PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Briggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Krystyn Suliaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Briggs
vs
Suliaw

175 cm
28
142 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

175 cm
20
145 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, James Briggs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Krystyn Suliaw!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suliaw feints and then cracks Briggs's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Briggs down.
Suliaw scores with a jab to the jaw.
Suliaw's coach down at Ironfist Athletics was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Suliaw's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Suliaw scores with a leg kick.
Briggs looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Suliaw is fending him off so far but Briggs persists. Nope, Suliaw circles away and we're back to standing.
Briggs pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Suliaw connects with a solid leg kick.
Briggs is trying hard to land a takedown here. Suliaw sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A nice inside leg kick there by Suliaw. That's going to slow Briggs down.
Suliaw keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Briggs looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Briggs is defended easily by Suliaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Briggs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Suliaw tries to clinch up but Briggs circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Suliaw closes the distance and clinches.
Suliaw softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Suliaw lands with a right to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Suliaw is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Suliaw misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suliaw struggles to land a body shot inside as Briggs controls his hands.
Suliaw lands with a short shot to the head.
Suliaw lands with a right to the head.
Briggs wants to take the fight to the mat but Suliaw manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Briggs tries for a takedown but Suliaw manages to get underhooks.

Briggs successfully pulls guard.
Briggs pulls Suliaw in close to his closed guard and prevents Suliaw from doing any damage or advancing position.
Suliaw stopping the sweep attempt from Briggs.
Suliaw is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Briggs has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Suliaw has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Suliaw stops a takedown attempt from Briggs.
Briggs goes for a takedown in the clinch but Suliaw prevents it.
Briggs is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A right hand to the body from Suliaw.
Suliaw lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Suliaw lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Suliaw gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Briggs.
Good body shot from Suliaw.
Suliaw lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Suliaw lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suliaw prevents Briggs from breaking the clinch.
Suliaw goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Suliaw stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Suliaw lands a right hand.
Suliaw stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Briggs goes for a takedown attempt but Suliaw pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Suliaw throws a head kick that misses.
Some wild striking there from Briggs.
Suliaw wants to clinch up but Briggs keeps it at a distance.
Suliaw stuns Briggs with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Suliaw fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Suliaw throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs tries to score a power double leg takedown but Suliaw sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Briggs somewhat.
Briggs shoots in and drives through. Suliaw sprawls well.

Briggs shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Suliaw manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
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!
Briggs wants to pass the guard but Suliaw is keeping the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Suliaw can do anything to dispel that myth.
Briggs postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Briggs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Suliaw swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Briggs throws a strike but Suliaw rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Krystyn Suliaw dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Briggs is looking to land body kicks.
Suliaw throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Briggs fails with the takedown.
Suliaw turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Briggs closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Briggs trying to pass the guard but Suliaw defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Briggs is working hard here to advance position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs passes to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Briggs lands a nice forearm strike.

Briggs tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Briggs has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Briggs is trying to ground and pound but Suliaw uses the momentary lack of control by Briggs to regain half guard.
Briggs thows a huge punch but Suliaw dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Briggs trying to control from half guard but Suliaw is working away.
Briggs scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Suliaw gets full guard.
Suliaw really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Briggs. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Briggs loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Suliaw keeping moving, preventing Briggs from controlling successfully.
Briggs controlling from the top position.
Suliaw working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Briggs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Briggs 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.
Briggs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Suliaw swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Briggs looks to throw the jab but Suliaw is out of range.
Briggs closes the distance and clinches up with Suliaw, looking for a takedown. Briggs pushes Suliaw against the cage but Suliaw circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Briggs fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Briggs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Suliaw throws a head kick that half lands.
Briggs changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Suliaw tries to avoid it but Briggs manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Suliaw to the ground. Suliaw escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Suliaw connects with a right hand. Briggs shakes it off.
Suliaw throws a head kick that misses.
Suliaw tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suliaw avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Suliaw keeping moving, preventing Briggs from controlling successfully.
Suliaw is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Suliaw looking to hit a scissor sweep but Briggs is one step ahead there.
Briggs postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Briggs throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Suliaw works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Briggs dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A lazy left from Suliaw finds it's target.
Briggs fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Suliaw avoids it really well and circles away.

Briggs looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Suliaw!
Briggs in side control, throwing shots but Suliaw defends.
Briggs working the ground and pound from side control.

Briggs tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs trying to control the action but Suliaw is working from the bottom.
Suliaw tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Briggs wants to lay and pray for a moment but Suliaw keeps working.
Suliaw is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Suliaw looking for a sweep but Briggs has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Suliaw is in all sorts of trouble here.
Poor strikes thrown by Briggs there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Briggs throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
James Briggs overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Briggs throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Suliaw because Briggs loaded up on that one.
Briggs with a couple of short strikes.
Briggs lands a nice shot to the head.
Briggs dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Briggs working Suliaw over with strikes here.
Briggs throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Briggs looking to finish Suliaw with some ground and pound. This is bad for Suliaw!
Suliaw holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Briggs tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Briggs unloads with some shots from mount but Suliaw bucks and avoids them well.
Suliaw wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Briggs.
Suliaw is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs looking to finish with strikes here!
Briggs is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Suliaw can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Briggs scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Suliaw?
Briggs lands with some strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Briggs looking to finish with strikes here!
Briggs putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

And that's the end of the fight!
James Briggs showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Briggs has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Briggs!
Our winner, James Briggs, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.