PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bubba Wrath (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wrath kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is RUFF RIDERS ANTHEM. John Shepard has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Bubba Wrath's chin.

Wrath
vs
Shepard

173 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Bubba Wrath!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, John Shepard!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wrath throws a hook but Shepard blocks it.

Shepard moves into the clinch.
Shepard misses with some punches.
Shepard lands with a short shot to the head.
Nice body punch from Shepard.
Shepard lands a right hand.
Shepard lands a hook that snaps the head of Wrath backwards.
Shepard lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Wrath gets control of Shepard's arms and successfully pulls guard. Wrath will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Shepard trying to control but Wrath is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wrath manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shepard manages to get himself to full guard.
Wrath trying to control but Shepard is working from the bottom.
Wrath slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Shepard is looking for a sweep.

Wrath tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Wrath has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Shepard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Wrath. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Wrath decides to stand back up. Wrath steps back and let's Shepard get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wrath paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wrath keeps the fight on the outside.

Shepard tries to keep at a distance but Wrath has taken the fight into the clinch.
Shepard fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shepard prevents the takedown attempt.
Shepard managing to block the knees to the body from Wrath.
Wrath is stalling here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shepard.
Shepard lands with a left to the head.
Shepard tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Shepard misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Shepard fails to land.
Wrath changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shepard fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A right-left combo lands from Shepard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepard drives through and clinches with Wrath against the cage.
Shepard lands a body punch in the clinch.
Wrath wants to stall.
Wrath is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shepard pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bubba Wrath. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wrath is breathing heavily.
Shepard lands a left hand that snaps the head of Wrath backwards.

Wrath turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Shepard is not content to let Wrath control the position.
Shepard wants to control but Wrath postures up.
Shepard tries to bench press Wrath off him but Wrath keeps the position.
Shepard struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard is not content to let Wrath control the position.
Shepard tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wrath wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Shepard takes the fight into the clinch.
Shepard prevents the takedown attempt.
Shepard lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Wrath is working for takedown but Shepard is calmly controlling the position for now.
Shepard stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Shepard throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Shepard working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Shepard lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Shepard lands with a short shot to the head.
Shepard gets through Wrath's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard gets through Wrath's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Shepard lands a left hand that snaps the head of Wrath backwards.
Shepard is working Wrath over against the cage.
Shepard prevents the takedown attempt.
Shepard works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Shepard lands with a short shot to the head.
A short left from Shepard.
Shepard lands with a left to the head.
Shepard lands an uppercut.
Shepard lands a shoulder strike.
A short body shot lands from Shepard as the two fighters clinch.
Shepard throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Shepard lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short uppercut from Shepard.
Shepard lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Wrath tries for a takedown but Shepard manages to get underhooks.
Shepard scores with a nice hook to the head.
Shepard scores with a shot to the side of Wrath's head.
A short right from Shepard on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Shepard dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Shepard wants to clinch but Wrath slips to the side

and Wrath counters with a shoot takedown. Shepard fights it but they end up in guard.
Wrath lands a couple of elbows.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shepard can do anything to dispel that myth.

Shepard is looking for a triangle here but Wrath uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Wrath works to advance to full mount. Shepard defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Shepard is trying desperately to improve position.

Wrath looking to isolate an arm here. Shepard doesn't see it coming and as Wrath extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Wrath!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Bubba Wrath!
Bubba Wrath is the new featherweight champion!