PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Edwardo Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Burns
vs
Black

175 cm
18
150 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

170 cm
24
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edwardo Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joey Black!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Black rushes Burns and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Burns stalling in the clinch.
Burns misses with a hook to the ribs.
Burns looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Black being controlled against the cage.
Burns wants to get back to striking at distance but Black won't allow it.

Black breaks the clinch.
Black shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Burns eats them both and turns towards Black to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Black fails with a takedown attempt.
Burns throws a big counter combination but Black scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burns has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns tries to throw a body punch but Black avoids it by throwing Burns back against the cage.
Burns keeps control of Black as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Burns stalling the fight.
Burns working Black over with knees to the body.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Black clinches with his opponent.
Come on Burns - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Burns jumps guard but Black stands there with Burns around his waist. Burns gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Burns jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Black walks away with a smile on his face. Burns gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Black throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Burns keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Black's efforts to push away.
Burns missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns has had enough of the clinch but Black keeps him there for the moment.
Black tries to break free but Burns pushes him back against the cage.
Burns content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Black managing to block the knees to the body from Burns.
Burns can't find room to land a body shot as Black controls the action.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Burns just leaning against Black, taking a breather.

Black jumps guard.

Burns stands and steps away. Black gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Black has a takedown stuffed.
Black throws the kick towards the body but Burns avoids it.
Black misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
As Black looks to move away, Burns throws a big counter combo but Black just gets out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Black goes for a double leg but Burns avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Burns continues to drive forward.
A quick step to the side and Burns tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Edwardo Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Black.
Black lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burns circles away quickly and effectively.
Burns swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Burns slips a jab and a cross from Black.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Black tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Burns just stands there and leans against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Burns - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Burns seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Burns stalling the fight.
Burns is trying to break free.
Burns tries to break the clinch but Black is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Black's defenses.
Black missing with knees to the body.
Black avoiding damage as Burns throws knees to the body.
Burns wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Burns swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Burns stalls.
Black is trying to break free.
Burns tries to break the clinch but Black is controlling the position.
Black is trying to pull guard but Burns turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Black can't break the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns slowing the pace effectively.

Black jumps guard.
Burns is looking to work some ground and pound but Black has wrist control.
Burns postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Black dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

No joy there for Black, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Burns gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Black keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Burns's efforts to push away.
Burns's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Knees in the clinch landing for Burns.
Burns taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Black breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black darts in looking for a takedown but Burns gets double underhooks and turns Black into the cage.
Black will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Black moves into range and clinches up with Burns.
Burns throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns gets underhooks to prevent Black's takedown attempt.
Edwardo Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Black.
A frustrated look appears on Black's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Black goes for a takedown attempt but Burns pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Burns closes the distance and clinches.
Burns lands a body shot in the clinch.
Burns has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Burns decides to pull guard.
Burns wants to get back to his feet but Black is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Burns pushes Black off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Burns closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Black.
Burns doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Black leaning against his opponent.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Burns tries to circle away but Black has him pinned against the cage.
Burns is trying to break free.
Burns leaning against his opponent.
Burns is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Burns misses with the head strike.
Black lands a body punch in the clinch.
Black wants a takedown.
Burns blocks an elbow strike from Black.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Black's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Black.
Burns tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Black shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Burns defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Black.
Black misses with a kick to the body
and Burns counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Black is breathing heavily.

Black manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Burns on his heels. He'll look to pass Burns's guard now, I'm sure.
Burns bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Black's guard.

Burns is looking to work some ground and pound but Black has wrist control.
Burns trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Burns with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns is looking to work some ground and pound but Black has wrist control.
Black utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Black trying to keep a closed guard but Burns is proving a slippery customer.
Burns trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns lands a couple of elbows.
Black really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Burns. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Burns throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Burns postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Burns preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edwardo Burns dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Black shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Burns defends it nicely.
Joey Black seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Black throws a right and a left that Burns avoids nicely.

Burns gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A knee to the head by Burns.
Burns dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Black is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Burns to keep the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black blocks the elbow strike.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Burns takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Black avoiding damage as Burns throws knees to the body.
Black missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Black's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Burns swings wildly with an uppercut but Black uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stalling in the clinch from Burns.
Black has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Burns avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Edwardo Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Black.
Black has had enough of the clinch but Burns keeps him there for the moment.
Burns is trying to break free.
Burns dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Black lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Edwardo Burns has been cut.
Burns stalling in the clinch.
Edwardo Burns has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A bit of stalling here from Black.
Burns stalling.
Black wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Burns smiles and moves away.

Black closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Burns jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Black walks away with a smile on his face. Burns gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Black shoots in for a takedown but Burns shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The fighters circle momentarily. Black darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Black fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Burns, pushing him back against the cage.
Burns is struggling to control the position.
Burns displaying some good clinch control by pressing Black up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Black breaks the clinch.
Black misses with a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Burns successfully pulls guard.
Black trying to control but Burns is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Burns is on top in guard.

Burns stands up and waves to Black to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black falls off balance throwing a combination
and Burns makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Black swings for the body but Burns moves out of range.

Black gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Black pulls Burns into guard.
Black takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Burns gets to his feet - Black follows without any prompting.
Joey Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Black rushes Burns and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Burns working aggressively here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns pressing his opponent against the cage.
Burns is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Edwardo Burns.
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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28

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