PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gord Birds (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyson Sutherland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gord Birds has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Birds
vs
Sutherland

186 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

178 cm
21
206 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gord Birds!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tyson Sutherland!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sutherland fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Birds, pushing him back against the cage.

Sutherland pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Sutherland scores a takedown into full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sutherland is going olschool here, as he tries to force Birds to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Birds shrugs it off.
Sutherland throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Birds takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Sutherland looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sutherland throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Birds is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sutherland throwing strikes here but Birds is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Birds wants to control but Sutherland is having none of it.
Birds blocking the ground and pound.
Birds is working to get back to half guard.
Sutherland working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birds is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sutherland looking to finish Birds with some ground and pound. This is bad for Birds!
Birds really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Birds is working hard here to advance position.

Sutherland is working for a guillotine from mount but Birds frees his head quite easily.
Sutherland looks gassed!
Sutherland with a couple of short strikes.
Sutherland is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Birds can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Birds is looking to get to half guard.
Birds wants to hold on but Sutherland pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birds is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sutherland lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Birds hang on?

Sutherland looking to secure an arm triangle but Birds defends it well.
Birds tries to lock up and control but Sutherland gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Birds avoids a series of strikes thrown by Sutherland.
Birds tries to lock up and control but Sutherland gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Birds tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Birds is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sutherland with shots to the head and body - Birds looks very uncomfortable down there.
Birds in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sutherland with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birds can't escape the position.
Birds gets back to half guard.
Birds avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sutherland.
Birds on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sutherland seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Sutherland has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Birds works to full guard.
Birds not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Sutherland gets to his feet. Birds looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Sutherland closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Birds did well to prevent Sutherland getting side control.

Birds looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Birds looking for submissions off his back.
Sutherland working Birds over with strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sutherland thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sutherland blocks the strikes from Birds.
Birds is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sutherland's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sutherland's back!
Birds struggling to keep hold of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson Sutherland dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Birds wants to clinch.

Sutherland shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Birds wants to control but Sutherland is keeping busy.
Sutherland prevents Birds from improving his position.
Birds makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Birds.
Sutherland is pushing down on Birds's leg trying to pass to half guard. Birds is fighting to maintain full guard but Sutherland has managed to sneak the leg through.

Sutherland is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Birds sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sutherland missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birds is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Birds trying to control but Sutherland postures up.
Sutherland not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Birds is pressing down on Sutherland's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Sutherland stands and steps away. Birds gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Sutherland pushes Birds up against the cage in a clinch.

Sutherland has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Birds clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Sutherland has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Birds has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Sutherland is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Birds defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birds tries to roll but Sutherland sticks to his back.

Birds defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Birds rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Sutherland wants to stand up but Birds has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Sutherland looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tyson Sutherland has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sutherland is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birds wants to control but Sutherland is keeping busy.

Sutherland is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sutherland wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Birds scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sutherland is looking to regain half guard here but Birds keeps moving and retains side control.

Birds decides to stand back up. Birds steps back and let's Sutherland get back to his feet.
Birds swats away the attempt to clinch by Sutherland.
Birds looks for a takedown but Sutherland sprawls well.
Sutherland shoots and misses
and Birds counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A big right from Sutherland misses.
Birds tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sutherland sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Birds somewhat.
Sutherland fails with the takedown

and Birds counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sutherland!
Birds looking to control but Sutherland is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Birds connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tyson Sutherland will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Sutherland drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Birds lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.

Sutherland decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Birds looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Sutherland is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Birds's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Birds's back!

Birds is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Sutherland gets his way!
Birds is in bad spot here.
Sutherland gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Birds trying to control the action but Sutherland just sinks the hooks in.
Birds is taking damage to the body and head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birds trying to control the action but Sutherland just sinks the hooks in.
Sutherland loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Birds hold on?
Birds covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Sutherland punishes Birds with strikes from the back mount.
Birds wants to control his opponent's hands but Sutherland gets his hands free.
Sutherland is trying to stick to Birds's back but Birds is turning into Sutherland. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Sutherland's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Birds.
Birds stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sutherland swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Birds working some strikes from top position.
Sutherland thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Birds trying to control but Sutherland is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sutherland is looking to clinch.
Birds throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Birds fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Sutherland shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sutherland showed some decent athleticism there.
Birds is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sutherland's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sutherland's back!

Sutherland manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.

Sutherland drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Sutherland stands up and we're back to a striking position.
No luck for Birds with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birds pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Birds takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Birds pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Birds moves in looking to clinch but Sutherland pushes him off.

Birds looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Sutherland bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Birds's guard.
Sutherland is looking to stand up but Birds won't let him.
Sutherland thows a big elbow that misses.
Sutherland tries to free his leg and advance position but Birds is retaining full guard.
Sutherland throws a strike but Birds rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sutherland is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sutherland is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Birds defends it well.
Sutherland wants to stand up but Birds is controlling the position.
Sutherland throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sutherland is pressing down on Birds's thigh, looking to free his foot. Birds is holding on for now.
Birds is looking to control Sutherland's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Birds avoid being mounted?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyson Sutherland comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sutherland has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Suge Night scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyson Sutherland!