PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ali Burch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saint Vigilius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Burch
vs
Vigilius

163 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ali Burch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Saint Vigilius!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Ryoma Takatsuka and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Vigilius looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vigilius lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

It looks like Ali Burch has been cut.

Vigilius closes the distance and pushes Burch back into the cage.

Burch pulls guard.
Vigilius stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burch swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Burch might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Vigilius is still trying to improve position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burch pushes Vigilius off and scrambles back to his feet.
Vigilius misses with a takedown
and Burch counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burch leaves Vigilius with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Vigilius fails with the takedown.
Ali Burch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saint Vigilius.
Burch fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vigilius avoids it really well and circles away.
Burch swats away the attempt to clinch by Vigilius.
Vigilius throws a leg kick that misses.
Burch really is a fat lump.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Vigilius closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Burch swings wildly with an uppercut but Vigilius uses good head movement to avoid it.

Burch pulls guard effortlessly.
Vigilius looking to sit in guard and control but Burch gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Vigilius looking to control.
Burch postures up and lands a big shot to Vigilius's brow.
Burch is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Burch postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Burch lands a couple of digs.
Vigilius is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burch lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Burch lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Vigilius looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Vigilius escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Burch gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Burch lands a couple of elbows.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Burch accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Burch stands and steps away. Vigilius gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Vigilius wants to clinch up but Burch keeps it at a distance.
Burch lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vigilius rushes Burch and presses him up against the cage.
Burch is trying to break the clinch but Vigilius has him pressed against the cage.
Vigilius tries to stall but Burch uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vigilius tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Burch just stands there and leans against the cage.
Vigilius will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Burch up against the cage.
Burch fails to pull guard.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Vigilius.

Burch pulls guard.
Vigilius pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burch is keeping the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burch doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Burch utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali Burch dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ali Burch's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Vigilius tries to clinch there but Burch circles away.

Burch gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vigilius fails to pull guard.
Burch has had enough of the clinch but Vigilius keeps him there for the moment.
Burch is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vigilius can do to turn this around?

Burch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vigilius lands the left hand.
Vigilius is trying hard to land a takedown here. Burch sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Vigilius tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vigilius fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Burch throws a quick counter head kick but Vigilius was just out of range.
Ali Burch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saint Vigilius.
Vigilius fails with the takedown
and Burch counters with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vigilius is looking to clinch.
Burch blocks a head kick by Vigilius.
As Vigilius looks to move away, Burch throws a big counter combo bu Vigilius just gets out of the way.
Vigilius shoots in for a takedown but Burch shows good takedown defense.
Saint Vigilius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Burch takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Burch takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Burch lands a glancing blow to the side of Vigilius's head.
Vigilius ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Burch moves away.
Vigilius is looking to clinch.
Burch changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vigilius tries to avoid it but Burch manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vigilius to the ground. Vigilius escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Burch misses with a right hand
and Vigilius counters with a left and a right that stings Burch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burch shoots in but Vigilius avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vigilius looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vigilius lands a body shot.

Vigilius tries to sprawl but Burch drives through with a takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vigilius is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Burch jumps into side control!
Vigilius can't do much from the bottom here.
Ali Burch overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Burch working the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vigilius is looking for a sweep.
Vigilius looks to move to half guard but instead Burch has passed into mount! Damn!
Burch in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Burch has hold of Vigilius's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Vigilius manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Vigilius is desperately trying to improve his position but Burch has a good base and remains in mount.
Burch with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vigilius is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Burch moves to the back position.
Burch landing with strikes.
Burch throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Vigilius!

Burch has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Vigilius! Can he survive? No! He's out! Burch gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ali Burch!