PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Artem Graf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Burkhart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alex Burkhart has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Graf
vs
Burkhart

178 cm
23
162 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

163 cm
25
146 lbs
18 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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LHK Clothing- New Home of Core Apparel

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 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Artem Graf!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Burkhart!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graf moves out of range of the strikes.
Graf misses with a double jab
and Burkhart counters with a head kick. That will keep Graf thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Burkhart connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Graf's hands.
A combination from Graf does no damage.

Graf shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Burkhart is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Graf wants to control the pace but Burkhart is squirming around nicely.
Burkhart really wants to buck Graf off and get back to his feet.
Burkhart is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Graf goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Burkhart turns into him and now he's in Graf's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Graf wants to sweep here but Burkhart controlling him for the moment.

Graf had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Burkhart defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burkhart decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Graf moves out of range as Burkhart throws a body kick.

Graf decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Burkhart pushes Graf off and gets back to his feet.
Graf shoots for a takedown but Burkhart saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Graf moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Alex Burkhart is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Burkhart tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Graf paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Burkhart throws an off balance right hand

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

Graf drops back looking for a leg! Burkhart is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Burkhart manages to kick Graf off! Graf jumps back into Burkhart's guard.
Burkhart wants to stand up but Graf is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Burkhart manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Alex Burkhart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Burkhart throws an off balance right hand
and Graf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Burkhart misses with a double jab
and Graf counters with a left and a right that stings Burkhart.
Burkhart tries to clinch up but Graf circles away and keeps his distance.

Burkhart clinches up against the cage.
Graf has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Burkhart breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Burkhart tries to clinch up.
Burkhart moves in looking to clinch but Graf pushes him off.
Burkhart tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Graf paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burkhart throws a right hand that misses

and Graf counters with a nice double leg into side control. Burkhart won't be happy with that.
Graf remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Graf trying to control the position but Burkhart is working away.
Burkhart is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Graf is controlling him well.
Graf landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Graf throws a strike aimed at the side of Burkhart's head but Burkhart avoids it well.
Graf postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Graf will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Graf in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graf is trying to ground and pound but Burkhart uses the momentary lack of control by Graf to regain half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Burkhart is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graf not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Graf lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Graf is trying to control. Burkhart wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Burkhart manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Burkhart tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Graf manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Graf rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Burkhart moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Graf fails to land the takedown.
Burkhart scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graf misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Burkhart forces Graf back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Burkhart pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Burkhart tries to clinch up but Graf circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Burkhart ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Graf fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A left lands for Burkhart.
Graf circles away from the clinch attempt.
Graf throws a series of punches but Burkhart moves out of range.
Graf steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Burkhart.

Burkhart moves into the clinch.
Graf tries to pull guard but Burkhart holds him up against the cage and eventually Graf drops back down to his feet.

Burkhart breaks the clinch.

Burkhart moves into range and clinches up with Graf.
Graf tries to work over Burkhart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Burkhart breaks the clinch.
Graf misses with a jab, cross combination.
Burkhart wants to clinch up but Graf keeps it at a distance.
Graf avoids the body shot from Burkhart.
Graf swats away the attempt to clinch by Burkhart.
Burkhart fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graf avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Burkhart throws a head kick that misses.
Burkhart throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Burkhart misses with a left hand

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

Burkhart pushes Graf off and gets back to his feet.
Graf blocks a head kick by Burkhart.
Graf walks into a jab.

Burkhart clinches up against the cage.

Burkhart pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Burkhart throws a poor cross that misses

and Graf counters with a single leg into guard. Burkhart didn't expect that.
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!
Burkhart is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Graf is controlling him.
Burkhart is breathing heavily.

Burkhart manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burkhart showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Graf.
Burkhart shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Graf avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Graf tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Burkhart was well out of range. Poor timing from Graf.
Burkhart pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Some wild striking there from Graf.
Artem Graf is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burkhart swings widly with a right hand
and Graf counters with a left and a right that stings Burkhart.
Graf goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Burkhart on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Burkhart throws a jab when Graf was well out of range.
Burkhart doesn't manage to clinch there - Graf circles away.
Burkhart throws a left and a right that both miss

and Graf decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Burkhart's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graf prevents Burkhart from getting back to his feet.
Graf wants to control from the top but Burkhart keeps moving.
Burkhart avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Graf is looking to advance position but Burkhart has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Burkhart tries to stand up but Graf had a hold of his arm and he's managed to perform a nice reversal, into half guard.
Burkhart is looking to escape.
Graf missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Burkhart wants to get back to his feet.
Graf throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Burkhart tries to kick Graf off in order to stand up. Graf Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

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.
Burkhart is not content to let Graf control the position.
Burkhart takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Graf tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Graf in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Graf tries to move to mount but Burkhart blocks the move with his legs.
Graf lands a nice forearm strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artem Graf dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

No joy there for Graf, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Graf scores with a one two! Burkhart had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Burkhart might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Burkhart wants to clinch but Graf slips to the side
and Graf counters with a left and a right that stings Burkhart.

Burkhart moves into the clinch.

Burkhart breaks from the clinch.
Burkhart falls off balance throwing a combination

and Graf counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Burkhart tries to kick Graf off but Graf keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Graf is just content to waste time from the top position. Burkhart takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Burkhart is looking to stand up but Graf isn't so interested in that idea.
Graf landing some decent shots from guard.
Artem Graf overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Burkhart takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burkhart wants to get back to his feet but Graf is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Graf postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Burkhart wants to get back to his feet but Graf is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Graf is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Graf trying to control the position from guard on top but Burkhart is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Graf throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Graf scoring with punches to the head and body.
Graf throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Graf is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Graf landing with the ground and pound.
Graf is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Graf throws a big right hand that misses.
Graf landing with the ground and pound.
Graf sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Burkhart's guard.
Graf is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Burkhart on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Alex Burkhart has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Graf is trying to control. Burkhart wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graf stops Burkhart from getting back to his feet.
Burkhart is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Graf scores with a couple of nice shots.
Graf looks to land a strike but Burkhart avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Graf is in close to Burkhart's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Graf trying to control but Burkhart is working from the bottom.
Graf is in close to Burkhart's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Burkhart avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Graf trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Graf throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Burkhart works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Graf working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Graf thows a big elbow that misses.
Graf with a nice head shot there.
Graf trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Burkhart looking for a guillotine here but Graf defends easily.

Burkhart kicks Graf off and gets to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Artem Graf showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Graf, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Artem Graf!