PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Denis Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alen Zalac (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zalac has chosen Survival - Eminem as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Burns
vs
Zalac

185 cm
22
214 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

185 cm
25
217 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Denis Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alen Zalac!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burns shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Zalac manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Burns wants to pass the guard but Zalac is keeping the position.
We've been hearing that Burns has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Zalac controls Burns momentarily but Burns frees himself.
Burns throwing strikes from guard but Zalac blocks nicely.
Zalac wants to stand but Burns is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zalac is keeping the position for now.
Burns working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns scoring with some ground and pound.
Burns slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zalac misses with a wild combination.
Burns is looking for a counter combo.
Zalac misses with an uppercut
and Burns counters with a nice low kick that buckles Zalac's knee momentarily.
Burns is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Burns has closed the distance and engaged Zalac in a clinch.
Burns lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Zalac backwards.
Burns prevents Zalac from breaking the clinch.
Burns lands a left hand.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Burns.
Burns throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zalac blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Zalac dodges an elbow strike from Burns.
Burns presses Zalac against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Burns scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Alen Zalac has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zalac wants to break free but Burns has control.
Burns has Zalac pressed against the cage, preventing Zalac from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zalac wants to break free but Burns has control.
A nice right hand lands inside from Burns.
Burns stops a takedown attempt from Zalac.
A left hand lands to the body for Burns.
Burns with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Burns landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A body shot lands from Burns.
Zalac is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Burns lands a shoulder strike.

Burns wants the takedown. Zalac is fighting it off but Burns persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Zalac's guard against the cage.
Burns forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Burns connects with a nice short shot to Zalac's temple.
Burns is taking a breather. Zalac says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Zalac wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Burns throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zalac trying to control but Burns postures up.

Burns is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Burns looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Zalac with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Burns throwing shots but Zalac is blocking nicely.
Burns trying to mount his opponent but Zalac defends it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Burns is looking for a kimura here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Burns dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alen Zalac's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Burns connects with a right hand. Zalac shakes it off.
Zalac tries to clinch but Burns is having none of it.
Zalac misses with a few strikes there.
Burns was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Burns moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Burns slips a jab and a cross from Zalac.
Zalac misses with a low kick.
Zalac throws a leg kick
enabling Burns to counter with a crisp jab.
Burns checks a low kick from Zalac.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns misses with a body shot.

Burns scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Burns seems to be working for a kimura but Zalac defends the submission attempt.
Burns throwing shots but Zalac is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nice strikes from Burns there.
Zalac moves into full guard.
Zalac looking to control.

Zalac had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Burns defends it easily.
Zalac lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Burns looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Zalac got a little sloppy there for a moment and Burns has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Zalac has managed to get both his arms back between Burns's legs - danger averted.
Burns working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zalac.
Burns preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zalac throws a big elbow that misses.
Burns doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Burns is looking for a triangle but Zalac pushes his legs off easily.
Zalac throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zalac passes Burns's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Burns tries to get to full guard but Zalac has control of the leg.
Burns is not content to let Zalac control the position.
Burns trying to control from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Zalac is working for a submission of some sort.
Zalac misses with a head shot. Burns uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Zalac from controlling successfully.
Zalac wants to stand but Burns is controlling his posture from full guard.
Zalac loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Burns has taken the fight to the clinch.
Burns misses with a knee to the head.
Burns scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Burns has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Zalac uses from the top position.
Zalac pushes down on Burns's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Zalac thows a huge punch but Burns dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Burns dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alen Zalac's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Burns is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Burns looking to score a takedown here. Zalac is defending well but Burns drives through and ends up in Zalac's guard.
Burns throws a strike but Zalac rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Zalac stopping the sweep attempt from Burns.
Zalac wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Burns on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Burns tries to get out of the position.
Zalac postures up in Burns's guard and throws a big left but Burns blocks it.
Zalac takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Burns is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zalac can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zalac advances to half guard.
Zalac not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Burns looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Zalac lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns tries to roll over but Zalac keeps him under control.
Burns gets full guard.
Zalac is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zalac accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zalac with a flurry of punches that miss.

Burns is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zalac throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Zalac stopping the sweep attempt from Burns.
Zalac postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Burns not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Burns avoids the body shot from Zalac.
Burns tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zalac feints the counter takedown.
Alen Zalac seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zalac tries to close the distance and clinch but Burns swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zalac gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Burns counters with a single leg into guard. Zalac didn't expect that.
Burns trying to control but Zalac is working from the bottom.
Burns loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Burns preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns trying to control the position from guard on top but Zalac is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns sitting in guard here, content to control.
Zalac has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Burns works over Zalac with some ground and pound from guard.
Burns sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Zalac's guard.
Zalac blocking the ground and pound attempt from Burns.
Burns lands strikes from half guard.

Burns wants to work for an arm triangle but Zalac is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Zalac regains full guard. Nicely done.
Denis Burns overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Burns with a nice head shot there.
Zalac has his hands on Burns's head, controlling the position.
Burns with a flurry of punches that miss.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A solid leg kick lands there for Burns.
Zalac moves to clinch but Burns breaks away
and Burns counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Zalac thinking.

And that's the end of the fight!
Denis Burns showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Burns 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:26
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denis Burns!