PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Firuz Shahzad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronnie Ross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shahzad comes to the cage accompanied by Yeke Yeke - Hardfloor Remix (Mory Kante). Ross is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Slaughterhouse-Sound Off. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Shahzad
vs
Ross

173 cm
24
165 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

180 cm
23
160 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Hell's Balls Fightwear

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Firuz Shahzad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ronnie Ross!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ross closes the distance and clinches.
Shahzad manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ross tries to break the clinch but Shahzad is controlling the position.
Shahzad using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ross has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ross tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shahzad lands a nice knee to the body.
Shahzad is pressed up against the cage. Ross has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shahzad down to the mat. Shahzad avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Shahzad tries to clinch

and Ross counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Shahzad lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Ronnie Ross has been cut.
Shahzad tries a knee to the head but Ross blocks it.
Ross takes an elbow to the forehead.
A knee to the head by Shahzad.
Shahzad lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Shahzad lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shahzad.
Shahzad lands an elbow inside that Ross shrugs off.
Shahzad misses with a knee strike.
Ross managing to block the knees to the body from Shahzad.
A short left from Ross.
Ross wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Shahzad managing to block the knees to the body from Ross.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Shahzad just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ross's brow.
Ross tries to land a knee to the head but Shahzad blocks with his arms.
Shahzad landing knees to the body.
Ross tries a knee to the head but Shahzad blocks it.
Shahzad with a knee to the head.
Shahzad missing with knees to the body.
Ross misses with a knee strike.
Ross tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ross tries to land a knee to the head but Shahzad blocks with his arms.
Ross looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ross changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shahzad fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ross darts in trying to clinch

and Shahzad counters by clinching up.
Shahzad with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Shahzad landing knees to the head.
Shahzad with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ross misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shahzad.
Ross takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ross misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shahzad.
Ross lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Shahzad with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Shahzad using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ross has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Ross has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Shahzad clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Ross really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Shahzad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I looks like Ross might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Will Ross go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

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.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ronnie Ross will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ronnie Ross's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Shahzad tries to clinch but Ross moves away

and Ross counters with a shoot takedown. Shahzad fights it but they end up in guard.
Ross pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shahzad is keeping the position for now.
Ross stops Shahzad from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ross stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shahzad swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shahzad is trying to keep Ross in close.
Ross must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ross tries to free his leg and advance position but Shahzad is retaining full guard.
Shahzad keeping moving, preventing Ross from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shahzad managing to control the position.

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 decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shahzad looks to clinch

and Ross counters with a takedown into side control.
Ross content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronnie Ross showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ronnie Ross's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Shahzad tries to clinch but Ross moves away

and Ross counters by moving into the clinch.
Ross misses with a knee to the head.
Shahzad on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shahzad tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ross with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Firuz Shahzad has been cut.
Ross misses with a knee to the head.
Shahzad is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Shahzad using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ross has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shahzad with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ross throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Shahzad blocks it with crossed arms.
Ross scores with a hook to the body.
Ross with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ross tries a knee to the head but Shahzad blocks it.
Still in the clinch, Ross scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ross tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ross throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Shahzad blocks it with crossed arms.
Shahzad scores with a shoulder strike.
Ross using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shahzad has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A knee to the head by Shahzad.
Shahzad dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ross blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shahzad lands a nice knee to the body.
Ross with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shahzad tries a knee to the head but Ross blocks it.
Shahzad looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ross misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shahzad lands a damaging elbow.
Shahzad using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ross has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ross drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shahzad lands a nice uppercut.
Shahzad takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ross lands a knee to the head.
Shahzad throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shahzad with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ross misses with a knee to the head.
Ross with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Shahzad tries a knee to the head but Ross blocks it.

Ross breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ross fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shahzad tries to clinch

and Ross counters with a single leg into guard. Shahzad didn't expect that.
Ross sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shahzad is trying to control the position but Ross postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shahzad looking to control but Ross passes into half guard.
Ross sitting and controlling from the half guard.

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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronnie Ross comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ross 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 William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronnie Ross!