PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Trevor Burrows (ranked 2265 p4p, 278 weight class) and Avery Nijholt (ranked 2319 p4p, 285 weight class). Burrows comes to the cage accompanied by Calm - No problem. Avery Nijholt has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Burrows
vs
Nijholt

177 cm
20
171 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

178 cm
20
176 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Trevor Burrows!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Avery Nijholt!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Reed Andrews and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burrows tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nijholt was well out of range. Poor timing from Burrows.
Burrows tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nijholt was well out of range. Poor timing from Burrows.
Burrows misses with a hook.

Nijholt has Burrows up against the cage in a clinch.
Nijholt misses with an elbow strike.
Burrows blocks a body shot from Nijholt.
Nijholt working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nijholt misses with the head strike.

Nijholt pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Burrows takes a swing at Nijholt's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burrows throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Burrows slips a jab from Nijholt.

Nijholt drives through and clinches with Burrows against the cage.

Nijholt has picked Burrows up - he's going for a ride! Nijholt dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nijholt sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nijholt is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Burrows doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nijholt.

Burrows is defending against the submission attempts here by Nijholt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Burrows manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two 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.
Nijholt throws a strike but Burrows rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Burrows postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Burrows trying to control the position from guard on top but Nijholt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nijholt wants to hit a switch here but Burrows passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Nijholt there!
Burrows landing strikes from the mount and Nijholt is in trouble!
Nijholt is looking to improve his position but Burrows isn't that keen on the idea.
Nijholt wants to control but Burrows is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nijholt tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nijholt is in a horrible position here. Burrows smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Burrows with the ground and pound from mount.
BOOM! Burrows connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Burrows landing strikes from the mount and Nijholt is in trouble!
Burrows lands a big elbow.
Burrows looking to finish Nijholt with some ground and pound. This is bad for Nijholt!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nijholt tries to reverse the position but Burrows maintains control.
Burrows controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Burrows cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Burrows takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Burrows wants to control the pace but Nijholt is squirming around nicely.
Burrows is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Nijholt is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Nijholt tries to hold on but Burrows postures up.
Burrows trying to control but Nijholt is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trevor Burrows dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Burrows throws a jab when Nijholt was well out of range.
Nijholt moves out of range as Burrows strikes.
Burrows pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Burrows takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Nijholt throws a right hand that misses
and Burrows counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nijholt fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nijholt tries to close the distance and clinch up but Burrows swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nijholt moves to clinch but Burrows breaks away

and Burrows counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Burrows.
Burrows is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nijholt can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nijholt being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burrows won't allow Nijholt to sweep him here.
Nijholt looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Burrows puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Nijholt misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Nijholt won't allow Burrows to pass to mount.
Nijholt wants to control but Burrows is keeping busy.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Burrows lands a nice short elbow.
Nijholt flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Nijholt wants to improve his position but Burrows is controlling well.
Burrows not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burrows trying to control from half guard but Nijholt is working away.
Nijholt is looking for a sweep. Burrows is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nijholt is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Burrows's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Burrows's back!
Burrows is keeping busy.
Burrows trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Burrows rolls, trying to escape but Nijholt keeps control of the position.

Nijholt tightening his grip on Burrows, looking for the choke.
Burrows tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burrows regains half guard.
Burrows wants to control but Nijholt is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Burrows manages to get to full guard.

Burrows working for submissions but it's allowed Nijholt to get to half guard.
My spies in IC&E Academy inform me that Nijholt has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Burrows is trying is best to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nijholt wants to control but Burrows is keeping him busy.
Burrows gets full guard.
Burrows keeping moving, preventing Nijholt from controlling successfully.
Burrows seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Nijholt stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burrows swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nijholt pushes down on Burrows's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Burrows looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Burrows tries to roll over but Nijholt keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trevor Burrows dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Burrows moves into the clinch.
Nijholt can't find room to land a body shot as Burrows controls the action.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Nijholt just misses with a elbow thrown towards Burrows's brow.
Nijholt tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Burrows lands a shoulder strike.
Nijholt blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Nijholt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nijholt.
Burrows misses with some punches.
Nijholt blocking some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nijholt misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nijholt works on Burrows's body with a couple of short punches.
Burrows swings wildly with an uppercut but Nijholt uses good head movement to avoid it.
Good body shot from Nijholt.
Burrows tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burrows blocks an elbow strike.
Nijholt scores with a hook to the body.
Burrows lands an uppercut.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Nijholt misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Burrows trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nijholt creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Nijholt creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Burrows's defenses.
Nijholt misses with a punch to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Nijholt.
Nijholt misses with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Burrows.
Nijholt lands a damaging elbow.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Nijholt.
Nijholt misses with a punch on the inside.
Nijholt tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Burrows's elbow.
Avery Nijholt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Nijholt throws an elbow but misses.
Burrows goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Burrows goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Burrows throws a punch but it's blocked by Nijholt.
Burrows misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nijholt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Burrows gets underhooks to prevent Nijholt's takedown attempt.
Nijholt struggles to land a body shot inside as Burrows controls his hands.
Avery Nijholt seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Burrows lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nijholt letting Burrows take a breather here.
Nijholt misses with a punch to the body.
Nijholt blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nijholt misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nice body punch from Nijholt - that landed with a thud.
Nijholt blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Burrows prevents a body shot from Nijholt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nijholt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burrows blocking some punches.
Burrows tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nijholt tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Burrows's elbow.
Nijholt fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Nijholt.
Burrows working aggressively here.
Trevor Burrows is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Burrows lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nijholt backwards.
A short body shot lands from Nijholt as the two fighters clinch.
Nijholt swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nijholt lands a damaging elbow.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Nijholt just misses with a elbow thrown towards Burrows's brow.
Nijholt creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Nijholt lands an elbow inside.
Burrows swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nijholt lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nijholt lands an elbow inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burrows effectively controlling the action here.
Nijholt gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Burrows.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Burrows misses with some punches.
Nijholt lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Burrows dodges an elbow strike from Nijholt.
Burrows misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nijholt's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Burrows avoids a wild elbow strike from Nijholt.
Nijholt tries a body shot but Burrows blocks it.
Nijholt pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nijholt struggles to land a body shot inside as Burrows controls his hands.
Nijholt creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Burrows's defenses.
Nijholt creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Avery Nijholt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Burrows 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Trevor Burrows!
Trevor Burrows decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
Avery Nijholt was interviewed post fight and said 'This guy was the better fighter tonight, and deserved the win. I will go back to train harder and come back better than ever'.