PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brian Robertson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Bird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Brian Robertson has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Robertson
vs
Bird

190 cm
18
184 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brian Robertson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eric Bird!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Robertson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Robertson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Robertson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bird moves forwards but Robertson connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Bird blocks a jab.

Bird drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bird trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Robertson wants to sweep here but Bird controlling him for the moment.
Robertson is working hard here to advance position.
Bird trying to control but Robertson is working from the bottom.
Bird controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bird pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Robertson is keeping the position for now.
Robertson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Robertson is looking for a triangle but Bird pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bird uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Robertson.
Robertson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Robertson throws a nice looking combination but Bird bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Brian Robertson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bird keeps the fight on the outside.
Robertson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Bird feints and as Robertson raises his hands in defense, Bird changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bird trying to control the position from guard on top but Robertson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bird lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Robertson controls Bird momentarily but Bird frees himself.
Bird is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Bird preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robertson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bird controls the pace.
Bird postures up.
Robertson keeping moving, preventing Bird from controlling successfully.
Bird lands a couple of digs.
Robertson pulls Bird in close to prevent any damage.
Robertson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bird is controlling him.
Robertson is breathing heavily.
Bird working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bird is looking to work some ground and pound but Robertson has wrist control.
Bird scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bird trying to control but Robertson is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Robertson is on top in guard.
Bird has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bird trying to keep a closed guard but Robertson is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robertson is fighting to break Bird's control of his arms but Bird is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Bird scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Bird scores with a takedown into Robertson's guard.
Bird stopping the sweep attempt from Robertson.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bird prevents Robertson from getting back to his feet.
Bird keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Robertson's head.
Bird throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bird loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Robertson's head.

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

Bird decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Robertson moves into full guard.

Robertson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Robertson looking for a sweep. Not yet Robertson, not yet.
Robertson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Robertson pushes Bird off and gets back to his feet.
Robertson misses with a takedown

so Bird counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Robertson looking to control.
Robertson is looking to stand up but Bird isn't so interested in that idea.
Robertson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Robertson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Bird dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Robertson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Bird counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Robertson wants to sweep but no luck.

Robertson working for a triangle but Bird defends it easily.
Bird advances to half guard.

Bird seems to be working for a kimura but Robertson defends the submission attempt.
Robertson tries to roll over but Bird keeps him under control.
Robertson trying to control here.
Bird passes to full mount!
Bird is landing with some decent strikes but Robertson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bird avoids the attempt from Robertson to control.
Bird lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Bird controlling the pace for now.
Bird landing shots from mount.
Bird tries to control but Robertson wriggling away.
Bird lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Bird looking to control but Robertson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Robertson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Bird with a couple of short strikes.
Bird dominating with strikes here.
Bird is landing with some decent strikes but Robertson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robertson tries to hold on but Bird pushes him away.
Robertson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bird looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Robertson is in a horrible position here. Bird smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Bird connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Robertson is looking to improve his position but Bird isn't that keen on the idea.
Bird dominating with strikes here.
Robertson is looking to improve his position but Bird isn't that keen on the idea.
A nice elbow there by Bird.
Bird punishing his opponent with strikes.
Robertson tries to hold on but Bird pushes him away.

Bird is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Robertson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Robertson tries to hold on but Bird postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird dominating with strikes here.
Bird landing strikes from the mount and Robertson is in trouble!

Robertson is rocked!
Bird with the ground and pound from mount.
Oh Robertson is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bird throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Bird throwing strikes here but Robertson is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Bird throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Bird throws some wild stikes that Robertson manages to avoid easily.
Bird looking to finish with strikes here!
Robertson is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Bird there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Robertson seems to have got his legs back now.
Robertson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bird lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Robertson wants to get back to his feet.
Bird lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The referee warns Robertson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Bird avoids the attempt from Robertson to control.
Bird trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bird controlling from the full mount.
Bird postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Robertson looks a forlorn figure.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bird working away from the top, dropping strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Bird 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!

Bird scores with a crisp jab that stopped Robertson in his tracks.
Bird moves out of range of the strikes.
Good work by Bird as he checks the leg kick.

Bird bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Bird takes a little break here. Robertson wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Bird lands a few punches from side control.
Bird controlling the position.
Robertson wants to control but Bird postures up.

Bird goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Robertson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Bird's guard! Nice work there by Robertson!
Bird keeping moving, preventing Robertson from controlling successfully.
Bird takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bird lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Robertson!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robertson can't escape the position.

Bird looking to secure an arm triangle but Robertson defends it well.
Bird has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bird lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Robertson holds on for dear life, controlling Bird's posture momentarily.
Bird tries to control but Robertson wriggling away.
Robertson wants to try and get back to his feet.
Robertson tries to hold on but Bird postures up.
Bird lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Robertson hang on?

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.
Robertson tries to hold on but Bird pushes him away.
Bird unloading with bombs!

Bird jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Robertson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Bird working away.
Bird looks up at the clock and then as Robertson takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Bird smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Bird controlling from side mount.
Robertson gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Bird sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Robertson working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robertson regains half guard.
Bird tries to pass to full mount but Robertson defends it.
Bird seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Robertson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ground and pound from Bird.
Robertson tries to kick Bird off but Bird keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Bird wants to pass the guard but Robertson is defending well.
Bird throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bird throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Robertson tries to kick Bird off but Bird keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Robertson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Brian Robertson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Robertson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bird.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bird misses with a takedown attempt

and Robertson counters by clinching up.
Robertson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Robertson wants to get back to striking at distance but Bird won't allow it.
Robertson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Robertson breaks the clinch.
Bird will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Robertson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Brian Robertson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bird throws a hook but Robertson avoids it easily.
Robertson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bird moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bird checks a leg kick nicely.
Robertson swinging wilding here.
Robertson closes the distance looking to clinch

and Bird counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Robertson's guard now.

Robertson had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bird is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Robertson Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bird's back instead.
Bird turns into Robertson and is now in his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Bird comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bird 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Bird!