PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marco Marcolini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Den Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Marcolini
vs
Shepard

185 cm
22
259 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
248 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marco Marcolini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Den Shepard!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Saam Ante and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shepard throws a hook to the side of Marcolini's head but Marcolini sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shepard keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Marcolini.
Marcolini tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Shepard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Marcolini misses with a double jab
and Shepard counters with a stiff right hand.
Marcolini misses with a jab, cross combination.
Marcolini is looking to score with low kicks.
A telegraphed right hand from Shepard misses the target.
Marcolini misses with an uppercut.
Marco Marcolini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marcolini wants to clinch
and Shepard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Marco Marcolini has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Marcolini closes the distance and pushes Shepard back into the cage.
Shepard is trying to force a seperation but Marcolini has the dominant position.

Shepard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A cross from Marcolini lands.

It looks like Den Shepard has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard throws a jab but it's blocked by Marcolini.
Marcolini tries to clinch but Shepard moves away
letting Shepard counter with a right hand.
Marcolini throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Marcolini tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Shepard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Marcolini wants to clinch
and Shepard counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Marcolini moves to clinch but Shepard breaks away
and Shepard counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marcolini misses with a takedown
and Shepard counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Shepard to counter with a crisp jab.
Marcolini is breathing heavily.
Marcolini with a poor takedown
and Shepard counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Marcolini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shepard lands a head shot.
Shepard might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Shepard uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Marcolini.
Marcolini misses with an uppercut. Shepard saw that one coming.
Marcolini fails with the takedown
and Shepard counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A telegraphed right hand from Shepard misses the target.
Shepard throws a wild body kick that Marcolini sees coming a mile off.
Marcolini connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Marcolini. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini tries to clinch
and Shepard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Marcolini wants to clinch
enabling Shepard to counter with a crisp jab.
Shepard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Shepard throws a looping overhand right but Marcolini ducks down to avoid it.
Marcolini wants to clinch.
Marcolini throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shepard.
Marcolini tries to clinch
and Shepard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marcolini looks to clinch
and Shepard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Den Shepard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marcolini has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shepard tries to pull guard but Marcolini won't allow it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Marcolini with an attempt at a knee that misses.
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.
Shepard wants to break free but Marcolini has control.
Marcolini misses with a punch on the inside.
Marcolini works on Shepard's body with a couple of short punches.
Shepard has had enough of the clinch but Marcolini keeps him there for the moment.
Shepard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Marcolini lands an elbow just above Shepard 's eye.
Shepard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shepard.
Marcolini wants to stall.
Marcolini works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Marcolini is stalling here.
Marcolini keeps control of Shepard as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Marcolini lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shepard backwards.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Marcolini trying to control the position but instead, Shepard has worked for underhooks and has pushed Marcolini into the cage.
Shepard tries to break free but Marcolini pushes him back against the cage.
Marcolini lands a nice knee to the body.
Nice elbow from Marcolini.
Marcolini avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Den Shepard dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Marcolini moves to clinch but Shepard breaks away
and Shepard counters with a stiff right hand.
Marcolini lands a jab-cross combination.
Marcolini is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shepard throws a shot from downtown. Marcolini moves away and avoids it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Marcolini looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Marcolini tries to clinch but Shepard moves out of range.
Marcolini tries to clinch
and Shepard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Shepard is breathing heavily.
Shepard throws a sloppy head kick and Marcolini moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard misses with a lunging right hand
and Marcolini counters with a nice kick to the body.
Marcolini lands with a good body shot.
Marcolini tries to clinch but Shepard is having none of it.
Marco Marcolini is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marcolini tries to clinch but Shepard moves out of range.
Marcolini has a takedown stuffed.
Marcolini lands a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marcolini doesn't manage to clinch there - Shepard circles away.
Marcolini tries a head kick but it misses.
Marcolini shoots in for a takedown but Shepard shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Marcolini tries to clinch up.
Marcolini is looking to clinch but Shepard is avoiding it.
Marcolini tries to close the distance and clinch but Shepard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shepard uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Marcolini.
Marcolini throws a hook but Shepard blocks it.
Marcolini tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shepard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marcolini misses the jab.
Marcolini fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shepard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shepard wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Marcolini. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Shepard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shepard swats away the attempt to clinch by Marcolini.
Marcolini tries to clinch but Shepard moves out of range.
Shepard throws a hook but Marcolini avoids it easily.
Shepard ducks right into an uppercut from Marcolini.
Marcolini throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Marcolini tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Shepard manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Marcolini shoots in looking for a takedown. Shepard tries to sprawl out of it but Marcolini keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shepard manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Marcolini looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini wants to clinch.
Shepard misses with an uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marcolini looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shepard is fending him off so far but Marcolini persists. Nope, Shepard circles away and we're back to standing.
Marcolini tries to clinch
and Shepard counters with a nice uppercut.
Marcolini will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Marcolini dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. This is the final round!

Marcolini's corner calls for a 1-2. Marcolini obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Marcolini is looking to clinch.
Marcolini misses with a takedown attempt
and Shepard cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Marcolini moves to clinch but Shepard breaks away
and Shepard counters with a straight right hand.
Marcolini cracks Shepard with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Marcolini darts in trying to clinch
and Shepard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Marcolini is looking to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marcolini tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marcolini throws a jab but it's blocked by Shepard.
Marcolini looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Shepard bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Marcolini fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shepard moves out of range as Marcolini strikes.
Shepard pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Marcolini misses with a low kick.
A jab from Shepard misses.
Shepard swats away the attempt to clinch by Marcolini.
Marcolini misses with a takedown
and Shepard counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Marcolini. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini closes the distance looking to clinch
and Marcolini takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Marcolini has his takedown stuffed
and Shepard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Marcolini falls off balance throwing a combination
and Shepard counters with a straight right hand.
Shepard misses with a wild body shot.
Marcolini takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Marcolini shoots in looking for a takedown. Shepard tries to sprawl out of it but Marcolini keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shepard manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Marcolini moves to clinch but Shepard breaks away
and Shepard counters with a three punch combo that has Marcolini backing up. Marcolini nods at Shepard to acknowledge the strikes.
Marcolini misses with a wild combination.
Marcolini looks to score with a jab to the body but Shepard is just out of range.
Marcolini throws a right hand that Shepard ducks under and follows up with a left that Shepard also avoids with ease.
Marcolini looks to clinch
and Shepard counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Marcolini throws a body punch but Shepard moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marcolini looks to clinch
enabling Shepard to counter with a crisp jab.
Shepard keeps the fight on the outside.
Shepard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shepard swats away the attempt to clinch by Marcolini.
Marcolini wants to clinch
and Shepard counters with a nice body kick.
Marcolini is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shepard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Shepard misses with an uppercut.
Marcolini throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shepard.
Marcolini swings for the body but Shepard moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Den Shepard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shepard 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29

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