PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sean Sherk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raoul Duke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sherk comes to the cage accompanied by Earshot. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Sherk
vs
Duke

171 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sean Sherk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raoul Duke!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sherk ducks right into an uppercut from Duke.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Sherk feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sherk is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sherkis looking to pass into half guard but Duke pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Duke is in guard.
Sherk on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sherk tries to get out of the position.

Duke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Duke throwing strikes from guard but Sherk blocks nicely.
Duke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Duke passes Sherk's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Duke trying to control the action but Sherk is working from the bottom.
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.
Sherk keeping control of the position.
Sherk's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Sherk gets back to full guard.
Sherk pulls Duke in close to prevent any damage.
Duke preventing the sweep.
Sherk bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Duke's guard.
Duke wants to sweep but no luck.

Duke looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Sherk stopping the sweep attempt from Duke.
Sherk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Duke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sherk 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.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Duke keeping full guard, as Sherk tries to pass.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Duke moves in looking to clinch but Sherk pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Duke.
Duke wants to clinch.
Duke scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sherk doesn't seem bothered though.
Sherk is breathing heavily.
Duke tries to clinch up but Sherk circles away and keeps his distance.
Duke keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Duke has closed the distance and engaged Sherk in a clinch.
Duke crunches a lovely knee into Sherk's ribcage.
Sherk keeps control of Duke as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sherk is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Duke gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Duke prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sean Sherk. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Duke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Sherk feints and as Duke raises his hands in defense, Sherk changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sherk is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Duke throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherk stays in close to Duke's body and controls the position.
Duke is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Sherk drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sherk jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sherk 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Duke shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sherk as he avoids it easily.
Duke tries to clinch up.

Sherk decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sherk is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Sherk showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Duke trying to keep a closed guard but Sherk is proving a slippery customer.
Sherk works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sherk is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sean Sherk just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Duke scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Duke explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Sherk tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Duke drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sherk has control of Duke's left arm, preventing Duke from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sherk wants to sweep here but Duke controlling him for the moment.
Sherk trying to control the position here.
Duke won't allow Sherk to sweep him here.
Sherk is controlling Duke's posture.
Sherk keeping moving, preventing Duke from controlling successfully.
Sherk wants to sweep here but Duke controlling him for the moment.

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.
Duke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Duke jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Duke throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Duke gets caught flat footed, as Sherk shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Duke working for a triangle but Sherk defends it easily.
Duke being controlled here, momentarily.
Duke tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Duke wants to stand up but Sherk is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Duke escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sherk gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Duke looking for a guillotine here but Sherk defends easily.
Sherk sitting in guard here, content to control.
Duke is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Duke throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Sherk looks for a takedown but Duke sprawls well.
Sherk fails with the takedown.
Duke plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Sherk is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Duke.
Sherk takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Oh Sherk is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Sherk shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Duke is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sean Sherk overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sherk preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sherk gets full guard.
Sherk controlling the position.
Sherk seems to have got his legs back now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Raoul Duke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sherk stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Duke.

Sherk gets a takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Sherk seems content to control.
Duke moves into full guard.
Sherk controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Duke throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sherk content to stall in guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sean Sherk just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
A head kick from Duke lands but Sherk takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Duke's waist but Duke gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sherk off to one side.
Duke throws a series of strikes that have Sherk backpedaling.

Sherk closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Duke to the mat! Duke manages to get full guard.
Sherk controlling from the top position.
Duke lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sherk!
Duke tries to control but Sherk wriggling away.
Sherk prevents any damage by holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherk tries to reverse the position but Duke maintains control.
Duke thowing shots but they're missing.
Sherk is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sherk is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
Sherk tries to reverse the position but Duke maintains control.
Sherk is working hard here to advance position.
Duke looking to ground and pound but Sherk is blocking nicely.
Sherk working to try and regain half guard.
Sherk tries to lock up and control but Duke gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sherk is just holding on here. Duke manages to take his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Duke is trying to stick to Sherk's back but Sherk is turning into Duke. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Duke's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Sherk.
Duke wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sherk shoots in and bounces Duke off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sherk slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Duke looking to control.
Duke is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sherk looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sean Sherk showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sherk has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sean Sherk!