PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Bird (ranked 1205 p4p, 959 weight class) and John Makres (ranked 182 p4p, 147 weight class). Makres has chosen SABATON - Coat of Arms as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Bird
vs
Makres

170 cm
32
195
21 - 15 - 0

190 cm
33
174
18 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Conviction
Conquer

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 21 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jake Bird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Makres!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makres takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Bird misses with a lunging right hand
and Makres counters with an inside leg kick.

Bird clinches with his opponent.

Bird jumps into guard, dragging Makres to the mat.

Bird has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Makres can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bird is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Bird has an active guard here but Makres has managed to pass into half guard.

Bird looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bird is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Makres jumps into side control!

Makres has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bird is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Makres.
Bird sets himself, and Makres steps forward looking for the clinch! Bird avoids it this time.

Makres rushes Bird and presses him up against the cage.
Makres throws a head punch that misses.
Makres stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Bird lands a shot to the body.
Bird tries to pull guard but Makres won't allow it.

Bird drags the fight down to the ground.

Makres got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bird has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Makres has managed to get both his arms back between Bird's legs - danger averted.
Bird is controlling Makres's posture.

Makres decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bird, up you get!
Makres fails in his attempt to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Bird.
Makres has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Bird lands a jab to Makres's midsection.
Makres smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Bird looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
John Makres is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makres tries to clinch there but Bird circles away.
Bird throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Makres's waist but Makres gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bird off to one side.
Makres fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jab by Bird.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Makres is looking to chop away at Bird's legs.
Makres throws a head kick that misses.
Bird just misses with a punch to the body.
Makres tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bird paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Makres fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bird, pushing him back against the cage.
Bird wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Bird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bird has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Makres is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Makres stops a takedown attempt from Bird.
Bird is trying to pull guard but Makres turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

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

Bird has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Makres should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Bird has tightened it up now! Makres should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jake Bird!
Jake Bird thanked the fans post fight for their support.