PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leon Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikey Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Comeback. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Smith
vs
Burns

193 cm
19
250 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
19
245 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leon Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mikey Burns!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burns tries for a takedown but Smith circles away easily

and Smith decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Burns's guard.
Burns trying to control the position here.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Burns controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Smith wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Burns working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Leon Smith.
Smith tries for a takedown but Burns circles away easily

and Burns counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Burns.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Burns avoids the damage to the body.
Burns changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Smith fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Burns lands a body shot.
Burns has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Smith.
Burns wants to clinch
and Smith counters with a nice low kick that buckles Burns's knee momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Burns gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Burns is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Smith gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Leon Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikey Burns.
Burns is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Smith pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Smith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Burns avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Smith gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Burns.
Burns looking for a takedown.
Smith is trying to break the clinch but Burns is controlling him.
Smith trying to stall but Burns improves his position.
Smith crunches a lovely knee into Burns's ribcage.
Smith is looking to control Burns's arms but Burns gets an underhook and turns him. Now Smith has his back to the cage.
Smith is trying to break the clinch but Burns has him pressed against the cage.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Burns avoids the damage to the body.

Smith has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Burns is trying to keep an underhook but Smith manages to get the takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Burns can do anything to dispel that myth.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control from Burns's half guard. Burns has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Burns really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Smith. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Burns blocks nicely.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Burns looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Smith wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Burns is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Leon Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Smith throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Burns.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Smith dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Burns walks forward, straight into a front kick from Smith.

It looks like Mikey Burns has been cut.
Smith throws a head kick that misses.
Burns tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Smith misses with a head kick.
Burns ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Smith throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Smith chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Burns tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Burns fails in his attempt to clinch.
Smith throws a hook but Burns avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns wants to clinch.

Burns scores with a takedown into Smith's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is adopting a defensive guard.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but Burns is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Leon Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Smith shoots and misses

and Burns counters by clinching up.
Smith prevents the takedown attempt.

Burns lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Smith is controlling Burns's trapped leg to prevent Burns from advancing to side control.
Burns seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith manages to get to full guard.
Burns must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Burns scoring with punches to the head and body.
Burns postures up.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.
Smith trying to control the position here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Burns slaps away a takedown attempt from Smith, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Burns moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Burns looks to throw a body kick
and Smith finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burns throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Smith was covering up waiting for the punch and Burns finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Burns is breathing heavily.
Smith is looking to sweep but instead, Burns has passed into half guard.
Smith trying to control but Burns postures up.
Smith is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Burns's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Burns's back!

Burns showing good submission defense here.
Smith wants to control but Burns manages to buck him off and is now in Smith's guard! Nice work there by Burns!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Smith dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mikey Burns's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

A thudding body kick lands there by Smith!
Smith throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Smith gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Burns holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Burns avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Burns looking for a takedown.
Smith looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Burns avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Burns is trying to drag Smith to the mat but Smith just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Smith throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Burns.
Leon Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikey Burns.
Burns takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smith scores with a head kick. Burns tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That has opened up Mikey Burns's cut even more.
Burns tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Leon Smith is winning the standup battle so far.
Smith lands a brutal head kick. Burns looks out on his feet and Smith throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Leon Smith!