PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dave Burbinna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cody Ross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cody Ross acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Burbinna
vs
Ross

169 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dave Burbinna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cody Ross!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Lou da Vinci and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burbinna misses the shot to the body.
Burbinna looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ross is fending him off so far but Burbinna persists. Nope, Ross circles away and we're back to standing.
Burbinna closes the distance and clinches up with Ross, looking for a takedown. Burbinna pushes Ross against the cage but Ross circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Burbinna ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ross moves away.
Burbinna fails in his attempt to clinch.
Burbinna fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Burbinna. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burbinna just misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burbinna fails with an attempt to clinch.
Burbinna is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A slow jab from Ross misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ross swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Burbinna blocks a jab.
Burbinna lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ross circles away quickly and effectively.
Ross fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dave Burbinna seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Ross.
Burbinna tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Ross counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Burbinna's guard now.

Burbinna is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ross defends well.
Ross pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burbinna is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ross is stalling in the full guard.
Ross trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ross lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ross not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ross preventing the sweep.
Ross slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Burbinna might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ross throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ross in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Ross in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burbinna prevents Ross from improving position.
Ross is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ross has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Burbinna!
Burbinna is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Ross.
Ross landing strikes from the mount and Burbinna is in trouble!
Ross sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Burbinna is breathing heavily.
Let's hope that Ross has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Cody Ross just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Burbinna throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Ross 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.

Ross misses with an uppercut. Burbinna saw that one coming.
Ross shoots and misses

and Burbinna moves into the clinch.
Burbinna is trying to break free.
A frustrated look appears on Burbinna's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ross is pushing Burbinna up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Burbinna softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burbinna has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ross is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Ross tries for a takedown but Burbinna manages to get underhooks.
Ross keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Burbinna's efforts to push away.
Ross is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burbinna tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A nice left hand lands by Ross.
Burbinna just leaning against Ross, taking a breather.
Burbinna prevents the takedown attempt.
Dave Burbinna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cody Ross.
Burbinna stalling the fight.
Ross tries to score a body lock takedown but Burbinna shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Burbinna tries to pull guard but Ross won't allow it.
Ross misses with some punches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Burbinna wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Burbinna drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ross gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burbinna tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ross just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ross wants to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Burbinna.
Burbinna has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ross is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Burbinna can't break the clinch.
Ross is looking to control Burbinna's arms but Burbinna gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ross has his back to the cage.
Ross seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Ross fails to land.
Ross avoiding damage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Burbinna as Ross tries to tie him up.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Cody Ross.
Burbinna misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burbinna misses the shot to the body.
Burbinna misses with a takedown

and Ross counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Burbinna!
Burbinna is looking to get to half guard.
Ross content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ross dominating with strikes here.
Ross takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ross lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ross postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Burbinna looks a forlorn figure.
Ross sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Ross showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ross bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Burbinna's head backwards.
Burbinna lands a jab to Ross's midsection.
Burbinna shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ross counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ross.
Ross lands a couple of digs.
Ross slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ross creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Burbinna sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ross just content to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Despite being in the dominant position, Cody Ross just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Burbinna throws a sloppy body shot
and Ross counters with a nice uppercut.
Burbinna with a poor takedown
and Ross counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Burbinna staying out of range there.
Burbinna fails with the takedown
and Ross counters with a left to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Burbinna. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ross misses with a jab, cross combination.
Burbinna tries to clinch but Ross is having none of it.
Burbinna tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ross counters with a nice double leg into side control. Burbinna won't be happy with that.
Ross is chipping away with strikes.

Ross working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The referee asks Ross politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ross prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ross advances nicely into full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ross controlling from the full mount.
Ross unloading with bombs!
Ross controlling the position easily from mount.
Cody Ross is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dave Burbinna has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ross has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Ross looking to secure an arm triangle but Burbinna defends it well.
Ross looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cody Ross comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ross 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cody Ross!