PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tomas Byrd (ranked 7680 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Pilgrim (ranked 3309 p4p, 0 weight class). Tomas Byrd has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Byrd
vs
Pilgrim

196 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

188 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tomas Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Luke Pilgrim!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Chris Dean and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byrd goes for a double leg but Pilgrim avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pilgrim continues to drive forward.
Byrd tries for a takedown but Pilgrim sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Byrd has managed to clinch.
Byrd misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nice elbow from Byrd.

Pilgrim has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Byrd clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Pilgrim working for the choke.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Byrd is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Byrd trying to control the hands but Pilgrim won't let him.
Pilgrim softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Byrd tries to reverse the position but Pilgrim maintains control.
Pilgrim connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Pilgrim looking to secure an arm triangle but Byrd defends it well.
Byrd tries to hold on but Pilgrim pushes him away.
Pilgrim really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Byrd. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pilgrim has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Byrd's face.

It looks like Tomas Byrd has been cut.
Pilgrim controlling from the full mount.

Pilgrim jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Byrd manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Pilgrim takes a little break here. Byrd wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim cracks Byrd with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Byrd gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Pilgrim slows the pace down in half guard.
Pilgrim wants to pass the guard but Byrd is defending well.
Pilgrim is nestled in close to Byrd, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Byrd wants to get back to full guard.
Byrd is working hard here to advance position.
Byrd is trying to maintain the position but Pilgrim is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim working the head and body with strikes.

Byrd is rocked!
Still in half guard, Pilgrim seems content to control.
Pilgrim tries to pass the half guard into mount. Byrd knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Pilgrim keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Byrd works his way to full guard. Good work.
Byrd looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pilgrim is one step ahead there.
Pilgrim trying to control but Byrd is working from the bottom.
Pilgrim is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Byrd is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Pilgrim defends well.
Byrd is breathing heavily.
Byrd wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim sitting in guard here, content to control.

Byrd wriggles free and stands up.

Pilgrim drives through with a takedown into Byrd's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Pilgrim drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pilgrim jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Byrd is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pilgrim wants to pass the guard but Byrd is keeping the position.
Byrd wants to get back to his feet but Pilgrim is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pilgrim postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Pilgrim dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tomas Byrd's cut.
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.

Pilgrim throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Byrd was covering up waiting for the punch and Pilgrim finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Pilgrim looking to pass the guard.
Pilgrim keeps trying to improve his position.
Pilgrim has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Byrd trying to control the position.
Pilgrim trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pilgrim's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Byrd is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pilgrim stopping the sweep attempt from Byrd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Pilgrim's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Pilgrim is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Pilgrim trying to control but Byrd is working from the bottom.
Pilgrim slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Pilgrim trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Byrd looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pilgrim is fending him off so far but Byrd persists. Nope, Pilgrim circles away and we're back to standing.

Pilgrim scores with a takedown into Byrd's guard.
Pilgrim wants to control from the top but Byrd keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim preventing the sweep.
Pilgrim tries to free his leg and advance position but Byrd is retaining full guard.
Byrd not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pilgrim tries to free his leg and advance position but Byrd is retaining full guard.
Pilgrim stays in close to Byrd's body and controls the position.
Pilgrim must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Byrd has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pilgrim can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pilgrim controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pilgrim's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Byrd is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim scoring with some ground and pound.
Byrd keeping full guard, as Pilgrim tries to pass.

Byrd throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Pilgrim escapes and throws Byrd's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Pilgrim content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Pilgrim looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Byrd is not content to let Pilgrim control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim tries to move into full mount but can't pass Byrd's legs.
Pilgrim working away.
Pilgrim is staying tight to Byrd's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Byrd is trying to control Pilgrim's posture but Pilgrim avoids it.
Pilgrim lands some shots froms side control.
A lull in the action here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pilgrim tries to advance to mount but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Pilgrim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tomas Byrd's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Byrd fails with the takedown
and Pilgrim counters with a body kick that stops Byrd in his tracks momentarily.
Byrd misses with a wild body shot.

Pilgrim closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Byrd to the mat! Byrd manages to get full guard.
Byrd is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Pilgrim dives into side control.

Pilgrim slows the pace down.
Byrd is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Pilgrim landing a few strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pilgrim just content to control the position.
Byrd tries to bench press Pilgrim off him but Pilgrim keeps the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Byrd's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd is looking to regain half guard here but Pilgrim keeps moving and retains side control.
Byrd trying to remain calm as Pilgrim controls from the top position.
Byrd wants to control but Pilgrim postures up.
Pilgrim tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Pilgrim scoring with punches from side control.
Pilgrim scores with punches from side control.
Pilgrim controlling the position from side mount.
Byrd is trying to control Pilgrim's posture but Pilgrim avoids it.
Pilgrim working the ground and pound.
Pilgrim lands a strong strike to the head of Byrd. That's dazed him! Pilgrim looking to finish here. Byrd is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Pilgrim lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Luke Pilgrim!