PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Troy Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martti Syrja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Miller
vs
Syrja

179 cm
22
173 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

183 cm
22
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Troy Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Martti Syrja!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Dillan Fox and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Syrja misses with a takedown attempt - Miller sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nice takedown defense from Miller. No joy for Syrja on that attempt.
Miller doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Syrja counters with a single leg into guard. Miller didn't expect that.
Miller looking for a sweep. Not yet Miller, not yet.
Syrja trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Miller can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Syrja controls the pace.
Syrja wants to control from the top but Miller keeps moving.
Miller looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Syrja tries to stand but Miller is controlling from the bottom.
Miller trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syrja wants to pass the guard but Miller is keeping the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Miller with a lazy takedown attempt

and Syrja counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Miller trying to get back to full guard but Syrja takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Miller is breathing heavily.
Miller keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Syrja manages to capitalize on a mistake by Miller to take his back!

Syrja looking for the choke from the back.
Syrja scores with strikes from the back.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Syrja's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller trying to control the position but Syrja manages to sink in the hooks.
Syrja struggling to keep hold of the position.
Miller is taking damage to the body and head.
Syrja lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

Syrja looking to break Miller's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Miller remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Syrja will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Miller really must keep his cool here. He's controlling one of Syrja's hands and whilst he does that, he's got a chance of escaping the position.
Syrja is trying to control but Miller is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Miller is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller is desperately trying to improve his position but Syrja has a good base and remains in mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Syrja sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Syrja working Miller over with strikes here.
Miller tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Syrja trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Syrja controlling the position easily from mount.
Syrja landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller tries to hold on but Syrja postures up.
Miller is looking to improve his position but Syrja isn't that keen on the idea.
Miller tries to hold on but Syrja pushes him away.
Syrja fails to advance to Miller's back.
Miller can't escape the position.
Syrja controlling the position easily from mount.

Syrja is working for a guillotine from mount but Miller frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martti Syrja dominated that round.
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.

Syrja circles away from the clinch attempt

and Syrja counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Syrja.
Syrja is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Miller gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Miller is trying to break free.
Miller letting Syrja take a breather here.
Miller wants to break the clinch but can't.
Syrja tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Syrja keeps control of Miller as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Syrja breaks from the clinch.

Syrja clinches with his opponent.
Syrja is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Miller pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Troy Miller has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Martti Syrja.
Syrja looking to stall.
Miller has Syrja pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Syrja manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Syrja tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Miller tries to score a body lock takedown but Syrja shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Syrja stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syrja tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Miller smiles and moves away.
Miller shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Syrja counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Syrja trying to control the position from guard on top but Miller is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Syrja postures up.
Syrja trying to control but Miller is working from the bottom.
Miller working a defensive guard here.
Syrja distracts Miller with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Miller looking to hit a scissor sweep but Syrja is one step ahead there.

Miller working for a triangle but Syrja defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Syrja's guard.
Miller looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Miller stops Syrja from standing up.
Miller controlling from the top position.
Syrja is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller sitting in guard here, content to control.
Syrja looking for a sweep. Not yet Syrja, not yet.
Miller wants to control from the top but Syrja keeps moving.
Miller preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Syrja throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Syrja shoots and misses

and Miller counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Miller.
Syrja thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syrja thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Miller stopping the sweep attempt from Syrja.
Syrja seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Miller won't allow Syrja to sweep him here.
Miller wants to control from the top but Syrja keeps moving.
Syrja throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Syrja pushes Miller off and scrambles back to his feet.

Syrja shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Syrja showed some decent athleticism there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Martti Syrja will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Syrja tries to clinch but Miller is having none of it.
Troy Miller is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Syrja swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Miller shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Miller showed some decent athleticism there.
Miller wants to advance to full mount but Syrja doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Martti Syrja has got the better of the ground game so far.

Syrja isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Miller stacks Syrja on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Miller!
Miller trying to control the position but Syrja is working away.

Miller stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Miller shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Syrja counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Miller is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Syrja gets back to full guard.
Miller stops Syrja from standing up.
Miller trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Syrja manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Syrja wanted to stand there but Miller had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Syrja trying to control but Miller is working from the bottom.
Syrja preventing the sweep.
Miller keeping moving, preventing Syrja from controlling successfully.
Miller trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Syrja clinches.

Syrja jumps guard.

Syrja is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Syrja wants a takedown.
Miller lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Syrja breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Miller.
Miller tries to clinch there but Syrja circles away.
Syrja tries to land a front kick but Miller steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Miller fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Syrja shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Miller counters with a one-two to the body.

Syrja shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Miller is refusing to be controlled, as Syrja sits in half guard.
Miller wants to stand back up but Syrja manages to pass into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller is looking to reverse the position.
Syrja looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Miller is avoiding damage well.
Miller avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Syrja.
Syrja wants to lay and pray for a moment but Miller keeps working.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Syrja takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Troy Miller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miller connects with a good right hand that stumbles Syrja. Syrja circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Miller misses with a series of wild punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martti Syrja comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Syrja 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martti Syrja!