PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cortez Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Donovan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Burns
vs
Donovan

224 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
24
138 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cortez Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Liam Donovan!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Anthony Taglia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burns moves into range and clinches up with Donovan.

Donovan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Donovan misses with a series of wild punches.
Donovan swinging wildly here.
Burns half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Donovan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Donovan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Donovan misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Burns.
Donovan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Burns counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Donovan has his hands clasped together around Burns's back. He's all about the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns trying to control the pace.

Burns decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Donovan falls off balance throwing a combination

and Burns counters by clinching up.
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 Donovan walks away with a smile on his face. Burns gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Burns moves into the clinch.
Burns using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Donovan has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Donovan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donovan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burns has him pressed against the cage.
Donovan is trying to break the clinch but Burns has him pressed against the cage.
Donovan tries to break the clinch but Burns is controlling the position.
Burns misses with a punch on the inside.
Donovan looking to stall.
Donovan throws a head punch that misses.
Donovan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Donovan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burns has him pressed against the cage.

Donovan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A punch combination from Donovan misses.
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 tries to clinch but Donovan is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns drops his hands momentarily and Donovan takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Donovan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Donovan misses with a combination
and Burns counters with a three punch combo that has Donovan backing up. Donovan nods at Burns to acknowledge the strikes.
Burns tries to close the distance and clinch up but Donovan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Burns misses with a takedown attempt - Donovan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cortez Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Donovan misses with a kick to the body.
Burns throws a counter high kick but Donovan was just alert enough to avoid it.

Donovan gets the takedown into side control.
Burns is looking to regain half guard here but Donovan keeps moving and retains side control.

Donovan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Donovan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns is trying to improve his position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
You can see the frustration on Burns's face as Donovan controls the position.
Burns is looking for a sweep.
Donovan controlling the position from side mount.
Burns knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Donovan on the ground.
Donovan working away.
Burns tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Burns is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Liam Donovan will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Donovan misses with a series of wild punches.
Burns is looking for a counter combo.
Donovan throws a combination that misses
and Burns counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Donovan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Burns appears to be looking for a big counter.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Burns jumps guard but Donovan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns jumps guard but Donovan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Donovan wants to break free but Burns has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Come on Donovan - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Burns stalling the fight.
Burns tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Burns's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Donovan misses with a series of wild punches.
Burns appears to be looking for a big counter.
Donovan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Burns counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Burns slips a jab and a cross from Donovan.
As Donovan looks to move away, Burns throws a big counter combo but Donovan just gets out of the way.
Donovan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Donovan throws a series of punches but Burns moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donovan thumps Burns with a low kick.
Burns avoids a punch combination nicely.
Burns closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Donovan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Burns counters with a three punch combo that has Donovan backing up. Donovan nods at Burns to acknowledge the strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Burns shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Donovan as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cortez Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Burns rushes Donovan and presses him up against the cage.
Burns throws a head punch that misses.
Burns taking a breather.

Burns has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Donovan is trying to keep an underhook but Burns manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns wants to take a breather but Donovan is having none of it.
Donovan is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Donovan makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Donovan misses with a double jab.
Donovan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Burns darts in and clinches Donovan up against the cage.
Donovan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Donovan effectively controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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 Donovan walks away with a smile on his face. Burns gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Donovan looks to land a combination but Burns avoids it well.
Donovan misses with a series of wild punches.
Burns appears to be looking for a big counter.
Donovan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Donovan tries to bum rush Burns with a series of wild strikes but Burns uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Donovan throws a leg kick
and Burns counters with a three punch combo that has Donovan backing up. Donovan nods at Burns to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A slow jab from Donovan misses its intended target.
Donovan is breathing heavily.
Donovan swings widly with a right hand

and Burns counters with a nice double leg into side control. Donovan won't be happy with that.
Burns will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Donovan tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Burns presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Liam Donovan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Donovan throws a nice looking combination but Burns bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Donovan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burns circles away quickly and effectively.
Sloppy strikes from Donovan. Those never looked like landing.
Burns seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Donovan throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Donovan swats away the attempt to clinch by Burns.

Donovan clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Donovan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Burns lands a nice uppercut.
Donovan throws a knee to the head but misses.
A frustrated look appears on Donovan's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Burns on the inside.

Burns jumps into guard, dragging Donovan to the mat.
Burns tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Burns trying to control the position.
Donovan postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Burns is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Donovan defends well.
Burns is trying to hold Donovan in close to prevent damage but Donovan has managed to pass into half guard.

Burns is looking to regain full guard. He's left an arm up in the air though and Donovan has latched onto it... Big trouble! Donovan pivots for an armbar - it's in tight and it Burns is tapping in no time flat! Great counter grappling there from Donovan!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Liam Donovan!