PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Needs Chris Needz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Burnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Needs Chris Needz
vs
Burnett

182 cm
21
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
22
240 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Good takedowns
Brawler
Plays chess

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Chris Needs Chris Needz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Will Burnett!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Jonathan Paton and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chris Needz tries to clinch up.
Nice sprawl there from Burnett as Chris Needz shoots in.
Burnett fails to land with a series of punches.

Burnett bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Burnett has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Burnett throws a series of punches but Chris Needz avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Chris Needz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Chris Needz has a takedown stuffed.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Burnett is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Burnett is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Burnett drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chris Needs Chris Needz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Burnett.
Burnett wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chris Needz has him pressed against the cage.
Chris Needz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Burnett.
Chris Needz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Chris Needz tries to land a knee to the head but Burnett blocks with his arms.

Chris Needz pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burnett wants to pass the guard but Chris Needz is keeping the position.
Chris Needz striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Burnett wants to stand but Chris Needz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Burnett trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Burnett looks gassed!
Burnett landing some decent shots from guard.
Burnett really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chris Needz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Burnett is looking to stand up but Chris Needz won't let him.
Chris Needz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Burnett's guard.
Chris Needz postures up and lands a big shot to Burnett's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Chris Needz wants to control from the top but Burnett keeps moving.
Burnett wants to sweep here but Chris Needz controlling him for the moment.
Burnett wants to stand and escape but Chris Needz is having none of it.
Chris Needz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Chris Needz stands up and waves to Burnett to follow him.
Burnett doesn't manage to clinch there - Chris Needz circles away.
Chris Needz throws a head kick that Burnett semi-blocks.
Chris Needz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Burnett swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chris Needz tries to clinch there but Burnett circles away.

Chris Needz clinches.

Chris Needz breaks from the clinch.
Chris Needz doesn't manage to clinch there - Burnett circles away.
Chris Needz tries to clinch but Burnett moves out of range.
Chris Needz misses with a wild combination.
Burnett throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Burnett looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Burnett falls off balance throwing a combination
and Chris Needz counters with a left and a right that stings Burnett.
Chris Needz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Burnett paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Chris Needz drives through with a takedown into guard.
Chris Needz prevents Burnett from getting back to his feet.
Burnett is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Burnett uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burnett fails with an attempt to clinch.
Chris Needz misses with a takedown attempt - Burnett sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Chris Needz slips a jab and a cross from Burnett.
Chris Needz tries to clinch up.

Chris Needz shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Chris Needz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burnett keeps working.
Burnett is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chris Needz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Burnett does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Burnett is trying to stand.
Chris Needz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Burnett knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Burnett flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Needs Chris Needz dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Chris Needz doesn't manage to clinch there - Burnett circles away.
Burnett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Chris Needz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Burnett is fending him off so far but Chris Needz persists. Nope, Burnett circles away and we're back to standing.

Burnett scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Burnett stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Burnett throws a series of punches but Chris Needz avoids them all with ease.
Chris Needz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Burnett tries to avoid it but Chris Needz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Burnett to the ground. Burnett escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Will Burnett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chris Needz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Chris Needz slips a jab and a cross from Burnett.

Burnett instigates a clinch.
Burnett changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Chris Needz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Chris Needz works Burnett's body with a nice hook.

Chris Needz closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Burnett wants to get back to his feet.
Burnett trying to hold on to Chris Needz's head to control him but Chris Needz postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burnett is pressing down on Chris Needz's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Burnett is on top in guard.

Burnett stands up and waves to Chris Needz to follow him.
Burnett throws a leg kick
and Chris Needz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Chris Needz throws a head kick but Burnett moves out of range.
Burnett throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Chris Needz ducks right into an uppercut from Burnett.

Chris Needz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Chris Needz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Burnett is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Chris Needz working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Chris Needz trying to control but Burnett is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chris Needz landing strikes, looking to finish!
Burnett really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Chris Needz content just to control the position here.
Burnett tries to hold on but Chris Needz pushes him away.
Burnett is looking to improve his position but Chris Needz isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burnett wants to get back to his feet.
Burnett is desperately trying to improve his position but Chris Needz has a good base and remains in mount.
Chris Needs Chris Needz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Burnett is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Chris Needz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Burnett trying desperately to get to his feet.

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.
Burnett tries to hold on but Chris Needz pushes him away.
Burnett wants to try and get back to his feet.
Chris Needz trying to control but Burnett is having none of it.

Burnett bucks Chris Needz off and manages to get back to his feet!
Burnett misses with a double jab.

Burnett rushes Chris Needz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Burnett has picked Chris Needz up - he's going for a ride! Burnett dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Burnett wants to get back to his feet.
Burnett working the head and body with strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chris Needz wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Will Burnett will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Chris Needz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Chris Needz scores with a crisp jab that stopped Burnett in his tracks.
Burnett misses with a double jab

and Chris Needz counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Burnett's guard now.
Burnett keeping moving, preventing Chris Needz from controlling successfully.
Chris Needz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Chris Needz is in close to Burnett's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Chris Needz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Chris Needz stands up and waves to Burnett to follow him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Chris Needz shoots in and bounces Burnett off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Burnett keeping moving, preventing Chris Needz from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chris Needz is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Chris Needz decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Burnett lands a jab-cross combination.
Burnett misses with a series of wild punches.
Burnett throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Burnett throws a combination that misses

and Chris Needz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Burnett won't be happy with that.
Burnett is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Burnett is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Chris Needz is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chris Needz wants to control but Burnett is keeping him busy.
Chris Needz is working Burnett over with some ground and pound from side control.
Burnett tries to buck Chris Needz off but Chris Needz is having none of it.

Chris Needz decides to stand up, so the ref orders Burnett to his feet.

Chris Needz tries to keep at a distance but Burnett has taken the fight into the clinch.
Burnett is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Knees in the clinch landing for Chris Needz.
Burnett prevents the takedown attempt.
Burnett is working for takedown but Chris Needz is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burnett has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Chris Needz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Chris Needs Chris Needz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Burnett.
Burnett looking for a takedown.
Burnett tries to score a body lock takedown but Chris Needz shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Burnett wants a takedown.

Chris Needz has Burnett pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Chris Needz pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Burnett tumbling to the mat - Chris Needz dives into Burnett's guard.
Chris Needz trying to control but Burnett is working from the bottom.

Chris Needz stands up from Burnett's guard - Chris Needz perhaps looking for a knockout.
Burnett keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Chris Needz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Burnett.
Chris Needz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Burnett.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chris Needz is looking to clinch.
Chris Needz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Burnett paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Burnett ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Chris Needz moves away.
Nice takedown defense from Burnett. No joy for Chris Needz on that attempt.
Chris Needz tries to clinch there but Burnett circles away.
No luck for Chris Needz with that takedown attempt.

Chris Needz closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Chris Needz lands in his opponent's guard.
Chris Needz trying to control the position from guard on top but Burnett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burnett is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Chris Needz is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Chris Needz stands and steps away. Burnett gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Burnett stuffs the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Needs Chris Needz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Chris Needz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Needs Chris Needz!