PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sheldon Sykes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler Burrows (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burrows has chosen My Herione as his entrance music. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Sykes
vs
Burrows

216 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

176 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sheldon Sykes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tyler Burrows!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Bruno Lombardi and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burrows darts in trying to clinch
and Sykes counters with a low kick, right behind Burrows 's knee.
Sykes fails to land the takedown.

Burrows gets caught flat footed, as Sykes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Burrows seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Burrows is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Burrows looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sykes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sykes postures up in Burrows's guard and throws a big left but Burrows blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykes throwing strikes from guard but Burrows blocks nicely.
Sykes postures up in Burrows's guard and throws a big left but Burrows blocks it.
Sykes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Burrows works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sykes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sykes throws a big right hand that misses.

Burrows is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sykes 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.
Sykes won't allow Burrows to get back to his feet.
Sykes postures up and lands a big shot to Burrows's brow.
Burrows looking for a sweep. Not yet Burrows, not yet.
Sykes postures up and lands a big shot to Burrows's brow.
Sykes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Burrows is trying to keep Sykes in close.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sykes's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burrows avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sykes is looking to work some ground and pound but Burrows has wrist control.
Sykes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Burrows utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sykes lands a couple of elbows.
Sykes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sykes would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Burrows wants to sweep but no luck.
Burrows is trying to control the position but Sykes postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sykes is looking to work some ground and pound but Burrows has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykes distracts Burrows with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sykes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Burrows has momentary wrist control but Sykes slips an elbow through the middle.
Burrows avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Burrows looking for a guillotine here but Sykes defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sykes throws a big right hand that misses.
Sykes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Burrows tries to strike from the bottom.
Burrows looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sykes is one step ahead there.
Sykes scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burrows avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sykes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Burrows's head.
Sykes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Burrows works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Burrows is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Burrows preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sykes landing some decent shots from guard.
Sykes stands up over Burrows, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sykes with a flurry of punches that miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sykes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Burrows looking for a sweep. Not yet Burrows, not yet.
Sykes throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sheldon Sykes dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sykes lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sykes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Burrows drives through with a takedown into guard.
Burrows would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sykes is looking to stand up but Burrows isn't so interested in that idea.
Sykes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sykes keeping moving, preventing Burrows from controlling successfully.
Sykes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Burrows is controlling him.
Sheldon Sykes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sykes is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burrows tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Burrows has his foot on Sykes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sykes works his way back into a safe position though.
Sykes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sykes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sykes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sykes distracts Burrows with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sykes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sykes with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sykes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Burrows lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sykes!

Burrows jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Sykes is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Sykes and Burrows has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burrows trying to control the action but Sykes is working from the bottom.

Burrows decides to stand back up.
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!

Sykes gets tackled into the cage by Burrows. Burrows maintains the clinch.
Sykes fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykes is stalling here.
Sykes is looking to control Burrows's arms but Burrows gets an underhook and turns him. Now Sykes has his back to the cage.
Sykes will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Burrows up against the cage.
Sykes managing to block the knees to the body from Burrows.
Burrows fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sykes lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Burrows jumps guard but Sykes stands there with Burrows around his waist. Burrows gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sykes fails to pull guard.
Burrows is looking for a takedown.
Sheldon Sykes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyler Burrows.

Burrows lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Burrows missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sykes gets full guard.
Burrows stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sykes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Burrows wants to control from the top but Sykes keeps moving.
Burrows looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tyler Burrows will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sykes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Burrows moves to clinch but Sykes breaks away
and Sykes counters with a nice low kick that buckles Burrows's knee momentarily.
Nice sprawl there from Sykes as Burrows shoots in.
Sykes lands a nice leg kick that just misses Burrows's sensitive parts.
Burrows misses with a takedown attempt - Sykes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Tyler Burrows seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Burrows.
Burrows with a poor takedown
and Sykes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sheldon Sykes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyler Burrows.
Burrows takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Horrible takedown by Sykes or perhaps it was just good defense by Burrows which made him look bad.
Sykes tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Burrows defends well and Sykes ends up having to push Burrows into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sykes manages to break the clinch.
Burrows stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Burrows wants it to stay on the feet.
Burrows tries to clinch up
and Sykes counters with a head kick.
Tyler Burrows is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burrows misses with a takedown attempt - Sykes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Burrows tries to clinch but Sykes is having none of it.
Some wild striking there from Burrows.
Burrows misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burrows stuffs the takedown.
Burrows is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sykes sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sykes leaves Burrows with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Burrows displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sykes.
Burrows dives in and grabs Sykes's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sykes pushes down on Burrows's head and hops out.

Sykes gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burrows is trying to control but can't.
Sykes wants to stand but Burrows has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Sykes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sykes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sykes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sykes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Burrows's head.
Sykes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Burrows is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sykes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sykes working the head and body with strikes.
Sykes lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Burrows is trying to get back to full guard.

Burrows has one foot on Sykes's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burrows goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sykes staying out of range there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sheldon Sykes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sykes 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sheldon Sykes!
The defeated Tyler Burrows had this to say: 'I am not impressed by my performance.'.