PBP Commentary

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

Samyoa
vs
Burns

190 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
21
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Denis Samyoa!
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, Royler Burns!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burns will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Samyoa darts in and clinches Burns up against the cage.
Samyoa stalls.
Burns can't find room to land a body shot as Samyoa controls the action.
Samyoa lands an elbow just above Burns 's eye.
Burns is looking to break free of the clinch but Samyoa has double underhooks.
Burns tries to stall but Samyoa uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Burns takes an elbow to the forehead.
Burns takes an elbow to the temple.
Samyoa just leaning against Burns, taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Samyoa trying to control the position but instead, Burns has worked for underhooks and has pushed Samyoa into the cage.

Burns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Samyoa delivers a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samyoa forces Burns back against the cage and clinches.
Samyoa lands an elbow just above Burns 's eye.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Samyoa takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Denis Samyoa.
Samyoa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Burns.
Burns shoots for a double leg takedown but Samyoa sprawls well. He's pushed Burns's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Denis Samyoa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royler Burns.
Samyoa is looking to clinch but Burns is avoiding it.
Samyoa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Burns.
Burns shoots in but no luck this time.
A solid leg kick lands there for Samyoa.

Burns tries to keep at a distance but Samyoa has taken the fight into the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Samyoa takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Burns controlling the action here for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns is looking to break free of the clinch but Samyoa has double underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A hook to the body from Burns.
Samyoa missing with knees to the body.
Samyoa is pushing Burns up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Burns blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Samyoa lands an elbow inside that Burns shrugs off.
Burns misses with a punch to the body.
Burns stalling in the clinch but Samyoa improves position.
Burns looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Samyoa lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Samyoa gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Burns managing to block the knees to the body from Samyoa.
Burns blocks the elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns trying to stall but Samyoa improves his position.
Burns avoiding damage as Samyoa throws knees to the body.
Burns content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Samyoa creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Burns blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Burns stalling in the clinch.
Samyoa lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Samyoa trying to stall but Burns improves his position.
Burns takes an elbow to the forehead.
Samyoa taking a breather.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Burns takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Burns's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Burns on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Samyoa tries to close the distance and clinch but Burns swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Samyoa connects with a solid leg kick.

Burns closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Samyoa on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Samyoa tries to get out of the position.
Burns working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns trying to control the position but Samyoa is working away.
Burns is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Samyoa is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Burns fails with a takedown attempt.
Burns fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A solid leg kick lands there for Samyoa.
Burns shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Denis Samyoa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royler Burns.
Nice takedown defense from Samyoa. No joy for Burns on that attempt.
Samyoa lands a head kick. Burns smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Burns closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Samyoa did well to prevent Burns getting side control.
Samyoa wants to control but Burns is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Samyoa wants to get back to full guard but Burns has passed into side control.
Samyoa tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns working the head and body with strikes.
Burns staying calm.
Samyoa wants to control but Burns postures up.
Samyoa tries to improve position but can't.
Burns in the domination position with Samyoa hanging on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Samyoa is trying to escape the position but Burns is controlling the position.
Samyoa is looking for a sweep.
Samyoa is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Burns is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Samyoa holds of for dear life.
Samyoa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Samyoa is looking to improve his position but Burns isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Burns has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Samyoa's face.
Burns landing punches.
Samyoa is looking to get to half guard.
Burns punishing his opponent with strikes.
Burns connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Samyoa?
Samyoa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Burns fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Burns controlling his opponent.
Burns fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Samyoa wants to control but Burns is having none of it.
A nice elbow there by Burns.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royler Burns showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Burns clinches up against the cage.

Burns manages to break the clinch.
Samyoa doesn't manage to clinch there - Burns circles away.
Samyoa tries to clinch but Burns moves out of range.
Samyoa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Burns fails with a takedown attempt.
Samyoa stuffs the takedown attempt from Burns. Burns gets slowly back to his feet.
Burns tries to close the distance and clinch up but Samyoa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Denis Samyoa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royler Burns.
Samyoa looks to clinch

and Burns counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Samyoa works his way to full guard. Good work.
Samyoa wants to sweep here but Burns controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns wants to control from the top but Samyoa keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Samyoa wants to stand up but Burns is controlling him.
Samyoa keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.
Burns lands a couple of digs.
Burns tries to free his leg and advance position but Samyoa is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Burns scoring with punches to the head and body.
Burns trying to control but Samyoa is working from the bottom.
Burns prevents Samyoa from getting back to his feet.

Burns drops back looking for a leg! Samyoa is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Samyoa manages to kick Burns off! Burns jumps back into Samyoa's guard.
Samyoa trying to keep a closed guard but Burns is proving a slippery customer.

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.
Samyoa keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.
Burns seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Burns's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four 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.

Burns drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Burns jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burns stops Samyoa from standing up.
Samyoa managing to control the position.
Samyoa being controlled here, momentarily.
Burns has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Burns trying to move into half guard but instead Samyoa has managed to sweep!

And that's the end of the fight!
Royler Burns comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Burns has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

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