PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eugene Carl Alexander Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Carl Alexander Burns
vs
Almeida

170 cm
29
197 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

191 cm
29
195 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

Good takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Eugene Carl Alexander Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rafael Almeida!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almeida wants to clinch.

Almeida shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Almeida was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Almeida stands up and beckons Burns to his feet.

Almeida shoots in and gets a takedown into Burns's guard.
Almeida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burns swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Burns holds on and takes a little breather.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Almeida looking to sit in guard and control but Burns gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Almeida trying to keep a closed guard but Burns is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rafael Almeida was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Almeida decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Almeida seems to be working for a kimura but Burns defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Almeida is looking for a kimura but Burns is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Almeida to get the leverage.

Almeida is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Almeida is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Almeida trying to control from half guard but Burns is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Almeida is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Burns has managed to free his arm - good work.
Burns might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Burns tries to get to full guard but Almeida has control of the leg.

Almeida is working for a submission of some sort.

Almeida wants to work for an arm triangle but Burns is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Almeida dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Almeida lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burns circles away quickly and effectively.
Almeida tries to clinch but Burns moves out of range.

Burns gets caught napping as Almeida dives in and scores a takedown. Burns manages to retain guard.

Almeida stands up from Burns's guard - Almeida perhaps looking for a knockout.
Almeida goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Almeida is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Burns's half guard.
Almeida seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Burns does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Almeida missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Burns holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Almeida decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Almeida lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns misses with a lunging right hand
and Almeida counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Almeida shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Burns knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Almeida on the ground.
Almeida is keen to just control but Burns is a slippery customer.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Almeida is looking for a kimura but Burns is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Almeida to get the leverage.

Almeida is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Burns has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns is not content to let Almeida control the position.
Burns wants to get back to full guard.
Burns holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Almeida looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Almeida throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Almeida seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Almeida is looking to stall here but Burns recovers full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Almeida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Burns's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Almeida gets a takedown into half guard.

Almeida seems to be working for a kimura but Burns defends the submission attempt.

Almeida escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Almeida dives in and scores a takedown into Burns's guard.
Almeida wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Almeida is fighting to break Burns's control of his arms but Burns is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Almeida tries to free his leg and advance position but Burns is retaining full guard.
Almeida advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns holds on to Almeida's head and controls the position momentarily.
Almeida wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burns keeps working.

Almeida is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Burns knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Burns holds on to Almeida's head and controls the position momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns is trying to get back to half guard.

Almeida tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Almeida has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Almeida decides to stand up, so the ref orders Burns to his feet.

Almeida closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Burns to the mat! Burns manages to get full guard.

Almeida gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Almeida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Almeida 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Almeida!