PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cedrick Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Spinhouse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shepherd
vs
Spinhouse

178 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cedrick Shepherd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sean Spinhouse!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spinhouse tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Shepherd defends well and Spinhouse ends up having to push Shepherd into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Spinhouse throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
As Spinhouse tries to get set, Shepherd tries to push him back and clinch up but Spinhouse manages to avoid the attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Spinhouse.
Spinhouse looks for the body kick but Shepherd saw that one coming.
Shepherd uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Spinhouse.

Shepherd manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Spinhouse on his heels. He'll look to pass Spinhouse's guard now, I'm sure.

Spinhouse kicks Shepherd off and gets to his feet.
Shepherd displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Spinhouse.
Cedrick Shepherd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Spinhouse.

Spinhouse has Shepherd up against the cage in a clinch.
Shepherd changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Spinhouse fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spinhouse shoots in and drives through. Shepherd sprawls well.
Spinhouse throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Spinhouse forces Shepherd back against the cage and clinches.
Spinhouse tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shepherd smiles and moves away.
Spinhouse misses with a hook.
Shepherd seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Spinhouse clinches up against the cage.
Shepherd has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Spinhouse is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Spinhouse is fighting off a takedown attempt but Shepherd is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Spinhouse to the mat. Spinhouse regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Spinhouse manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Shepherd tries to keep at a distance but Spinhouse has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Shepherd breaks the clinch.
Spinhouse pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shepherd darts in and clinches Spinhouse up against the cage.
Shepherd goes for a takedown attempt but Spinhouse pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Shepherd dodges the punch combination from Spinhouse.
Shepherd wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Spinhouse or perhaps it was just good defense by Shepherd, which made it look bad.
Shepherd tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Spinhouse manages to circle out of the way.
Spinhouse looks winded!

Shepherd drives through with a takedown into Spinhouse's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Shepherd trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Shepherd throwing strikes from guard but Spinhouse blocks nicely.
Shepherd sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd with a flurry of punches that miss.
Spinhouse working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shepherd.
Spinhouse keeping moving, preventing Shepherd from controlling successfully.

Spinhouse has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Shepherd is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Spinhouse.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Shepherd lands a decent elbow from side control.
Spinhouse defending against the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Spinhouse defending against the ground and pound.
Check out the look on Shepherd's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Spinhouse tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Spinhouse on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Spinhouse tries to buck Shepherd off but Shepherd is having none of it.
Spinhouse on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Spinhouse is trying to control Shepherd's posture but Shepherd avoids it.
Shepherd scoring with punches and elbows.
Spinhouse can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shepherd lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sean Spinhouse will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Spinhouse throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sean Spinhouse seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Shepherd tries to keep at a distance but Spinhouse has taken the fight into the clinch.
Spinhouse gets underhooks to prevent Shepherd's takedown attempt.
Spinhouse prevents a takedown attempt there.

Spinhouse breaks from the clinch.
Cedrick Shepherd is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shepherd tries to keep at a distance but Spinhouse has taken the fight into the clinch.

Spinhouse escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spinhouse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Spinhouse takes a swing at Shepherd's ribcage but misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Shepherd misses the target.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shepherd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd is trying to ground and pound but Spinhouse uses the momentary lack of control by Shepherd to regain half guard.
Spinhouse misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Spinhouse looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Shepherd stops Spinhouse from getting back to his feet.
Spinhouse is breathing heavily.
Shepherd winds up and cracks Spinhouse with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Shepherd not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nice strikes from Shepherd there.
Shepherd is keen to just control but Spinhouse is a slippery customer.
Cedrick Shepherd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Shepherd takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Spinhouse is looking to improve his position.
Shepherd slips a nice elbow through Spinhouse's hands, connecting with Spinhouse's forehead.
Spinhouse is looking for a sweep. Shepherd is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Spinhouse keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Spinhouse keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Shepherd landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shepherd thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Spinhouse's head.
Shepherd scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Shepherd is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Spinhouse has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Shepherd scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Spinhouse looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Shepherd is nestled in close to Spinhouse, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Spinhouse really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Shepherd. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Shepherd passes the guard and advances to mount!
Shepherd landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Spinhouse defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Shepherd.
Shepherd is landing with some decent strikes but Spinhouse is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Shepherd landing punches.
Shepherd has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Spinhouse's face.
BOOM! Shepherd connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Shepherd cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shepherd lands a big elbow.
Spinhouse wants to control but Shepherd is having none of it.
Shepherd has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Spinhouse's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cedrick Shepherd dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Spinhouse connects with a crisp jab.
Spinhouse lands a high kick!

It looks like Cedrick Shepherd has been cut.
Shepherd shoots and misses

and Spinhouse counters by moving into the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Spinhouse creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Shepherd changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Spinhouse fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Spinhouse keeps the fight on the outside.
A head kick misses from Spinhouse.

Shepherd scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
This fight is sponsored by Chainsaw 7. More blood and guts and stuff like that, in cinemas everywhere now!
Spinhouse is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Spinhouse takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spinhouse is looking for a sweep.
Spinhouse is still trying to improve position.
Shepherd trying to control the position but Spinhouse is working away.
Shepherd is working Spinhouse over with some ground and pound from side control.
Shepherd trying to control the action but Spinhouse is working from the bottom.
Shepherd has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Shepherd fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's two 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.
Spinhouse is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Shepherd is controlling him well.
Spinhouse is trying to get back to half guard.
Shepherd has control of an arm but Spinhouse manages to advance to Shepherd's back!

Spinhouse is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Spinhouse avoiding Shepherd 's attempts to control his hands.
Shepherd manages to reverse the position and now he's in Spinhouse's guard. Nice work there by Shepherd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Spinhouse preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Shepherd trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shepherd accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shepherd throwing strikes from guard but Spinhouse blocks nicely.
Shepherd slips nicely into half guard.
Shepherd not landing any meaningful shots this time.

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.
Spinhouse tries to roll over but Shepherd keeps him under control.
Shepherd throwing shots but Spinhouse is blocking nicely.
Spinhouse tries to kick Shepherd off but Shepherd keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Shepherd wants to pass to mount but Spinhouse is defending the position.
Spinhouse controlling the position well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Shepherd is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Spinhouse is just riding it out for now. Shepherd eventually gives up the hold.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sean Spinhouse.
I think Spinhouse 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!