PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Francesco Stokes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Byrne has chosen Krwlng(Crawling Remix)-Linkin Park as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Stokes
vs
Byrne

151 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Amsterdam, Francesco Stokes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alex Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Nard Betker and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Byrne fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stokes, pushing him back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Stokes looking to stall.

Stokes ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Stokes no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Byrne trying to control but Stokes is working from the bottom.
Stokes is looking to stand up but Byrne isn't so interested in that idea.
Stokes could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Byrne looking to pass the guard.
Byrne passes Stokes's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne is nestled in close to Stokes, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Byrne thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stokes's head.
Byrne is pressing down on Stokes's thigh, looking to free his foot. Stokes is holding on for now.

Stokes kicks Byrne off and gets back to his feet.
Stokes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stokes avoids the head kick by Byrne.
Alex Byrne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Byrne closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Stokes quickly recovers to half guard.
Byrne wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stokes keeps working.

Byrne gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Byrne looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Stokes!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stokes is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Byrne has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Stokes is not content to let Byrne control the position.
Byrne moves into full mount!
Stokes can't escape the position.
Byrne content just to control the position here.
Stokes is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne is landing with some decent strikes but Stokes is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Stokes is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

Byrne has control of Stokes's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Stokes regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Stokes is trying to stand up.
Byrne trying to control but Stokes is having none of it.
Byrne raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne manages to capitalize on a mistake by Stokes to take his back!

Byrne has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Stokes has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Byrne looking for the RNC.
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!
Stokes is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Stokes is trying to shake Byrne off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Byrne won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
Stokes is breathing heavily.

Byrne closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Byrne dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Byrne shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Stokes is trying to defend but Byrne finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Byrne looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Byrne stops Stokes from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stokes is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Byrne jumps into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Byrne stands up and beckons Stokes to his feet.
Stokes takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stokes tries to clinch there but Byrne circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byrne shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Stokes looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stokes is trying to stand back up but Byrne is controlling him

Byrne is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Stokes sees it coming and defends easily.
Stokes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Byrne is keen to just control but Stokes is a slippery customer.

Byrne is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Byrne postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Stokes to stand up.
Alex Byrne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrne with a nice cross.

Byrne moves into the clinch.
Stokes wants a takedown but no success here.
Stokes can't break the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Byrne breaks the clinch.
Byrne keeps the fight on the outside.

Byrne gets the takedown into side control.
Byrne controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Byrne stands up.

Byrne closes the distance and pushes Stokes back into the cage.

Byrne manages to break the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Byrne.
Stokes is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stokes prevents Byrne from moving into mount.
Stokes is pushing Byrne's head away, looking to escape. Byrne manages to hold on to the position though.
Byrne advances to full mount.
Byrne landing shots from mount.
Stokes is wriggling around trying to escape.
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!
Byrne controlling from mount.
Byrne landing strikes from the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stokes is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stokes is trying to reverse the position but instead Byrne has taken his back - oops!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Byrne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Byrne closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Stokes's guard.

Byrne stands up and waves to Stokes to follow him.

Byrne closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Byrne wants to control but Stokes is keeping him busy.
Byrne working the ground and pound from side control.
Stokes is being controlled here.
Stokes wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Byrne decides to stand up, so the ref orders Stokes to his feet.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Byrne. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Byrne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stokes fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Byrne to the ground. Stokes is now in Byrne's guard.
Byrne tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stokes wants to stand but Byrne is controlling his posture from full guard.
Stokes wants to stand and escape but instead Byrne has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Byrne looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Alex Byrne has got the better of the ground game so far.

Byrne gets to his feet. Stokes looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stokes instigates a clinch.
Stokes tries to circle away but Byrne has him pinned against the cage.
Stokes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Byrne gets control of Stokes's arms and successfully pulls guard. Byrne will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Byrne wants to sweep but no luck.
Byrne has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Byrne controls Stokes momentarily but Stokes frees himself.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Byrne is working an open guard so Stokes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Byrne scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stokes keeps working.
Stokes is trying to buck Byrne off.
Byrne wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stokes keeps working.
Stokes is looking to regain half guard here but Byrne keeps moving and retains side control.

Byrne is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Stokes has escaped the position, nice work there.
Stokes is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Byrne off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stokes is not going to allow Byrne to sit and survive in this position.

Stokes working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
I really don't envy Byrne right now.

Stokes working for a choke but Byrne is defending well.
Stokes is not going to allow Byrne to sit and survive in this position.
Francesco Stokes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alex Byrne is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Byrne showing good submission defense here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Byrne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Byrne has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Byrne!
Alex Byrne took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.