PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ray Apollo (ranked 2365 p4p, 5482 weight class) and Daniel Burton (ranked 160 p4p, 299 weight class). Apollo kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Circus - Britney Spears. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Apollo
vs
Burton

167 cm
29
154
6 - 5 - 0

179 cm
20
156
0 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Tempo Athletics

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ray Apollo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Daniel Burton!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Franklyn Lucas and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Apollo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Burton avoids it really well and circles away.
Burton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Apollo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Apollo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Burton looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Apollo throws an elbow but Burton slips to the side and avoids it well.
Burton struggling a bit here.

Apollo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Apollo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Apollo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Burton is being controlled here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Apollo fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Apollo working away.
Burton managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Apollo.
Burton is not content to let Apollo control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burton wants to control but Apollo postures up.
Apollo wants to control but Burton is keeping him busy.
Apollo working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Apollo looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Burton is avoiding damage well.
Burton is looking to reverse the position.
Apollo throws a strike aimed at the side of Burton's head but Burton avoids it well.
Apollo 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.

Apollo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Burton can't do much from the bottom here.
Burton isn't going anywhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Apollo tries for a kimura but Burton is defending well.
Burton takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Apollo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Apollo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Apollo working away.
Burton might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Apollo haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Apollo is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Burton can't do much from the bottom here.
Apollo tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apollo trying to control the action but Burton is working from the bottom.

Apollo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Apollo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Burton tries to bench press Apollo off him but Apollo keeps the position.

Apollo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Apollo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Apollo sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Burton is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Burton wants to control but Apollo postures up.
Burton is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Apollo working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apollo wants to control for a moment but Burton uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Burton trying to hold on to Apollo's head to control him but Apollo postures up.
Burton wants to get back to full guard.
Burton has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Apollo is working away from the top position though.

Apollo is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Apollo is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Burton is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Apollo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Apollo misses with a takedown attempt - Burton sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Apollo throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Burton tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Apollo is in Burton's guard.
Burton keeping moving, preventing Apollo from controlling successfully.
Apollo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burton is keeping the position for now.
Apollo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Apollo swings around for an armbar but Burton sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Apollo's guard.
Burton preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burton would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ray Apollo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Apollo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Burton trying to stand up but can't free himself from Apollo's guard.

Apollo is working an open guard so Burton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Apollo.
Apollo tries to counter with a takedown but Burton is quick to defend against it.
Apollo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Apollo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Apollo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Apollo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Apollo darts in looking for a takedown but Burton gets double underhooks and turns Apollo into the cage.

Burton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Burton cracks Apollo with a good jab.

Apollo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Burton avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Apollo tries to free his leg and advance position but Burton is retaining full guard.
Burton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Apollo throws a big right hand that misses.
Apollo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burton is keeping the position for now.
Apollo pushes down on Burton's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Apollo slips a nice elbow through Burton's hands, connecting with Burton's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Apollo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Burton is just riding it out for now. Apollo eventually gives up the hold.

Apollo seems to be looking for submissions.
Burton moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Burton working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Apollo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Apollo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Burton trying to control the position.
Apollo trying to control the position from guard on top but Burton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burton has his hands on Apollo's head, controlling the position.
Burton keeping full guard, as Apollo tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Apollo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Apollo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Burton has his foot on Apollo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Apollo works his way back into a safe position though.
Apollo wants to control from the top but Burton keeps moving.
Apollo advances position into side control!
Apollo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Burton can do to turn this around?
Burton is trying to get back to half guard.
Burton can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burton is trying to improve his position.
Burton is being controlled here.
Apollo trying to control the action but Burton is working from the bottom.
Burton is trying to get back to half guard.
Apollo wants to control but Burton is keeping him busy.
Apollo working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burton dodges the ground and pound from Apollo.
You can see the frustration on Burton's face as Apollo controls the position.
Burton struggling a bit here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Apollo dominated that second round.
That's time! Apollo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Apollo shoots for a double leg takedown but Burton sprawls well. He's pushed Apollo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Apollo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Burton manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Burton working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Apollo.
Burton controlling the position.
Apollo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burton is keeping the position for now.
Burton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Apollo trying to control the position from guard on top but Burton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Apollo is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burton had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Apollo defends it easily.
Apollo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burton looking for a sweep. Not yet Burton, not yet.
Apollo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Burton's head.
Apollo wants to control from the top but Burton keeps moving.
Burton trying to keep a closed guard but Apollo is proving a slippery customer.
Apollo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Apollo wants to control from the top but Burton keeps moving.
Apollo stopping the sweep attempt from Burton.

Burton pushes a forearm under Apollo's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Apollo is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Daniel Burton!
Ray Apollo spoke after the fight, saying 'I had ants in my pants'.