PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Holliday (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Walburg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Walburg has chosen Here I Go Again, Whitesnake as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Holliday
vs
Walburg

179 cm
20
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Holliday!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mark Walburg!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Russell Pearce and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holliday doesn't manage to clinch there - Walburg circles away.
Walburg throws a right and a left that both miss.
Holliday throws a wild body kick that Walburg sees coming a mile off.
Holliday tries to close the distance and clinch but Walburg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holliday drops his hands momentarily and Walburg takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like John Holliday has been cut.
Holliday moves in looking to clinch but Walburg pushes him off.
Sloppy strikes from Walburg. Those never looked like landing.

Holliday shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Walburg is trying to defend but Holliday finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Holliday seems to be looking for submissions.
Holliday trying to pass the guard but Walburg defending well.
Walburg is trying to escape back to his feet but Holliday uses the scramble to pass into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Walburg wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holliday postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Walburg tries to buck Holliday off but Holliday is having none of it.
Holliday throws an elbow but Walburg slips to the side and avoids it well.
Holliday has knee on belly momentarily but Walburg bucks him off and regains half guard.
Walburg wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Walburg manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Holliday stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Walburg swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Holliday decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walburg blocks a head kick by Holliday.
Holliday shoots for a takedown but Walburg saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Holliday wants to clinch up but Walburg keeps it at a distance.
Holliday misses with a takedown attempt
and Walburg counters with a three punch combo that has Holliday backing up. Holliday nods at Walburg to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Walburg misses the shot to the body.
Walburg swinging wildly here.
Holliday darts in trying to clinch
and Walburg makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Walburg jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Holliday is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Both fighters circling a little - Walburg finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Walburg, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Holliday tries to clinch up.
Walburg attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Mark Walburg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holliday wants to clinch.
Walburg looks to score with a jab to the body but Holliday is just out of range.
A left and a right from Walburg both land. Nice combination.
Walburg fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Walburg throws a push kick but Holliday slaps the foot to one side.
Holliday is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holliday fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holliday shoots for a double leg takedown but Walburg sprawls well. He's pushed Holliday's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Holliday. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walburg misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Holliday.
Holliday tries for a takedown but Walburg sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Walburg misses with the combination.
Walburg misses with a series of wild punches.
Walburg lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Holliday circles away quickly and effectively.
Walburg looks gassed!
Holliday showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Walburg.
Holliday tries to clinch up.
Holliday tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Walburg paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Holliday ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Walburg closes the distance and clinches.

Walburg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Walburg dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Holliday's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Holliday avoids a kick to the body.
Holliday shoots for a takedown but Walburg saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Walburg throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Holliday cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice takedown defense from Walburg. No joy for Holliday on that attempt.
Walburg will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Walburg lands a head kick. Holliday smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Walburg tries to bum rush Holliday with a series of wild strikes but Holliday uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Walburg misses with the combination.
John Holliday is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holliday pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mark Walburg seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A shot to the body from Walburg misses

and Holliday counters with a shoot takedown. Walburg fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Holliday wants to control from the top but Walburg keeps moving.
Walburg is breathing heavily.
Walburg has a closed guard, preventing Holliday from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Walburg manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Holliday needs to keep his hands up - Walburg had a free shot at his head there.
Walburg throws a right and a left that Holliday avoids nicely.
Walburg throws a right and a left that Holliday avoids nicely.
Holliday fails with the takedown
and Walburg counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Holliday. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holliday shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Walburg as he jumps to the side.
Walburg takes a swing at Holliday's ribcage but misses.
Walburg misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sloppy strikes from Walburg. Those never looked like landing.

Walburg tries to sprawl but Holliday drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holliday postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Walburg to stand up.
Walburg stuffs the takedown attempt from Holliday. Holliday gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holliday has a takedown stuffed.
Walburg misses with a two punch combination.
Holliday closes the distance and clinches up with Walburg, looking for a takedown. Holliday pushes Walburg against the cage but Walburg circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Walburg falls off balance throwing a combination

and Holliday counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Walburg is looking to escape.
Walburg is staying active underneath Holliday, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Walburg wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holliday trying to pass the guard but Walburg defending well.
Holliday winds up and cracks Walburg with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Walburg is looking to improve his position.
Walburg is staying active underneath Holliday, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Walburg wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holliday trying to mount his opponent but Walburg defends it.

Holliday seems to be looking for submissions.

Holliday trying to work for an americana but Walburg has managed to regain full guard.
Holliday wants to control from the top but Walburg keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walburg throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Holliday dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Holliday's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Holliday shoots and misses
and Walburg counters with a stiff right hand.
Walburg throws a right and a left that Holliday avoids nicely.
Holliday looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Holliday uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Walburg.
Holliday slips a jab and a cross from Walburg.
Walburg stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Walburg wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Holliday. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holliday misses with a takedown attempt - Walburg sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Walburg rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Holliday moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A right-left combo lands from Walburg.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Walburg misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Holliday shoots in looking for a takedown. Walburg tries to sprawl out of it but Holliday keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Walburg manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Walburg looks to land a combination. Holliday sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

John Holliday's cut is getting worse.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holliday dodges the punch combination from Walburg.
Holliday tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Some bone on bone action there as Holliday checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Walburg misses with a double jab.
Nice takedown defense from Walburg. No joy for Holliday on that attempt.
Holliday doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Walburg counters with a two punch combo.
Holliday shoots for a takedown but Walburg saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Walburg throws a body punch but Holliday moves out of range.
Walburg throws a series of punches but Holliday avoids them all with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holliday closes this distance looking for a takedown but Walburg circles away.
Walburg misses with a wild combination.
Walburg throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Holliday counters with a nice body shot.
Holliday fails with the takedown.
Holliday takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Holliday thows a body shot but no joy.
Walburg throws a right hand that Holliday ducks under and follows up with a left that Holliday also avoids with ease.
Holliday shoots in but Walburg avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Walburg fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Holliday shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Walburg but Walburg pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Holliday dodges the punch combination from Walburg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walburg misses with a few strikes there.
Holliday throws a right and a left that both miss.
Holliday tries to clinch there but Walburg circles away.
Holliday changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Walburg tries to avoid it but Holliday manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Walburg to the ground. Walburg escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A combination from Walburg does no damage.
Holliday throws a series of punches but Walburg avoids them all with ease.
A slapping leg kick lands for Walburg.
Holliday wants to clinch up but Walburg keeps it at a distance.
Holliday tries to clinch but Walburg moves out of range.
Walburg swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walburg working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Holliday.
Holliday wants to control from the top but Walburg keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Holliday accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Walburg manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Holliday fails with the takedown
and Walburg counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Holliday is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Walburg misses with a few strikes there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walburg throws a series of punches but Holliday avoids them all with ease.
Holliday fails to land the takedown.
Walburg throws a wild body kick that Holliday sees coming a mile off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Walburg comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Walburg 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Walburg!
Mark Walburg bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.