PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul Burke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bam Bam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burke comes to the cage accompanied by Let it Rock. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Burke
vs
Bam

180 cm
24
175 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

180 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Inexperienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paul Burke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bam Bam!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Winston Howard and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burke shoots in but Bam avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Burke shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bam defends it nicely.
Burke is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bam sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Burke. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Burke looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Bam!

Burke gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Burke shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bam but Bam pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Paul Burke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Burke fails with the takedown.
Bam throws a series of punches but Burke moves out of range.
Burke misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Burke is breathing heavily.
Burke looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bam defends it nicely.
Burke fails with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bam is defended easily by Burke.

Bam drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bam trying to control but Burke is working from the bottom.
Bam forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bam is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bam works his way into full mount!
Burke is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Bam unloads with some shots from mount but Burke bucks and avoids them well.
Bam has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bam punching from mount but Burke doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Burke holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Bam tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Bam is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Burke is surviving well by controlling Bam's body position as best he can.
Burke is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bam is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Burke has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Burke!
Burke won't allow Bam to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burke passes into half guard.
Burke is trying to control the action in half guard but Bam is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Burke decides to stand and escape the position.
Bam fails with a takedown attempt.

Burke shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Bam manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burke gets to his feet. Bam looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Burke tries for a takedown but Bam circles away easily

and Bam counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Burke!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
You get the feeling that Burke really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Bam looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You get the feeling that Burke really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bam looking to ground and pound but Burke is blocking nicely.

Bam with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bam Bam will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Burke with a lazy takedown attempt

so Bam counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Bam looking to pass the guard.
Burke is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bam trying to control but Burke is working from the bottom.
Bam throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burke is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bam is controlling him.

Burke wriggles free and stands up.
Burke shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bam defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bam tries to avoid it but Burke manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bam to the ground. Bam escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Burke. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bam throws a chopping leg kick but Burke manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Burke has a takedown stuffed.
Bam swinging wilding here.
Burke fails with the takedown

and Bam counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bam.

Bam drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bam jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bam stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burke swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Burke pushes Bam off and gets back to his feet.

Bam shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Bam works his foot free and advances to mount.
Burke is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bam is landing with some decent strikes but Burke is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
You get the feeling that Burke really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Bam wants to finish this one by submission but Burke is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Bam.
Bam looking to control but Burke is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bam throws some wild stikes that Burke manages to avoid easily.
Burke wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Burke avoids a series of strikes thrown by Bam.
Bam trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Burke tries to buck Bam off but he can't manage it.
Bam looking to control but Burke is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Burke trying desperately to get to his feet.
Bam trying to control but Burke is having none of it.
Burke is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bam Bam showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bam is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Burke's half guard.

Bam is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Burke sees it coming and defends easily.

Burke kicks Bam off and gets back to his feet.
Burke with a lazy takedown attempt

and Bam counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bam tries to free his leg and advance position but Burke is retaining full guard.

Burke pushes Bam off and scrambles back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Burke shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Bam counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bam advances to half guard.
Bam trying to control from half guard but Burke is working away.
Burke is looking to escape.
Bam is keen to just control but Burke is a slippery customer.

Bam is looking for a kimura here.
Burke blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bam.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bam trying to pass the guard but Burke defending well.

Bam 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Burke misses with a takedown attempt

and Bam counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Burke. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bam stops Burke from standing up.
Bam wants to get up but he can't break Burke's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bam Bam has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bam stops Burke from standing up.
Bam stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burke swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bam trying to control but Burke is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bam stuffs the takedown.
Bam with a lazy takedown attempt

and Burke counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bam!
Bam Bam is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bam wants to hold on but Burke pushes him away.

Burke is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Bam is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Bam flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Burke anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Bam and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Burke slips an arm under Bam chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Burke has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Burke is squeezing on Bam like an anaconda would it's prey. Bam fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Paul Burke!