PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Burza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burza kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Metallica - Enter Sandman. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Burza
vs
Howard

185 cm
30
195 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

178 cm
30
192 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Zentrope Fighting Universe
Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Burza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Howard!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Howard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Howard throws a poor cross that misses
and Howard takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Howard throws a body punch but Burza moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howard. Burza does a little dance to reset his feet.
Howard darts in trying to clinch
and Burza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Burza's corner calls for a 1-2. Burza obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Howard loads up on a big right hand but Burza slips the punch.
A shot to the body from Howard misses
and Burza counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Howard looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A telegraphed right hand from Howard misses the target.
Burza shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Burza was well out of range. Poor timing from Howard.
Howard swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Burza scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Howard misses with a body shot.
Burza thows a body shot but no joy.
Howard throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Burza.
Howard misses the jab.
Howard is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Burza rather than just go for the knockout.
Burza is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Howard wants to clinch.
Howard thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Howard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Howard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Howard just misses with a punch to the body.
Howard misses with a lunging right hand
and Burza makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Burza connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Howard momentarily.
Burza ducks right into an uppercut from Howard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Burza moves away.
Howard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burza throws a hook to the side of Howard's head but Howard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Howard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
John Howard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Howard fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Burza looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Howard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Howard throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Burza stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Howard misses with a looping right.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howard. Burza does a little dance to reset his feet.
Howard on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Burza stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Burza on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burza ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Howard misses with a hook.
Burza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Howard was well out of range. Poor timing from Burza.
Burza misses with the combination.
A big right from Howard misses.
Burza is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Burza slips a straight right by Howard.
Burza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Howard.
Howard throws a hook to the side of Burza's head but Burza sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Burza fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Howard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Burza will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Howard looks to score with a jab to the body but Burza is just out of range.
Burza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Howard.
John Burza is winning the standup battle so far.
Howard throws a body punch but Burza moves out of range.
Howard misses the body punch
and Burza counters with a right hand to the body.
Howard fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Burza slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A combination from Howard does no damage.
Burza connects with a looping right hand.
Burza circles away from the clinch attempt.
Howard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Burza was well out of range. Poor timing from Howard.
Burza throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left and a right from Burza both land. Nice combination.
Howard thows a body shot but no joy.
Burza misses with a wild combination.
Howard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Burza manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Howard misses with a wild body shot.
Howard misses with a few strikes there.
Howard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Howard takes a swing at Burza's ribcage but misses.
Howard feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Burzas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burza blocks a jab.
Howard tries to clinch but Burza moves out of range.
Howard misses with a body shot.
Burza moves out of range of the strikes.
Howard misses with a lunging right hand
and Burza counters with a straight right hand.
Howard throws a lazy right hand but Burza sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
John Burza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Howard tries to clinch there but Burza circles away.
Burza is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Burza lands a jab to the nose.
Howard throws a big shot that misses.
Nice straight punches there by Burza. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Burza.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Howard misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Burza.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burza misses with the combination.
Howard fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fighters circling - Howard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Good exchange - Burza coming out on top.
Burza pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Good standup being displayed there by Howard as he connects with a hook.
Burza throws a hook but Howard blocks it.
Burza keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Howard.
Howard scores with a jab. Burza acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Burza circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard just misses with a punch to the body.
Howard throws the left hand but Burza avoids the punch easily.
Burza throws a sloppy body shot
and Howard counters with a series of strikes. Burza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Burza throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Howard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Burza cracks Howard with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Nice straight punches there by Howard. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Howard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A big left from Howard misses.
Howard throws a nice looking combination but Burza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Burza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Burza counters with a stiff right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Howard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Burza scores with a jab. Howard acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Howard fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Burza manages to avoid it.
Burza moves out of range of the strikes.
Howard takes a swing at Burza's ribcage but misses.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Howard throws a body punch but Burza moves out of range.

Howard has closed the distance and engaged Burza in a clinch.

Burza manages to break the clinch.
Burza staying out of range there.
Burza feints a jab promting Howard to slip. Burza then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Howard slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Burza uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Howard tries to clinch up
and Burza counters with a two punch combo.
Howard looks to throw the jab but Burza is out of range.
Burza throws a right and a left that Howard avoids nicely.
Burza jabs at Howard's body.
Burza displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Howard throws out the jab.
Howard throws a poor cross that misses
and Burza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Howard fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burza blocks a jab.
Howard swinging wildly here.
Howard takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Burza fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Burza ducks right into an uppercut from Howard.
Burza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Howard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Burza paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Burza slips under a jab.
Howard just misses with a punch to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Howard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard swings widly with a right hand
and Burza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Howard throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Burza to counter with a crisp jab.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Burza moves away.
Burza moves into range and connects with a jab.
Burza misses with a two punch combination.
Burza uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Howard.
Howard closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Howard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice shot by Howard.
Howard tries to clinch up but Burza circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Burza counters with a nice body shot.
Howard swings for the body but Burza moves out of range.
Burza changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Howard has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Howard moves in looking to clinch but Burza pushes him off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Howard swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Howard throws a predictable looking body shot
and Burza counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Howard throws a hook but Burza blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Burza throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Howard on the side of the head.
Burza swinging wildly here.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Burza showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Burza has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... John Burza!
After the fight, John Burza was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.