PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Foster Burke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nishiki Takano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Burke
vs
Takano

223 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Foster Burke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nishiki Takano!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takano misses with a few strikes there.
Burke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takano moves away.
Takano tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Burke stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Burke wants it to stay on the feet.
Takano shoots in for a double leg but Burke sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Burke half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Takano fails with the takedown.
Foster Burke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nishiki Takano.
Takano shoots in but no luck this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
As Takano looks to move away, Burke throws a big counter combo but Takano just gets out of the way.

Burke instigates a clinch.
Burke tries to score a body lock takedown but Takano shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Takano tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Burke just stands there and leans against the cage.
Burke effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burke gets control of Takano's arms and successfully pulls guard. Burke will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Burke is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Burke lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Burke stands up from half guard.
Takano misses with the body kick

and Burke counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Burke sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Burke's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takano avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Burke not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Burke really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Burke is working Takano over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Burke stopping the sweep attempt from Takano.
Burke sitting in guard here, content to control.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Takano throws his legs up looking for a submission but Burke uses it to pass to side control.
Burke 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.
Burke taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takano is looking to regain half guard here but Burke keeps moving and retains side control.
Burke working the ground and pound from side control.
Burke scores with punches from side control.
Takano is trying to improve his position.
Takano is letting Burke control him for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The strikes coming from Burke are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Burke is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Takano will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's four 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.
Burke landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Burke scoring with punches and elbows.
Burke prevents Takano from escaping the position.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Takano is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Burke is staying tight to Takano's torso, preventing him from escaping.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Burke scores with a takedown into Takano's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Foster Burke dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Takano works Burke's body with a nice hook.
Burke checks a low kick from Takano.
Burke seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Takano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Burke went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Takano tries to clinch but Burke moves out of range.
As Takano looks to move away, Burke throws a big counter combo but Takano just gets out of the way.
Burke slaps away a takedown attempt from Takano, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Foster Burke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takano tries to clinch but Burke moves away

and Burke counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burke cracks Takano with a big right hand but Takano just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Takano is looking to regain half guard here but Burke keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burke is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Takano's shoulder. That is not cool.
Takano wants to control but Burke postures up.
Takano takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Burke controls the position.

Burke stands up.
Takano looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Takano is breathing heavily.
Takano fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Burke tries to counter by clinching up but Takano breaks away and moves out of range.
Foster Burke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nishiki Takano.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Burke checks the leg kick nicely there.
Takano moves in looking to clinch but Burke pushes him off.
Burke stuffs the takedown.
Takano throws a left and a right that both miss

and Burke counters with a nice double leg into side control. Takano won't be happy with that.
Burke controlling from side mount.
Takano can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Burke's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Burke scores with punches from side control.

Burke stands up.
Burke takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

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.
A head kick by Takano misses

and Burke counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Burke is looking for a takedown.
Burke controlling the action here for a moment.
Takano jumps guard but Burke turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Burke effectively controlling the action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Takano is pressed up against the cage. Burke has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Takano down to the mat. Takano avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Takano.
Burke tries to counter with a takedown but Takano is quick to defend against it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Foster Burke dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Takano is looking to clinch.
Takano shoots for a takedown but Burke saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Takano throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Burke's waist but Burke gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Takano off to one side.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Takano.
Foster Burke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nishiki Takano.
Burke circles away from the clinch attempt.
Takano shoots for a double leg takedown but Burke sprawls well. He's pushed Takano's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burke lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Takano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takano ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Burke moves away.
Takano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Burke throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takano has his takedown stuffed

and Burke counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Burke in particular looking to stall.
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. Burke connects with a nice short shot to Takano's temple.
Burke is nestled in close to Takano, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Burke winds up and cracks Takano with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Burke content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Takano is trying to stand up here but Burke is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burke content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Takano on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Burke is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Foster Burke is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burke drives through and clinches with Takano against the cage.
Takano letting Burke take a breather here.
Burke has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Takano after a bit of a struggle.
Takano is trying to break free.

Burke jumps guard.
Burke is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Burke scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burke not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Well, if Burke is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Takano trying to hold on to Burke's head to control him but Burke postures up.
Burke is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Foster Burke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burke scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Nishiki Takano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Foster Burke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Takano looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Foster Burke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Burke 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Foster Burke!