PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Reece Campos (ranked 3744 p4p, 3976 weight class) and Leonel Sherman (ranked 363 p4p, 382 weight class). Sherman is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Lucky Me. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Campos
vs
Sherman

178 cm
25
155
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
23
160
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Reece Campos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leonel Sherman!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Josh West and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sherman closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Campos to the mat! Campos manages to get full guard.
Sherman wants to control from the top but Campos keeps moving.
Sherman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Campos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Campos has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Sherman is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Campos.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Sherman working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Sherman creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Campos sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Sherman tries for a kimura but Campos is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sherman working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman trying to control the position but Campos is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Campos manages to get back to half guard.
Sherman tries to pass the half guard into mount. Campos knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Sherman is still trying to improve position.
Sherman trying to control from half guard but Campos is working away.

That's two 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.
Sherman tries to pass the half guard into mount. Campos knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Campos on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Campos tries to get out of the position.
Campos regains full guard. Nicely done.
Campos keeping moving, preventing Sherman from controlling successfully.
Sherman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sherman trying to control the position from guard on top but Campos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sherman preventing the sweep.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Campos keeping moving, preventing Sherman from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leonel Sherman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Campos was well out of range. Poor timing from Sherman.

Campos gets caught napping as Sherman dives in and scores a takedown. Campos manages to retain guard.

Campos is looking for a triangle but Sherman pushes his legs off easily.

Sherman decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Campos, up you get!

Sherman shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sherman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Sherman is looking to advance position but Campos won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherman sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Campos defending well though.
Sherman has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sherman trying to control but Campos is having none of it.
Sherman with good strikes from the mount here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Sherman jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Campos is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Campos and Sherman has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonel Sherman dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Campos uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sherman.

Campos gets caught napping as Sherman dives in and scores a takedown. Campos manages to retain guard.
Sherman tries to free his leg and advance position but Campos is retaining full guard.
Sherman wants to control from the top but Campos keeps moving.
Sherman looking to sit in guard and control but Campos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sherman wants to control but Campos passes easily into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Campos controlling the pace.
Campos tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Campos is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Sherman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two 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.
Sherman is looking for a sweep. Campos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Campos stops Sherman from getting back to his feet.

Sherman looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sherman is looking to improve his position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Campos pushes Sherman up against the cage in a clinch.

Sherman has hold of one of Campos's legs. Campos is fighting the takedown attempt but Sherman gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Campos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sherman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Campos is keeping the position for now.
Sherman trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Sherman gets to his feet - Campos follows without any prompting.

Sherman gets the takedown into side control.
Campos managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Sherman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Campos manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sherman's best efforts.
Sherman looks to land a strike but Campos avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Sherman advances position into side control!
Sherman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Campos keeps working.

Sherman is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Campos is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sherman working the ground and pound from side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonel Sherman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sherman circles away from the clinch attempt.

Sherman closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Campos to the mat! Campos manages to get full guard.
Campos controls Sherman momentarily but Sherman frees himself.
Sherman landing with the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sherman's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sherman looking to sit in guard and control but Campos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sherman is on top in guard.

Sherman throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Campos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sherman trying to control but Campos is working from the bottom.
Sherman is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sherman's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sherman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Campos lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Campos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've been hearing that Campos has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sherman looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Campos passes into side control.
Sherman tries to improve position but can't.
Reece Campos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Campos is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sherman seems a little lost for a moment, as Campos dominates the positioning.
Sherman is looking to regain half guard here but Campos keeps moving and retains side control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Decent striking displayed by Campos there.

Sherman is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Campos's half guard.
Campos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sherman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Campos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Campos looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sherman passes into half guard.

Sherman seems to be looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonel Sherman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sherman winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonel Sherman!