PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steffan Bjelling (ranked 4705 p4p, 5532 weight class) and Benjamin Shields (ranked 568 p4p, 0 weight class). Steffan Bjelling had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Bjelling
vs
Shields

192 cm
25
200
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
205
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steffan Bjelling!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Benjamin Shields!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shields ducks right into an uppercut from Bjelling.
Shields gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bjelling counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Shields goes for a takedown attempt but Bjelling pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Bjelling shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Bjelling won't allow Shields to get back to his feet.
Bjelling trying to control the position from guard on top but Shields is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shields is trying to control the position but Bjelling postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bjelling won't allow Shields to sweep him here.

Shields has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Bjelling has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Shields decides to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shields looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bjelling passes into side control.
Shields is letting Bjelling control him for a moment.
Shields struggling a bit here.
Shields tries to bench press Bjelling off him but Bjelling keeps the position.

Bjelling decides to stand back up.
Shields lands a jab to Bjelling's midsection.
Shields gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bjelling counters with a crisp one two that drops Shields! Bjelling thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Shields to his feet! Shields is in big trouble!

Shields is rocked!
Steffan Bjelling has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benjamin Shields.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Shields is defended easily by Bjelling.
Shields looks winded!
Bjelling defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Shields.
Bjelling swinging wildly here.
Despite the aggression on Shields's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Bjelling scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Shields displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bjelling.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Shields gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bjelling to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Shields pushes Bjelling off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bjelling moves into the clinch.

Shields breaks from the clinch.
Shields stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shields wants it to stay on the feet.
Shields unleashes a big counter combination but Bjelling bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Bjelling shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Shields but Shields pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bjelling misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bjelling slips a jab and a cross from Shields.

Shields has closed the distance and engaged Bjelling in a clinch.
Bjelling slowing the pace effectively.

Bjelling breaks the clinch.

Shields gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bjelling tries to pull guard but Shields forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Shields stalling in the clinch.

Shields pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bjelling wants to clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bjelling keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shields.
Shields tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bjelling paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bjelling drops down looking for a counter takedown but Shields sprawls and moves away.
Bjelling tries to clinch there but Shields circles away.
Shields with the counter takedown but Bjelling avoids it easily.
Shields misses with a jab, cross combination.
Shields throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bjelling fails with the takedown
and Shields counters with a head kick. That will keep Bjelling thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Shields tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bjelling defends well and Shields ends up having to push Bjelling into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Bjelling closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Shields did well to prevent Bjelling getting side control.

Shields kicks Bjelling off and gets back to his feet.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Shields tries for a takedown but Bjelling sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bjelling drops down looking for a counter takedown but Shields sprawls and moves away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bjelling. That's going to slow Shields down.
Shields is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bjelling scores with a kick to the body.

Bjelling drives through with a takedown into guard.

Bjelling decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Shields, up you get!
Shields goes for a double leg but Bjelling avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bjelling continues to drive forward.
Steffan Bjelling has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benjamin Shields.
Shields avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shields wants to counter the offense by Bjelling and move into the clinch position.
Shields shoots in and drives through. Bjelling sprawls well.
Bjelling circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shields takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Shields gets tackled into the cage by Bjelling. Bjelling maintains the clinch.
Shields misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bjelling tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shields just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bjelling is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Shields tries to pull guard but Bjelling won't allow it.

Shields manages to break the clinch.
Bjelling is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shields sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bjelling stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bjelling wants it to stay on the feet.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Bjelling enables Shields to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Bjelling manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Shields is fighting to break Bjelling's control of his arms but Bjelling is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Shields looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shields advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Shields decides to stand back up. Shields steps back and let's Bjelling get back to his feet.
Shields thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Bjelling if he has to take too many more of those.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Shields is defended easily by Bjelling.
Shields throws a series of punches but Bjelling moves out of range.
Shields shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bjelling as he jumps to the side.
Shields looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Benjamin Shields will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bjelling shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Shields napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Bjelling working the ground and pound from side control.
Shields is not content to let Bjelling control the position.
An elbow from Bjelling crashes against the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shields gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Shields is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shields keeping hold of Bjelling's head, controlling as best he can.
Shields is refusing to be controlled, as Bjelling sits in half guard.
Shields is looking to control Bjelling's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shields avoid being mounted?
Shields wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Bjelling is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shields works his way to full guard. Good work.

Bjelling stands and steps away. Shields gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Steffan Bjelling is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shields dives in for a single leg takedown but Bjelling sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Shields shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bjelling sprawls well. Bjelling wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Shields gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bjelling fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bjelling dives in for a single leg takedown but Shields sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Shields tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bjelling just stands there and leans against the cage.
Steffan Bjelling has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benjamin Shields.

Shields breaks the clinch.
Shields throws a left and a right that both miss

and Bjelling counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bjelling.
Bjelling is trying to force a seperation but Shields has the dominant position.

Shields breaks the clinch.
Bjelling tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Shields manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Shields looks for a takedown but Bjelling sprawls well.
Bjelling tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Shields manages to circle out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bjelling tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shields swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shields with a poor takedown
and Bjelling counters with a left and a right that stings Shields.
Bjelling leaves Shields with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bjelling throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Shields's head.
Bjelling is looking to clinch.
Bjelling shoots in and drives through. Shields sprawls well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shields tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bjelling defends well and Shields ends up having to push Bjelling into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
As Shields tries to get set, Bjelling tries to push him back and clinch up but Shields manages to avoid the attempt.
Steffan Bjelling has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Benjamin Shields is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bjelling with the inside leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steffan Bjelling showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Shields has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Benjamin Shields!