PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chad Love (ranked 3054 p4p, 3062 weight class) and Steve Burns (ranked 329 p4p, 326 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Love
vs
Burns

187 cm
25
162
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
25
164
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chad Love!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Steve Burns!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Daniel Cesar and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Love misses with a series of wild punches.
Love changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Burns tries to avoid it but Love manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Burns to the ground. Burns escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Burns moves into the clinch.
Burns dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Burns scores with a shot to the side of Love's head.

Burns drags the fight down to the ground.
Love is looking to stand up but Burns won't let him.
Burns trying to keep a closed guard but Love is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Love controls from within his opponent's guard.
Love stops Burns from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Burns is controlling Love's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burns controls Love momentarily but Love frees himself.
Love tries to free his leg and advance position but Burns is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Burns closes the distance and clinches.

Love escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Burns darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Love wants to get back to full guard but Burns has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Love will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Love wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Love really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Love takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Love manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Burns trying to hold on to Love's head to control him but Love postures up.

Burns looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love prevents Burns from improving his position.

Love is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Love prevents Burns from improving his position.
Love lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Burns is looking to control Love's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Burns avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Love not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Burns pushes Love off but Love dives into side control.
Burns sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Love is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Love wants to work for an arm triangle but Burns is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns taking some punishment here, with Love in his half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steve Burns will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Love defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Burns.

Burns drives through and clinches with Love against the cage.

Burns has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Love uses from the top position.
Burns is trying to control the position but Love postures up.
Burns wants to sweep here but Love controlling him for the moment.
Burns is adopting a defensive guard.
Burns trying to keep a closed guard but Love is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Love trying to control but Burns is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love wanted to stand there but Burns had control of the position.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Love from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Chad Love overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Love wants to stand but Burns has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Love swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Burns steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Love.
Burns keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Burns tries to bum rush Love with a series of wild strikes but Love uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Burns fails in his attempt to clinch.

Burns darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns is nestled in close to Love, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Burns is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Love avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Burns.
Burns prevents Love from standing back up.
Burns not doing much here.
It looks like Burns is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love wants to control but Burns is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Burns with the inside leg kick.
Love is trying hard to land a takedown here. Burns sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Burns throws a right and a left that Love avoids nicely.
Love is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Burns.

Love closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Love lands in his opponent's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Love accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns working a defensive guard here.
Love won't allow Burns to sweep him here.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Love from controlling successfully.
Love is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Love from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burns has control of Love's left arm, preventing Love from doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Burns showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Love tries to clinch there but Burns circles away.

Love shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Burns has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Love off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Burns moves into the clinch.

Burns manages to break the clinch.

Burns closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Love quickly recovers to half guard.

Love makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Burns moves into the clinch.

Burns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Burns is looking to clinch but Love is avoiding it.
Love misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Love closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Burns's guard.
Burns is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Love dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Love wants to control but Burns is keeping him busy.
Burns holding on.
A lull in the action here.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns is looking for a sweep.

Love has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Burns closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Love quickly recovers to half guard.
Love throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Burns stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Love to get to his feet.
Love is looking to clinch but Burns is avoiding it.

Love tries to keep at a distance but Burns has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns tries to pull guard but Love forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Love is looking for a takedown.

Burns has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Love regains guard immediately.

Burns avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Burns tries to free his leg and advance position but Love is retaining full guard.
Love wants to sweep but no luck.
Burns passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns wants to stand up but Love is controlling the position.
Love is trying to maintain the position but Burns is very close to passing his half guard.
Love wants to get back to full guard.
Love is staying active underneath Burns, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Love has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Burns is working away from the top position though.
Love wants to control the action here but instead Burns manages to pass to full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Burns comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Burns 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Burns!