PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Winston Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bermaine Stivierne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Winston Burns has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Burns
vs
Stivierne

199 cm
24
178 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Winston Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bermaine Stivierne!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Igor Prikhodko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stivierne drives through and clinches with Burns against the cage.
Stivierne is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Burns to keep the fight standing.
Stivierne is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Burns pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Burns is trying to break the clinch but Stivierne has him pressed against the cage.

Stivierne pulls guard.
Burns in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stivierne throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Stivierne had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Burns defends it easily.
Stivierne working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stivierne looking to hit a scissor sweep but Burns is one step ahead there.
Burns with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Stivierne is on top in guard.

Stivierne 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.
Stivierne stopping the sweep attempt from Burns.
Burns is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Burns will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's two 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.
Stivierne stops Burns from standing up.
Stivierne pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burns is keeping the position for now.

Burns has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Stivierne is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Stivierne drops down looking for an ankle pick but Burns pulls his leg out and moves away.
Winston Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bermaine Stivierne.

Stivierne shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Burns manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Stivierne throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stivierne sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Burns throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Stivierne pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burns is keeping the position for now.
Burns really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Burns wants to stand up but Stivierne is controlling him.
Stivierne sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Burns will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Stivierne looks for a takedown but Burns sprawls well.
Burns displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stivierne.
Stivierne throws the kick towards the body but Burns avoids it.
As Stivierne backs away, Burns returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

Stivierne darts in and clinches Burns up against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stivierne wants to take the fight to the mat but Burns manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Burns's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Stivierne manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bermaine Stivierne dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Burns shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Stivierne's guard.
Stivierne is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Burns will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Burns accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Burns 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.
Stivierne wants to hit a switch here but Burns passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Stivierne there!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stivierne can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Burns cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stivierne tries to hold on but Burns pushes him away.
Stivierne is desperately trying to improve his position but Burns has a good base and remains in mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Stivierne tries to lock up and control but Burns gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Burns unloading with bombs!
Burns raining down hammerfists from mount.
Burns landing strikes, looking to finish!
Stivierne is desperately trying to improve his position but Burns has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stivierne wants to control but Burns is having none of it.
Burns in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Burns looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The referee warns Stivierne that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Burns looking to ground and pound but Stivierne is blocking nicely.
Stivierne is bucking up trying to escape but Burns cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Stivierne tries to reverse the position but Burns maintains control.
Burns is landing with some decent strikes but Stivierne is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns landing punches.
Stivierne tries to hold on but Burns postures up.
Stivierne tries to buck Burns off but he can't manage it.
Burns is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Stivierne wants to control but Burns is having none of it.
Stivierne really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stivierne holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Burns tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Burns cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Burns throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Stivierne because Burns loaded up on that one.
Stivierne holds on to Burns around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.
Burns punishing his opponent with strikes.
Stivierne is in all sorts of trouble here.
Stivierne tries to lock up and control but Burns gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Winston Burns dominated that second round.
That's time! Burns's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Stivierne shoots in for a takedown but Burns shows good takedown defense.
It looked like Burns was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Stivierne throws a wild body kick that Burns sees coming a mile off.

Stivierne shoots in and bounces Burns off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Burns is on top in guard.

Burns throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stivierne works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns postures up in Stivierne's guard and throws a big left but Stivierne blocks it.
Stivierne is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stivierne avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Burns working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Stivierne avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Burns scoring with punches to the head and body.

Stivierne working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Burns doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Burns manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Burns is looking to work some ground and pound but Stivierne has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Burns working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stivierne wants to control but Burns passes easily into half guard.
Burns with the ground and pound but Stivierne uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Burns preventing the sweep.
Burns postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Burns distracts Stivierne with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stivierne is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stivierne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Stivierne with that takedown attempt.
Stivierne throws a combination that misses
and Burns counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Stivierne instigates a clinch.
Burns leaning his opponent against the cage.
Burns is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stivierne can do to turn this around?
Stivierne wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burns has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stivierne has Burns pushed against the cage.
Stivierne has Burns pushed against the cage.
Stivierne has had enough of the clinch but Burns keeps him there for the moment.
Stivierne tries to break the clinch but Burns is controlling the position.
Stivierne jumps guard but Burns turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Winston Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bermaine Stivierne.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burns wants to break free but Stivierne has control.
Burns can't break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Winston Burns showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Burns 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:27

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