PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lukis Valec (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robbie Burke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Valec
vs
Burke

185 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

183 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Lukis Valec!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Robbie Burke!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Valec. Those never looked like landing.
Valec keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Burke scores a takedown into full mount!
Valec is in all sorts of trouble here.
Valec is working hard here to advance position.
Burke scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Valec?
Valec is trying to stand up.

Burke is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Valec is surviving well by controlling Burke's body position as best he can.
Valec is trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valec looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Burke is not going to allow Valec to sit and survive in this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Burke has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Will Burke go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Valec just trying to survive but Burke is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Burke's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Valec wants to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valec trying to control but not successfully.
Burke trying to control.
Valec rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Burke is going to stand back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Robbie Burke was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Valec shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Burke pinned against the cage. Burke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Burke shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Valec pinned against the cage. Valec gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Burke shoots in but no luck this time.
Lukis Valec has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robbie Burke.
Valec wants to clinch up but Burke keeps it at a distance.
Burke tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Valec paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valec looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Burke fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A head kick misses from Valec.

Burke manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Valec on his heels. He'll look to pass Valec's guard now, I'm sure.
Burke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valec is keeping the position for now.
Valec manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Burke manages to get himself to full guard.
Burke looks gassed!
Valec throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Valec stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Burke is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Burke utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robbie Burke dominated that round.
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.

Burke is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Valec.
Valec throws a head kick that misses.
Valec tries to close the distance and clinch but Burke swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Valec shoots in but Burke avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Burke misses with a body shot.
Burke slaps away a takedown attempt from Valec, before circling back to the center of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Burke.
Burke throws a right and a left that both miss.
Burke keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lukis Valec. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valec fails in his attempt to clinch.

Valec moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke tries for a takedown. No joy.
Valec is trying to pull guard but Burke has him pressed against the cage.

Burke gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Valec is trying to stand back up but Burke is controlling him
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burke wants to control but Valec is keeping him busy.
Ground and pound from Burke.
Burke is pressing down on Valec's thigh, looking to free his foot. Valec is holding on for now.
Burke wants to take a breather but Valec is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valec moves into full guard.
Burke controls from within his opponent's guard.
Valec is controlling Burke's posture.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Valec trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Burke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Valec is looking to sweep but instead, Burke has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burke lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Burke trying to advance position but Valec counters by regaining guard.
Burke stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Valec swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Burke wants to control from the top but Valec keeps moving.
Burke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valec is keeping the position for now.
Burke trying to control the position from guard on top but Valec is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burke won't allow Valec to get back to his feet.
Valec trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Valec looking for a sweep. Not yet Valec, not yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Robbie Burke.
Burke looks for a takedown but Valec sprawls well.
Valec misses with a two punch combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burke fails to land the takedown.
Valec lands a high kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Robbie Burke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, 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.

Burke shoots in and drives through. Valec sprawls well.
Burke tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Valec swivels and escapes.
Valec is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Valec fails in his attempt to clinch.
Burke shoots in for a double leg but Valec sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lukis Valec has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robbie Burke.
Valec moves out of range of the leg kick from Burke.
Burke fails with an attempt to clinch.
Burke takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Burke defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Valec.
Burke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Valec moves into the clinch.
Valec prevents a takedown attempt there.
Burke wants to break free but Valec has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke looking to slow down the pace here.

Valec breaks the clinch.

Valec has closed the distance and engaged Burke in a clinch.
Valec is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A frustrated look appears on Burke's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Valec pulls guard successfully.
Burke has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Valec is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burke trying to control but Valec is working from the bottom.
Valec trying to keep a closed guard but Burke is proving a slippery customer.

Lukis Valec has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Valec shoots for a takedown but Burke saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Valec looks to land a body kick but Burke moved away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valec shoots in looking for a takedown. Burke tries to sprawl out of it but Valec keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Burke manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Valec shoots in looking for a takedown. Burke tries to sprawl out of it but Valec keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Burke manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Burke shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Valec sprawls well. Valec wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Burke gets slowly back to his feet.
Burke fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Valec avoids it really well and circles away.
Valec tries to clinch up.
Valec is looking to clinch but Burke is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valec tries to clinch up but Burke circles away and keeps his distance.
Burke throws a nice looking combination but Valec bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Burke looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Valec closes the distance and clinches up with Burke, looking for a takedown. Valec pushes Burke against the cage but Burke circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Valec shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Burke defends it nicely.

Valec forces Burke back against the cage and clinches.
Valec goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burke is stalling here.
Lukis Valec has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robbie Burke is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Valec lands a nice elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lukis Valec showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Burke 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 James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robbie Burke!