PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Burke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Skywalker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burke's entrance music is Manish Boy. A fine choice. Skywalker is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Raised on Rock. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Burke
vs
Skywalker

178 cm
26
183 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

178 cm
33
175 lbs
25 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

The Big Kabosh

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, James Burke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luke Skywalker!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Skywalker throws out a loose jab but Burke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Burke looks to throw the jab but Skywalker is out of range.
Burke throws a half hearted mid kick.
Skywalker misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Skywalker takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Burke feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Skywalker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Burke postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Burke preventing the sweep.
Burke with a flurry of punches that miss.
Skywalker wants to sweep here but Burke controlling him for the moment.
Skywalker keeps trying to improve his position.
Skywalker keeping moving, preventing Burke from controlling successfully.
Burke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Skywalker is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke throws a big right hand that misses.
Skywalker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Burke is one step ahead there.
Skywalker looking to control.

Burke drops back, looking for a kneebar! Skywalker looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Skywalker looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Skywalker!
Skywalker misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burke takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Burke is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
You can see the frustration on Burke's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Skywalker misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Burke is looking for a sweep.
Skywalker with the ground and pound but Burke regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Skywalker missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Burke is looking for a sweep. Skywalker is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Skywalker throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Skywalker looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker throwing shots but Burke is blocking nicely.
Skywalker wants to free his trapped foot but Burke is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Burke blocking the ground and pound attempt from Skywalker.
Burke is controlling Skywalker's trapped leg to prevent Skywalker from advancing to side control.
Skywalker thows a huge punch but Burke dodges it nicely.
Burke trying to hold on to Skywalker's head to control him but Skywalker postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Skywalker missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Burke avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Skywalker.
Burke trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker throwing shots but Burke is blocking nicely.
Burke is trying to maintain the position but Skywalker is very close to passing his half guard.
Burke keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Skywalker throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Skywalker wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burke keeps working.
Skywalker not landing any meaningful shots this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Skywalker throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Burke taking some punishment here, with Skywalker in his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Skywalker 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 jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Burke swats away the attempt to clinch by Skywalker.
Burke misses with a low kick.
Burke throws a head kick that Skywalker semi-blocks.
Skywalker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Burke.
Skywalker tries a low kick but Burke avoids it.
Skywalker fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Burke is out of range.
Burke throws out a leg kick but Skywalker moves out of range and Burke only half commits.
Burke shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Burke takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Skywalker swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Burke lands a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Skywalker takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Burke avoids the body shot from Skywalker.
Burke feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Skywalker's calf.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skywalker slips under a jab from Burke.
Skywalker pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Burke lands a nice looking body shot.
Skywalker's corner calls for a 1-2. Skywalker obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Skywalker takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Burke bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Skywalker's head backwards.
Burke checks the leg kick.
Burke misses with a looping left.
Burke pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Burke lands a jab to the nose.
Burke lands a nice leg kick that just misses Skywalker's sensitive parts.
James Burke is winning the standup battle so far.
A punch combination from Skywalker misses.
Skywalker misses with a hook.
Skywalker will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Burke changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Skywalker slips a jab from Burke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Burke.
Burke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Burke cracks Skywalker with a right hand to the side of the head.
Burke shoots in looking for a takedown. Skywalker tries to sprawl out of it but Burke keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Skywalker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Burke looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Burke. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Skywalker digs a good body shot into Burke's ribs.
Burke throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Skywalker counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Burke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Skywalker shoots for a double leg takedown but Burke sprawls well. He's pushed Skywalker's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Skywalker scores with a hook to the body. Burke takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Burke getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Burke on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Skywalker. Skywalker obviously looking to wear him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burke throws a poor cross that misses
and Skywalker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Skywalker walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Burke checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Burke swings for the body but Skywalker moves out of range.
Skywalker blocks a low kick nicely.
Burke checks a leg kick.
Skywalker is looking to score with low kicks.
Burke looks to land a left hand but Skywalker moved out of range nicely.
Skywalker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Skywalker misses with a body shot.
Skywalker takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Skywalker.
Skywalker throws a leg kick

and Burke counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Burke throws an elbow but Skywalker slips to the side and avoids it well.
Burke trying to control the action but Skywalker is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burke works to advance to full mount. Skywalker defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Burke looking to control but Skywalker is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Burke looking to finish with strikes here!
Skywalker keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Burke unloads with some shots from mount but Skywalker bucks and avoids them well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Burke dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Burke slaps away a takedown attempt from Skywalker, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Burke looks to score with a jab to the body but Skywalker is just out of range.
Burke throws a shot from downtown. Skywalker moves away and avoids it.
Burke takes a swing at Skywalker's ribcage but misses.
Skywalker gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Burke.
A big right from Skywalker misses.
Burke uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Skywalker.
Skywalker listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Burke ducks right into an uppercut from Skywalker.
Skywalker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Burke misses with a looping right.
Burke does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Burke jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Skywalker tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Burke defends well and Skywalker ends up having to push Burke into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Burke throws a punch but it's blocked by Skywalker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke misses with a short punch on the inside.
Burke scores with a nice hook to the head.
Burke lands with a short shot to the head.
A shot in the inside from Burke.
Skywalker struggles to land a body shot inside as Burke controls his hands.
Nice body punch from Skywalker - that landed with a thud.

Burke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Burke connects with a single shot there.
Skywalker 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.
Good exchange - Burke coming out on top.
Burke avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Skywalker closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Skywalker lands in his opponent's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Burke controlling Skywalker's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker throwing strikes but missing.
Skywalker trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Skywalker with a flurry of punches that miss.
Burke preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Burke is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Burke wants to sweep here but Skywalker controlling him for the moment.
Burke is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Skywalker stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Skywalker stands and throws Burke's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Burke avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Skywalker.
Skywalker creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Burke sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Skywalker sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Burke is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Burke is avoiding damage well.
Skywalker creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Burke sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Skywalker is trying to ground and pound but Burke uses the momentary lack of control by Skywalker to regain half guard.
Skywalker throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Burke avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Skywalker.
Skywalker is pressing down on Burke's thigh, looking to free his foot. Burke is holding on for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Skywalker throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Burke to regain full guard.
Burke is adopting a defensive guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Luke Skywalker.
I think Skywalker 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Skywalker!
After the big win, Luke Skywalker made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Just Fight (Everything 7$) and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.