PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Saxon Byrd (ranked 5566 p4p, 3815 weight class) and Tapio Virtainen (ranked 557 p4p, 452 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Byrd
vs
Virtainen

179 cm
21
173
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
19
180
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saxon Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tapio Virtainen!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Joseph Jones and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Byrd clinches.
Byrd lands a hook to the side of the head.
A nice left hand lands by Byrd.
Byrd scores with a hook to the body.
Byrd pressing his opponent against the cage.

Virtainen manages to break the clinch.

Byrd gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Byrd missing with knees to the body.
Virtainen stalling.
Byrd lands a left hand.
Byrd lands with a light punch inside.
Byrd lands a left hand that snaps the head of Virtainen backwards.
Byrd scores with a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Virtainen is working for takedown but Byrd is calmly controlling the position for now.
Byrd lands with a light punch inside.
Byrd lands a shot to the body.
Byrd lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Virtainen is rocked!
Byrd misses with the head strike.
Virtainen is still on wobbly legs! Can Byrd finish him?
Byrd tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Byrd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd misses with some punches.
Byrd working aggressively here.
Byrd swings wildly with an uppercut but Virtainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Byrd misses with the head strike.
Byrd has a couple of punches blocked by Virtainen.
Byrd dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Virtainen blocking some punches.
Byrd swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Byrd swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Byrd misses with some punches.
Byrd throws a punch but it's blocked by Virtainen.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Byrd.
Byrd fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Virtainen.
Virtainen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Byrd misses with a hook from the clinch.
Byrd fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Byrd misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Byrd fails to land.
Virtainen blocking some punches.
Byrd swings wildly with an uppercut but Virtainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Virtainen blocks an uppercut.
Byrd misses with a short punch on the inside.
Virtainen blocking some punches.
Byrd working aggressively here.
Byrd misses with the head strike.
Byrd fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Byrd fails to land.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Virtainen blocking some punches.
Virtainen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Byrd misses with a hook from the clinch.
Virtainen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Byrd misses with a short punch on the inside.
Byrd working aggressively here.
Virtainen blocking some punches.
Virtainen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Byrd misses with a hook from the clinch.
Byrd throws a head punch that misses.
Byrd swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Virtainen seems to have recovered his senses.
Byrd lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Byrd doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Byrd lands with a light punch inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Byrd.
Byrd with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Virtainen tries to score a body lock takedown but Byrd shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Byrd lands a body shot.
Virtainen jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Byrd walks away with a smile on his face. Virtainen gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Saxon Byrd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tapio Virtainen.
Byrd gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Virtainen.
Saxon Byrd is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Byrd ducks under a wild hook from Virtainen.

Byrd closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Byrd dips a shoulder and cracks Virtainen with a mighty uppercut! Virtainen falls back against the cage and Byrd unloads with a barrage of strikes! Virtainen is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Byrd screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Saxon Byrd!