PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Burgess (ranked 8995 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eduardo Pires (ranked 6264 p4p, 0 weight class). Eduardo Pires has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Burgess
vs
Pires

215 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
181 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kurtis Burgess!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Eduardo Pires!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burgess misses with a two punch combination.
Pires is looking for the big counter here.
Pires misses with the combination.
Burgess is looking to counter the offense by Pires and move into the clinch.
Pires throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Burgess.

Burgess shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pires's guard.
Burgess engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Burgess looking to sit in guard and control but Pires gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pires keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Burgess's head.
Burgess working a defensive guard here.
Pires must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Burgess looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Pires puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Burgess wants to get back to full guard but Pires has passed into side control.
You can see the frustration on Burgess's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pires working the ground and pound.

Burgess is rocked!
Burgess tries to bench press Pires off him but Pires keeps the position.
Oh Burgess is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Pires is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Burgess is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Burgess seems to have got his legs back now.
Pires postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Burgess tries to bench press Pires off him but Pires keeps the position.
Burgess is not content to let Pires control the position.
Burgess can't do much from the bottom here.
Burgess tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pires wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Pires tries for a kimura but Burgess is defending well.
Pires wants to control but Burgess is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pires tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Pires has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Burgess tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pires wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Pires is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Burgess knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Pires is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Burgess is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Pires thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Burgess is looking for a sweep.
Burgess stops Pires from passing to mount.
Burgess tries to bench press Pires off him but Pires keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Burgess manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pires's best efforts.
Pires is thwarting Burgess's attempts to control the position.
Pires thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Burgess's head.
Burgess trying to control here.
Burgess gets back to full guard.
Burgess really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Burgess is breathing heavily.
Pires engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Pires's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Pires with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pires not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Burgess wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pires content to stall in guard here.
Pires landing with the ground and pound.
Pires trying to control the position from guard on top but Burgess is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burgess is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Burgess wants to sweep here but Pires controlling him for the moment.
Burgess controls Pires momentarily but Pires frees himself.
Pires stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burgess swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pires trying to control the position from guard on top but Burgess is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pires wants to pass the guard but Burgess is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Pires dominated that round.
That's time! Burgess's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Pires looks to land a combination but Burgess avoids it well.
Burgess throws a leg kick but Pires sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Pires is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Burgess with a body shot.

Pires closes the distance and clinches.

Burgess tightens his grip and picks Pires up, before dumping him to the ground. Pires manages to land in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pires is on top in guard.

Burgess is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pires won't allow Burgess to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pires trying to control but Burgess is working from the bottom.
Pires stopping the sweep attempt from Burgess.
Pires trying to control the position from guard on top but Burgess is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burgess trying to keep a closed guard but Pires is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burgess is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Burgess seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Burgess sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pires defending well though.
Pires has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pires moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Pires looking for a sweep. Not yet Pires, not yet.
Burgess throws a big elbow that misses.
Pires pulls Burgess in close to his closed guard and prevents Burgess from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pires looking to hit a scissor sweep but Burgess is one step ahead there.
Burgess trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Pires manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Pires stopping the sweep attempt from Burgess.

Pires drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pires jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Burgess trying to control the position here.
Pires throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pires content to stall in guard here.
Eduardo Pires has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burgess is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Pires thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Burgess is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Pires's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Burgess keeping moving, preventing Pires from controlling successfully.
Burgess working a defensive guard here.
Burgess is really struggling to control Pires but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Pires forces his way into half guard.

Pires is trying to work for a kimura but Burgess is defending well.
Burgess trying to control but Pires postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pires is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Burgess has managed to free his arm - good work.
Pires trying to pass the guard but Burgess defending well.
Pires is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Burgess is looking to improve his position.
Pires perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burgess keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Burgess is looking to improve his position.
Pires is pressing down on Burgess's thigh, looking to free his foot. Burgess is holding on for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Pires showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Pires misses with a two punch combination.
Burgess is looking to counter the offense by Pires and move into the clinch.
Pires is trying hard to land a takedown here. Burgess sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A left and a right from Pires both land. Nice combination.
Pires fails with a takedown attempt.
Burgess feinted with a counter takedown.
Burgess stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Burgess wants it to stay on the feet.
Kurtis Burgess has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eduardo Pires.

Pires moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burgess gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Burgess trying to control the position from guard on top but Pires is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burgess is looking to stand up but Pires won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burgess throwing strikes from guard but Pires blocks nicely.

Burgess postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pires is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Burgess, into his guard.

Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pires wants to control from the top but Burgess keeps moving.
Pires tries to free his leg and advance position but Burgess is retaining full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Burgess is on top in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burgess wants to stand but Pires has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Burgess drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Pires manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Burgess has Pires in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pires is fighting to break Burgess's control of his arms but Burgess is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Burgess not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pires trying to control but Burgess is working from the bottom.
Pires would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Pires trying to control the position from guard on top but Burgess is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pires looking to pass the guard.
Burgess is pulling down on Pires's head to control his posture.
Pires stopping the sweep attempt from Burgess.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pires wants to control from the top but Burgess keeps moving.
Burgess will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Pires landing some decent shots from guard.

Pires drops back looking for a leg! Burgess is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Burgess manages to kick Pires off! Pires jumps back into Burgess's guard.
Pires won't allow Burgess to sweep him here.
Pires sitting in guard here, content to control.
Pires looking to pass the guard.
Burgess controlling Pires's posture.
Pires controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Burgess is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Burgess keeping full guard, as Pires tries to pass.
Pires trying to control but Burgess is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Pires throws a right and a left that both miss.
A combination from Pires does no damage.
Pires throws a series of punches but Burgess avoids them all with ease.

Burgess looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Pires!
Pires is trying to improve his position.
Eduardo Pires is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burgess wants to stand but Pires has his arm trapped.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eduardo Pires comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pires has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eduardo Pires!