PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Reed Basaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Shogun (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Basaev
vs
Shogun

200 cm
21
234 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

189 cm
24
231 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

GREEN!160

Bushido Fightwear
GREEN!160

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reed Basaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Julio Shogun!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shogun gets tackled into the cage by Basaev. Basaev maintains the clinch.
Shogun lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Reed Basaev has been cut.
Shogun pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Basaev trying to stall but Shogun improves his position.
Basaev's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Basaev misses with some punches.
Basaev stalling the fight.
Shogun tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Basaev avoids it.
Basaev is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Basaev working aggressively here.
Shogun throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Shogun lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Shogun misses with a knee strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shogun manages to pull guard.
Shogun is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Basaev will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Shogun looking for a sweep. Not yet Shogun, not yet.
Basaev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shogun on the ground.
Shogun pulls Basaev in close to his closed guard and prevents Basaev from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shogun is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Basaev dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shogun tries to buck Basaev off but Basaev is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Basaev working away.
Shogun is trying to buck Basaev off.
What's Shogun going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Shogun tries to bench press Basaev off him but Basaev keeps the position.

That's two 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.
Shogun controls the position for a moment.
Shogun is looking to reverse the position.
Shogun trying to remain calm as Basaev controls from the top position.
Shogun is looking to regain half guard here but Basaev keeps moving and retains side control.
Shogun is trying to control Basaev's posture but Basaev avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shogun tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Basaev wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Shogun is still trying to improve position.
Shogun is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Basaev is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Shogun is working to get back to half guard.
Shogun wants to control but Basaev is having none of it.
Shogun tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shogun sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Basaev trying to control the action but Shogun is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shogun is looking for a sweep. Basaev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Basaev is looking to take a break and control but Shogun is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shogun wants to get back to full guard but Basaev has passed into side control.
Shogun tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Julio Shogun will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Reed Basaev's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Shogun moves into the clinch successfully.
Basaev is pressed up against the cage. Shogun has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Basaev down to the mat. Basaev avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Shogun pushes Basaev up against the cage in a clinch.
Shogun is trying to pull guard but Basaev turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Shogun trying to land knees to the body.
Shogun with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Basaev is trying to stall.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shogun throws a knee to the head but misses.
Basaev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shogun.
With the fighters up against the cage, Shogun throws an elbow but misses.
Basaev tries to circle away but Shogun has him pinned against the cage.
Basaev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shogun tries to land knees in the clinch but Basaev avoids the damage to the body.

Shogun manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shogun wants to sweep here but Basaev controlling him for the moment.
Basaev controlling from the top position.
Shogun tries to land a sweep but no joy.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Shogun is on top in guard.

Basaev trying to control the position.
Shogun trying to control the position from guard on top but Basaev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shogun postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Basaev is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Shogun, into his guard.

Shogun trying to keep a closed guard but Basaev is proving a slippery customer.
Shogun is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Basaev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shogun trying to keep a closed guard but Basaev is proving a slippery customer.
Basaev has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Shogun manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Basaev manages to get himself to full guard.

Shogun is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Basaev is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Basaev has escaped and now he's on top!

Basaev won't allow Shogun to sweep him here.
Basaev stays in close to Shogun's body and controls the position.
Shogun trying to keep a closed guard but Basaev is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shogun bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Basaev's guard.

Shogun has gone for a leg lock! Basaev slips out almost immediately though and dives into Shogun's guard.

Shogun trying to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Shogun is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Basaev is aware though and is defending well.
Shogun controls Basaev momentarily but Basaev frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julio Shogun showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Reed Basaev's cut.
That's time! Basaev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Shogun tries to clinch up.
Basaev was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Shogun tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Basaev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Jab, jab by Basaev - just one landing.

It looks like Julio Shogun has been cut.

Shogun fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Basaev sprawls well initially but Shogun persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Shogun is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Basaev has managed to free his arm - good work.
Shogun prevents Basaev from improving his position.

Shogun is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shogun is looking for a kimura here.
Basaev trying to control but Shogun postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shogun is looking for a kimura here.

Shogun is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Basaev doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Shogun.
Basaev wants to control but Shogun is keeping busy.
Reed Basaev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Julio Shogun has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Shogun is keen to just control but Basaev is a slippery customer.

Shogun is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Shogun wants to work for an arm triangle but Basaev is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Basaev punching from the bottom.

Shogun is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Basaev trying to hold on to Shogun's head to control him but Shogun postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shogun seems to be working for a kimura but Basaev defends the submission attempt.
Basaev trying to hold on to Shogun's head to control him but Shogun postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Shogun.
Basaev turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Shogun clinches with his opponent.
Shogun looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Shogun has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Basaev seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Shogun can turn it around.
Basaev lands with a left to the head.
Basaev avoids the elbow strike from Shogun, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basaev misses with a short punch on the inside.
Basaev avoids a wild elbow strike from Shogun.
A head punch on the inside from Basaev fails to land.
Shogun throws an elbow but it misses.

Basaev breaks from the clinch.
Basaev digs a good hook to Shogun's body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Basaev.

Basaev tries to keep at a distance but Shogun has taken the fight into the clinch.
Basaev tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Shogun ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Shogun no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Basaev throwing strikes but missing.
Shogun controls Basaev momentarily but Basaev frees himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shogun wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Julio Shogun comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Shogun 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Julio Shogun!
Julio Shogun gave a mention to Bushido Fightwear in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).