PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johny Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mats Mahlik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burns's entrance music is "Firestarter" by The Prodigy. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Burns
vs
Mahlik

180 cm
26
183 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

180 cm
24
183 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Deadly Clothing

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johny Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mats Mahlik!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burns throws a quick inside leg kick.
Mahlik swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mahlik just misses with a punch to the body.
Burns takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Burns.
Burns lands a head kick. Mahlik smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Burns throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Burns slips a straight right by Mahlik.
Good leg kick by Burns there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Burns ducks under a wild hook from Mahlik.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Mahlik, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mahlik throws a shot from downtown. Burns moves away and avoids it.
Mahlik throws the left hand but Burns avoids the punch easily.
Mahlik chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Burns can pounce on him.
Burns takes a swing at Mahlik's ribcage but misses.
Burns plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Burns moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Burns closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mahlik to the mat! Mahlik manages to get full guard.
Mahlik 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mahlik is keeping the position for now.
Mahlik pulls Burns in close to his closed guard and prevents Burns from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahlik keeping full guard, as Burns tries to pass.
Burns loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Burns lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mahlik's sensitive parts.
Mahlik will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Burns buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Burns looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mahlik avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Burns.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Burns there.
Mahlik tries to kick Burns off but Burns keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Burns misses with a head shot. Mahlik uses the momentum to regain guard.
Burns passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Mahlik gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mahlik's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johny Burns dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Burns is looking to slow Mahlik down with leg kicks.
Burns with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Burns shoots for a takedown but Mahlik saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Burns lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mahlik at a distance.
Mats Mahlik is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burns shoots in for a takedown but Mahlik shows good takedown defense.
Mahlik misses with a series of wild punches.
Mahlik misses with a body punch
and Burns counters with a low kick, right behind Mahlik 's knee.
Burns tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mahlik swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johny Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mahlik misses with a double jab
and Burns counters with a nice kick to the body.
Mahlik is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Burns.
Burns scores with a jab.
Johny Burns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Burns tries to clinch up.
Mahlik leaves Burns with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mahlik on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Mahlik's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahlik tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Burns was well out of range. Poor timing from Mahlik.
Mahlik misses with a double jab
and Burns makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Mahlik misses with a hook to the body
and Burns counters with a good, hard body kick but Mahlik shrugs it off.
Mahlik misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Burns.
Mahlik misses with a body punch
and Burns counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Burns buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Burns misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahlik stuffs the takedown.
Mahlik throws a combination that misses
and Burns counters with a nice body shot.
Burns shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Burns lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Mahlik keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Mahlik gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Burns trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Burns 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns wants to pass the guard but Mahlik is keeping the position.
Burns preventing the sweep.
Burns throwing strikes from guard but Mahlik blocks nicely.
Burns missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Burns tries to free his leg and advance position but Mahlik is retaining full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Burns accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Burns stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mahlik swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mahlik 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.

Johny Burns dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Burns ducks under a wild hook from Mahlik.
Burns slips under a jab.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Burns, right into the meat.
Burns lands a jab to Mahlik's midsection.
Burns tries for a takedown but Mahlik sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Burns throws a body punch but Mahlik moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mahlik jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Burns uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mahlik.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahlik thows a left - swing and a miss!
Burns tries to clinch but Mahlik is having none of it.
Burns misses with an uppercut. Mahlik saw that one coming.
Burns moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Burns.
Mahlik misses with a body shot
and Burns counters with a thumping low kick.
A shot to the body from Mahlik misses
and Burns counters with a nice leg kick.
Mahlik takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mahlik swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Burns counter with a right hand.
Mats Mahlik has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahlik swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mahlik stuffs the takedown.

Mahlik gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burns keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mahlik's head.
Burns postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Burns slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sloppy strikes there by Burns.
Johny Burns is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahlik is looking to regain half guard here but Burns keeps moving and retains side control.
Burns misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Mahlik tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Burns moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Burns wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mahlik keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Burns slows the pace down.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Burns throws a quick inside leg kick.
Burns connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Burns looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Burns cracks the inside of Mahlik's front leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johny Burns showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Burns has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johny Burns!