PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arman Shaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shaker
vs
James

180 cm
26
182 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

179 cm
36
183 lbs
23 - 20 - 2

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arman Shaker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 20 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick James!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Daniel Blasius and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from James.
Shaker swings and misses with a shot to the body
and James counters with a series of strikes. Shaker will be more careful next time no doubt.
Shaker throws a wild body kick that James sees coming a mile off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Shaker. James does a little dance to reset his feet.
James connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Shaker momentarily.

Shaker moves into range and clinches up with James.
James misses with a knee strike.
Shaker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. James is defending well for now.
A bit of stalling here from Shaker.
Shaker misses with a shot to the kidneys.
James missing with knees to the body.
Shaker takes a knee to the side of the body.
Shaker avoiding damage as James throws knees to the body.
We've been hearing reports that Shaker has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
The referee calls for Shaker to work.
James throws a knee to the head but misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
James with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaker taking a breather.
James blocks the elbow strike.
James looking to throw knees to the head but Shaker is blocking nicely.
James tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shaker is trying to maintain a safe position but James gets an underhook and turns Shaker into the cage.
James lands a right hand.
James looking to throw knees to the head but Shaker is blocking nicely.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
James is pressed up against the cage. Shaker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag James down to the mat. James avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
James takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
James throws a leg kick but Shaker moved away.
James misses the jab.
James lands with a kick to the temple. Shaker shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
James lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
James on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
James throws a head kick that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
James is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James throws a right hand that Shaker ducks under and follows up with a left that Shaker also avoids with ease.

James pushes Shaker up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shaker.
James lands a left hand.
James lands a nice elbow.
James misses with a hook from the clinch.
James tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
James swings wildly with an uppercut but Shaker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shaker blocks an elbow strike from James.
James lands with a short head shot on the inside.
James goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
James being controlled against the cage.
Shaker takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaker landing knees to the head.

Shaker gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
James is looking to improve his position.
James blocking the ground and pound attempt from Shaker.
Shaker is controlling the pace.
James wants to improve his position but Shaker is controlling well.
James is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Shaker's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Shaker's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to stick to Shaker's back but Shaker is turning into James. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in James's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Shaker.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Shaker trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
Shaker is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
James trying to control the position here.
Shaker stopping the sweep attempt from James.
Shaker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
James controls Shaker momentarily but Shaker frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick James dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nice body kick from Shaker.
James is looking to clinch but Shaker is avoiding it.
It looked like Shaker wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
James throws a sloppy head kick and Shaker moves out of range easily.
James throws a right and a left that both miss.
James looks to land a combination but Shaker avoids it well.
Shaker looking to land some kicks to the body here.
James misses with a low kick as Shaker jumps back.
Shaker throws out a loose jab but James uses good head movement to avoid it.
James takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Shaker is looking to land body kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shaker takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Shaker misses with an attempted mid kick.
A little jabbing left from James on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A head kick misses from James.
A solid body kick from Shaker.
Shaker ducks under a wild hook from James.
Shaker changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Shaker looks for the body kick but James saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James swings widly with a right hand
letting Shaker counter with a right hand.
James has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
James swings and misses with a hook to the body.
James misses with a leg kick.
James tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Shaker connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shaker scores with a nice right hand.

Shaker scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Shaker is nestled in close to James, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Shaker is keen to just control but James is a slippery customer.
Shaker missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shaker missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Shaker thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed James's head.
Shaker wants to control but James is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaker content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Shaker looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
James wants to get back to full guard.
Arman Shaker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shaker sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. James defending well though.
James is looking to get back to is feet but Shaker passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to improve his position.
James wants to control but Shaker postures up.
Shaker 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.
Shaker throws a strike aimed at the side of James's head but James avoids it well.
James wants to get back to his feet.
Shaker tries to advance to mount but James denies him.
James is pushing Shaker's head away, looking to escape. Shaker manages to hold on to the position though.
Shaker is looking to take a break and control but James is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Shaker lands an elbow.
James wants to get back to his feet.

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.
James tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shaker wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Shaker lands a nice forearm strike.
Shaker wants to control but James is keeping him busy.
Shaker is really struggling to control James but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Shaker is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. James knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
James manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arman Shaker dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Shaker misses with a wild combination.
Shaker ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
James misses with a head kick.
Shaker takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
James fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Shaker clinches up against the cage.
James avoids the elbow strike from Shaker, against the cage.
James doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shaker.
James lands a damaging elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A body shot lands from James.
James tries a body shot but Shaker blocks it.
Shaker has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by James after a bit of a struggle.
James struggles to land a body shot inside as Shaker controls his hands.
James stops a takedown attempt from Shaker.
Shaker goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaker looking to stall.
James displaying some good clinch control by pressing Shaker up against the cage.
Shaker scores with a hook to the body.
James lands a nice uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from James.
Knees to the body from James.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
James is pushing Shaker up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shaker is trying to pull guard but James has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arman Shaker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Come on James - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Shaker takes a shot to the head.
James working some nice short punches in the clinch.
James on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shaker is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Shaker is trying to pull guard but James turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
James makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
James can't find room to land a body shot as Shaker controls the action.
James takes a knee to the side of the body.
The referee calls for Shaker to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shaker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Shaker is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Shaker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaker pressing his opponent against the cage.
James avoiding damage.
Shaker working aggressively here.
Shaker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
James lands with a short punch from the clinch.
James leaning against his opponent.
Shaker tries for a takedown. No joy.
James lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short right from Shaker.
Shaker misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shaker stalling in the clinch but James improves position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for James.
Shaker makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shaker fails to pull guard.
James has Shaker pressed against the cage.
James throws a punch but it's blocked by Shaker.
James misses with a punch to the body.
Shaker pushes James back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Shaker slowing the pace effectively.
Shaker is trying to pull guard but James turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Shaker on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
James misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shaker working some nice short punches in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shaker leaning his opponent against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, James throws an elbow but misses.
Shaker is trying to pull guard but James has him pressed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick James comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think James 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick James!
After the fight, Rick James was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.