tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Shankoli defends well against a solid takedown attempt from West.
Shankoli quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
West shoots and misses
and Shankoli counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Billy West has been cut.
West shoots and misses
and Shankoli counters with a huge left! West is in big trouble! He's backing up but Shankoli isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save West from any more damage. A dominating finish by Shankoli!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ravi Shankoli!
A victorious Ravi Shankoli thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.