PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mnajdra Sheze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ephram Urani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sheze
vs
Urani

177 cm
21
159 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

165 cm
21
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mnajdra Sheze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ephram Urani!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sheze pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Urani chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sheze throws a body shot but no joy.
A shot to the liver by Urani. Beautiful body shot.
Sheze stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Urani lands a body shot.
Sheze fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Urani avoids it really well and circles away.
Good standup being displayed there by Sheze as he connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urani staying out of range there.
Sheze lands the left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sheze misses with a straight left.
Urani lands a body shot.
Sheze on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Urani fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Urani throws an overhand right that lands on Sheze's shoulder, as Sheze tries to avoid the shot.
Urani avoids the body shot from Sheze.
Sheze looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Urani lunges at Sheze with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sheze's hand.
Sheze throws a big shot that misses.
Urani appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Urani defending well as Sheze loads up on a big left hand.
Sheze misses with a straight left.
A leg kick checked by Sheze.
Sheze connects with a right hand. Urani shakes it off.
Sheze dodges the punch combination from Urani.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sheze throws a jab when Urani was well out of range.
Sheze is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Urani moves out of range of the strikes.
A countering left hand to the body from Urani misses.
Sheze lands a nice shot that snaps Urani's head back.
Sheze throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Urani connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Urani uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sheze.
Sheze cracks Urani with a right hand to the side of the head.
Urani scores with a leg kick.
Urani throws a looping overhand right but Sheze ducks down to avoid it.
Sheze lands a nice shot that snaps Urani's head back.
Urani lands the left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheze fails with a takedown attempt.
Urani blocks a jab.
Urani lands with a shot to the body.
Urani scores with a three punch combo!
Sheze throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sheze throws out a loose jab but Urani uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sheze takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Urani moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sheze is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Urani scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Urani on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice jab there from Urani.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urani misses with a straight right.
Urani blocks a jab.
Urani misses with a body shot.
Sheze throws a hook to the side of Urani's head but Urani sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Urani lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Urani lands a slapping body shot.
Sheze throws a big shot that misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Urani misses.
Urani turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Urani with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sheze to score with a decent uppercut.
Urani misses with an attempted mid kick.
Sheze throws a sloppy body shot
and Urani counters with a straight right hand.
Sheze rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Urani makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Urani gets a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A short right from Sheze.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ephram Urani dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A cross from Sheze lands.

Urani rushes Sheze and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Urani stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Urani.
Urani lands a body shot.
Urani lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Sheze or not.
Urani makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Urani lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Sheze or not.
Sheze lands a shot to the body.
Urani blocks an uppercut.
Sheze misses with a punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Urani.
Urani on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Urani dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Urani presses Sheze against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Nice body punch from Urani - that landed with a thud.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Urani lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Urani lands a shoulder strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sheze gets control of Urani's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sheze will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urani is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Urani pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sheze is keeping the position for now.

Sheze has an active guard here but Urani has managed to pass into half guard.
Sheze won't allow Urani to pass to mount.

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.
Sheze tries to get to full guard but Urani has control of the leg.

Sheze is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Urani pulls his head out easily.
Sheze wants to control but Urani is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Urani really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sheze. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sheze wants to improve his position but Urani is controlling well.

Sheze with the active half guard here but Urani passes nicely into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheze can't do much from the bottom here.
Sheze is looking for a sweep.
Urani controls the position.
Urani trying to control the position but Sheze is working away.
Sheze manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Sheze seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Urani has recovered full guard.
Sheze is fighting to break Urani's control of his arms but Urani is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urani avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Urani utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sheze loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Urani seems keen to control Sheze's posture.
Sheze trying to control but Urani is working from the bottom.
Sheze with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sheze is looking to work some ground and pound but Urani has wrist control.
Urani is trying to keep Sheze in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ephram Urani showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Sheze tests Urani's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Urani uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sheze.
Urani let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Mnajdra Sheze seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sheze throws a right hand that misses
and Sheze takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Urani gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Urani lands a body shot in the clinch.
Urani manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Urani presses Sheze against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Sheze fails to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urani makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sheze tries to pull guard but Urani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Urani lands a body shot in the clinch.
Sheze goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Urani on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Urani lands a nice uppercut.
Urani makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Sheze fails to land.
Urani lands a shoulder strike.
Urani lands a shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Urani.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Urani lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sheze backwards.
Ephram Urani seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Urani lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Urani lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sheze backwards.
Urani has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Sheze seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Urani can turn it around.
Sheze tries to pull guard but Urani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sheze.
Urani working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Urani.
Urani avoiding damage.
Urani lands a body punch in the clinch.
Urani lands a body punch.
Urani scores with a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Urani lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sheze backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urani lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Urani dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Urani throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A short right from Urani.
Urani misses with a hook to the ribs.
Urani throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shezes head.
Urani taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Urani lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Sheze tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mnajdra Sheze. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sheze.
Urani is leaning against Sheze and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Urani works on Sheze's body with a couple of short punches.
Sheze tries to throw a body punch but Urani avoids it by throwing Sheze back against the cage.
Sheze has a couple of punches blocked by Urani.
Urani works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A short body shot lands from Urani as the two fighters clinch.
Urani throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A short right from Urani.
Urani is working Sheze over against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urani lands a left hand.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Urani.
Urani working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sheze swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Urani.
Urani lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Urani tries to work over Sheze's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Urani scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Urani throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shezes head.

Sheze is rocked!
Urani works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Oh Sheze is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Urani lands a hook that snaps the head of Sheze backwards.
Urani tries a body shot but Sheze blocks it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Urani.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Urani lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Urani.
Urani lands a hook that snaps the head of Sheze backwards.
Sheze is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Urani is defending well for now.
Sheze struggles to land a body shot inside as Urani controls his hands.
Urani lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urani lands a body shot.
A short left from Urani.
A right handed body shot lands from Urani.
Sheze gets through Urani's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sheze blocks a body shot from Urani.
Sheze throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Urani.
Urani blocks an uppercut.
Sheze seems to have got his legs back now.
Sheze swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Urani lands a right hand.
Urani lands an uppercut.
Sheze has a couple of punches blocked by Urani.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Urani.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Urani softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Urani lands with a right to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Urani takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Urani lands a body punch in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ephram Urani comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Urani 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ephram Urani!