PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vito Scaletta (ranked 1611 p4p, 1678 weight class) and Wesley Shutes (ranked 243 p4p, 255 weight class). Vito Scaletta could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Wesley Shutes's chin.

Scaletta
vs
Shutes

181 cm
48
184
29 - 21 - 1

182 cm
37
177
17 - 14 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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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 29 - 21 - 1, fighting out of New York, Vito Scaletta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 14 - 2, fighting out of London, Wesley Shutes!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shutes lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Shutes throws a body kick that misses

so Scaletta counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Shutes is working an open guard so Scaletta takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Scaletta has taken the fight to the clinch.

Scaletta turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Scaletta trying to control the position but Shutes is working away.
I wouldn't like to be where Shutes is right now.

Scaletta decides to stand up, so the ref orders Shutes to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Scaletta misses with a takedown attempt
letting Shutes counter with a right hand.
Shutes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Scaletta moves away.

Shutes tries to sprawl but Scaletta drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Shutes wants to improve his position but Scaletta is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scaletta is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Shutes is controlling Scaletta's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Scaletta not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Shutes is doing well to control the position and prevent Scaletta from advancing to side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Scaletta gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Scaletta shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Scaletta controlling the pace.
Shutes trying to control here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Scaletta stalling.
Shutes is not content to let Scaletta control the position.
Shutes trying to control from the bottom.
Scaletta thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shutes's head.

Scaletta stands up and beckons Shutes to join him on the feet.
Shutes lands with a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Scaletta swings away with a body shot that misses
and Shutes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Shutes lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Shutes keeps the fight on the outside.
Wesley Shutes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shutes lands a jab.
Scaletta tries to clinch there but Shutes circles away.
The crowd cheers as Shutes lands an impressive looking overhand right. Scaletta doesn't seem phased though.
Scaletta takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A jab lands there for Shutes.
Shutes misses with a wild body shot.
Scaletta is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Shutes lands a jab.
Shutes has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Shutes lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Scaletta moves into the clinch.
Shutes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Vito Scaletta will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Scaletta gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Scaletta with a poor takedown
and Shutes counters with a stiff right hand.
Scaletta moves in looking to clinch but Shutes pushes him off.
Scaletta takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Scaletta tries to clinch up.
Scaletta tries to clinch there but Shutes circles away.
Scaletta gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Shutes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Scaletta darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Scaletta content to control rather than advance.
Shutes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scaletta throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Scaletta trying to control the pace.
We've been hearing good reports from Scaletta's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Shutes is not content to let Scaletta control the position.
Shutes is trying to maintain the position but Scaletta is very close to passing his half guard.
Scaletta is keen to just control but Shutes is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Shutes is trying to maintain the position but Scaletta is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Shutes throws a body kick that misses.
Scaletta keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wesley Shutes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Scaletta takes one on the button.

Scaletta gets a clinch.
Shutes displaying some good clinch control by pressing Scaletta up against the cage.
Shutes lands a hook to the side of the head.
Shutes has Scaletta pressed against the cage, preventing Scaletta from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Scaletta avoiding damage as Shutes throws knees to the body.
Shutes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Scaletta avoiding damage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Shutes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Scaletta works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Scaletta postures up.
Shutes keeping moving, preventing Scaletta from controlling successfully.
Shutes is pulling down on Scaletta's head to control his posture.
Scaletta controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Scaletta missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Shutes working a defensive guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Shutes moves into the clinch successfully.
Shutes managing to block the knees to the body from Scaletta.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shutes.

Scaletta breaks from the clinch.
Shutes with a jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shutes thuds a left hand into Scaletta's body.
Scaletta shoots for a double leg takedown but Shutes sprawls well. He's pushed Scaletta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vito Scaletta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A lazy left from Shutes finds it's target.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Shutes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Scaletta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Shutes lands a nice shot that snaps Scaletta's head back.
Shutes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Scaletta moves away.
No luck for Scaletta with that takedown attempt.
A bone on bone clash there as Scaletta blocks the leg kick.
Scaletta shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Shutes as he avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from Shutes on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Scaletta fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vito Scaletta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Scaletta shoots in looking for a takedown but Shutes manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Scaletta's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Scaletta is looking to clinch.
Shutes wants to counter with a clinch but Scaletta pushes him away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shutes lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Scaletta takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Shutes ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Shutes lands a nice shot that snaps Scaletta's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shutes throws a right hand that Scaletta ducks under and follows up with a left that Scaletta also avoids with ease.
Shutes moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Scaletta misses with a takedown attempt - Shutes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A little jabbing left from Shutes on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Shutes jabs at Scaletta's body.
Scaletta has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Scaletta there as he acknowledges the shot.
Shutes scores with a nice head shot.
Scaletta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Shutes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Scaletta looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Shutes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Scaletta.
Scaletta on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Shutes. Shutes obviously looking to wear him down.
Shutes fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Scaletta on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Scaletta is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shutes's half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Scaletta seems to be looking for submissions.
Shutes trying to control but Scaletta postures up.

Scaletta is looking for a kimura here.

Shutes looking for submissions off his back.
Vito Scaletta overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Scaletta controlling the action here.
Shutes is refusing to be controlled, as Scaletta sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Scaletta slows the pace down in half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Scaletta is keen to just control but Shutes is a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nice sprawl there from Shutes as Scaletta shoots in.
Shutes keeps the fight on the outside.
Shutes stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Shutes wants to clinch up but Scaletta keeps it at a distance.
Shutes scores with a jab to the body.
Shutes lands a jab.
A punch combination from Scaletta misses.
Vito Scaletta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Scaletta shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Scaletta drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Nice sprawl there from Shutes as Scaletta shoots in.
Shutes looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Scaletta shoots in for a takedown but Shutes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wesley Shutes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shutes 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wesley Shutes!
In his post fight interview, Wesley Shutes started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.