PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Lashley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lashley comes to the cage accompanied by king nothing. Shepard is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Remedy. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lashley
vs
Shepard

187 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 New York, Bobby Lashley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rick Shepard!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Chad Campbell and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepard avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Lashley rushes Shepard and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Lashley tries to pull guard but Shepard holds him up against the cage and eventually Lashley drops back down to his feet.
Lashley fails to pull guard.
Lashley throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Shepard has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Lashley clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Lashley rolls, trying to escape but Shepard keeps control of the position.
Shepard is trying to stick to Lashley's back but Lashley is turning into Shepard. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Shepard's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Lashley.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lashley preventing the sweep.
Lashley won't allow Shepard to get back to his feet.

Lashley drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lashley jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lashley stays in close to Shepard's body and controls the position.
Lashley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Shepard misses with a takedown attempt - Lashley sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Lashley closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Lashley lands with a punch from half guard.
Lashley trying to control the action but Shepard is working from the bottom.
Lashley tries to stand and escape but Shepard is controlling the position.

Shepard kicks off Lashley and gets to his feet.
Shepard looks gassed!
A nice leg kick lands there from Shepard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lashley shoots and misses

and Shepard counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Lashley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Shepard stands up and waves to Lashley to follow him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lashley swats away the attempt to clinch by Shepard.

Shepard scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Lashley trying to control but Shepard postures up.
Lashley is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Shepard is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Shepard decides to stand and escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lashley misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Lashley shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shepard counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lashley!
Shepard looking to finish Lashley with some ground and pound. This is bad for Lashley!
Lashley tries to control the position but Shepard now has his back.
I really don't envy Lashley right now.
Shepard controlling the position well here. Lashley rolled but Shepard kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Lashley trying to control the hands but Shepard won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lashley turns into Shepard and is now in his guard.
Shepard pulls Lashley in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lashley trying to control but Shepard is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lashley shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Shepard is trying to defend but Lashley finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Shepard trying to control but Lashley postures up.
Lashley throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lashley is trying to control. Shepard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Lashley stands up and beckons Shepard to join him on the feet.
Lashley misses with a double jab

and Shepard counters with a single leg into guard. Lashley didn't expect that.
Rick Shepard has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Shepard should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Lashley is working an open guard so Shepard takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Lashley.

Shepard shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Shepard was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lashley wants to control but Shepard is having none of it.
Lashley reaches up to try and control the position but Shepard seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Lashley rolls and tries to escape and now Shepard has his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lashley looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Shepard lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Lashley hold on?!
Lashley turns into Shepard and is now in his guard.
Lashley tries to free his leg and advance position but Shepard is retaining full guard.
Lashley trying to control but Shepard is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lashley trying to move into half guard but instead Shepard has managed to sweep!
Lashley is trying to hold Shepard in close to prevent damage but Shepard has managed to pass into half guard.
Shepard works his way into side control.
Lashley is looking for a sweep.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Lashley is trying to buck Shepard off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lashley is trying to improve his position.
Shepard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lashley keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Shepard working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Shepard trying to control the position but Lashley is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Shepard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Shepard shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lashley defends it nicely.

Shepard gets a clinch.
Shepard tries to pull guard but Lashley holds him up against the cage and eventually Shepard drops back down to his feet.
Shepard gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Lashley tries to circle away but Shepard has him pinned against the cage.

Lashley breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepard fails with a takedown attempt.
Bobby Lashley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Shepard.
Lashley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard misses with a head kick.
Lashley throws a leg kick

and Shepard counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lashley's guard now.
Shepard tries to stand but Lashley is controlling from the bottom.
Shepard wants to stand and escape but instead Lashley has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Lashley seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Lashley tries to free his leg and advance position but Shepard is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lashley trying to control the position from guard on top but Shepard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shepard manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Shepard lands a big elbow.
Lashley takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Lashley tries to reverse the position but Shepard maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard content just to control the position here.
Lashley wants to control but Shepard is having none of it.
Lashley reaches up to try and control the position but Shepard seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Lashley rolls and tries to escape and now Shepard has his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Shepard looking to break Lashley's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Lashley remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Shepard will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
A bit of a pause in the action here. Shepard controlling the positon.
Lashley trying to control the hands but Shepard won't let him.
Shepard softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Shepard controlling the position well here. Lashley rolled but Shepard kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Bobby Lashley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rick Shepard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Shepard doesn't have the hooks in and Lashley manages to turn into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Shepard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Shepard 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Shepard!