PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hal Burnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Moses Puppicis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Moses Puppicis will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Burnett
vs
Puppicis

191 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

205 cm
22
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Hal Burnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Moses Puppicis!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burnett on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Puppicis throws a head kick but Burnett moves out of range.
Burnett avoids a punch combination nicely.
Puppicis shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Burnett sprawls well. Burnett wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Puppicis gets slowly back to his feet.
Puppicis lands the left hand.

It looks like Hal Burnett has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puppicis fails with the takedown
and Burnett counters with a leg kick.

Puppicis forces Burnett back against the cage and clinches.
Puppicis drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Burnett gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hal Burnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Moses Puppicis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puppicis fails to pull guard.
Burnett has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Puppicis is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Puppicis drops down looking for an ankle pick but Burnett pulls his leg out and moves away.
Puppicis plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Puppicis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A solid body kick from Puppicis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burnett shoots for a takedown but Puppicis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Moses Puppicis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Puppicis.
Burnett misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice takedown defense from Burnett. No joy for Puppicis on that attempt.

Burnett has taken the fight to the clinch.
Burnett looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Burnett is trying to drag Puppicis to the mat but Puppicis just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Puppicis pulls guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burnett trying to control but Puppicis is working from the bottom.
Puppicis wants to improve his position but instead Burnett has moved into half guard.
Burnett trying to control the pace.
Burnett thows a huge punch but Puppicis dodges it nicely.
Puppicis wants to control but Burnett is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Burnett slips a nice elbow through Puppicis's hands, connecting with Puppicis's forehead.
Burnett lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Puppicis keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Burnett is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Puppicis moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Moses Puppicis dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hal Burnett's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Puppicis thuds his right hand into Burnett's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Burnett walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Puppicis tries to score a power double leg takedown but Burnett sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Puppicis somewhat.
Burnett tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Puppicis manages to circle out of the way.

Burnett clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burnett looking for a takedown.
Burnett has Puppicis pushed against the cage.
Puppicis is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Burnett gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Burnett stops a takedown attempt from Puppicis.
Hal Burnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Moses Puppicis.
Puppicis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Burnett is trying to pull guard but Puppicis turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Burnett prevents the takedown attempt.
Burnett is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Puppicis is defending well.
Puppicis wants a takedown but no success here.

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

Burnett closes the distance and pushes Puppicis back into the cage.
Burnett is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Puppicis gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Puppicis tries to pull guard but Burnett holds him up against the cage and eventually Puppicis drops back down to his feet.
Burnett drops down looking for an ankle pick but Puppicis pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puppicis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Puppicis closes the distance and clinches.
Puppicis gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Burnett.

Puppicis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Puppicis fails with the takedown.
Burnett went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burnett clinches with his opponent.

Burnett has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Puppicis uses from the top position.
Puppicis trying to control but Burnett is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Burnett throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Burnett keeping moving, preventing Puppicis from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burnett has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Puppicis can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Burnett closes the distance and pushes Puppicis back into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hal Burnett dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Hal Burnett's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Puppicis tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Burnett defends well and Puppicis ends up having to push Burnett into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Burnett drops down looking for a counter takedown but Puppicis sprawls and moves away.
Puppicis wants to clinch up but Burnett keeps it at a distance.
Puppicis has a takedown stuffed.
Burnett displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Puppicis.
Hal Burnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Moses Puppicis.

Puppicis clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burnett tries for a takedown. No joy.
Burnett goes for a takedown attempt but Puppicis pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Puppicis moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puppicis has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Burnett after a bit of a struggle.
Puppicis wants a takedown.

Burnett lands a takedown into guard.

Puppicis wriggles free and stands up.
Burnett defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Puppicis.
Puppicis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Puppicis is looking to clinch.
Burnett moves out of range of the body kick from Puppicis.
Hal Burnett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burnett misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Burnett throws a leg kick that misses.
Burnett has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Puppicis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burnett will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Puppicis closes the distance and pushes Burnett back into the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Burnett looking for a takedown.
Burnett is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Puppicis is defending well.

Puppicis breaks from the clinch.
Puppicis shoots for a double leg takedown but Burnett sprawls well. He's pushed Puppicis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Burnett stuffs the takedown.
A head kick misses from Burnett.
Puppicis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Burnett as he avoids it easily.
Puppicis throws a head kick that misses.
As Puppicis tries to get set, Burnett tries to push him back and clinch up but Puppicis manages to avoid the attempt.
Burnett tries to clinch but Puppicis is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puppicis shoots for a double leg takedown but Burnett sprawls well. He's pushed Puppicis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Burnett drives through with a takedown into guard.
Burnett engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Puppicis is trying to control the position but Burnett postures up.
Puppicis throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Burnett showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Burnett stops Puppicis from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burnett is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Puppicis is trying to control the position but Burnett postures up.
Burnett content to stall in guard here.
Burnett has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Burnett trying to control but Puppicis is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Puppicis pulls Burnett in close to prevent any damage.

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 Hal Burnett.
I think Burnett 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hal Burnett!