PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Burns (ranked 1732 p4p, 2681 weight class) and Chop Douglas (ranked 217 p4p, 331 weight class). Steve Burns has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Burns
vs
Douglas

179 cm
25
164
3 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
161
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Steve Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chop Douglas!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burns tries for a takedown but Douglas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And Douglas responds with a good body kick, but Burns manages to step out the way in time.
Burns has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Douglas finds it's way round the side to connect with Burns's head.

Burns moves into the clinch.
Burns blocks an elbow strike from Douglas.
Burns has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Burns wants a takedown but no success here.
Burns has Douglas pressed against the cage, preventing Douglas from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Burns managing to block the knees to the body from Douglas.

Douglas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Douglas is trying hard to land a takedown here. Burns sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Burns shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Douglas is trying to escape back to his feet but Burns uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Douglas wants to get back to his feet but Burns drags him back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burns tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Burns has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Douglas stops Burns from passing to mount.
Douglas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Douglas can't do much from the bottom here.

Burns is trying to get an arm triangle but Douglas is defending well.

That's two 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.
Douglas can't do much from the bottom here.
Douglas is looking for a sweep.
Douglas has one of Burns's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.

Burns tries for a kimura but Douglas is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Douglas seems a little lost for a moment, as Burns dominates the positioning.
Burns has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Douglas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Burns connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Douglas some visible discomfort.
Douglas is trying to control Burns's posture but Burns avoids it.
Burns connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Douglas some visible discomfort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Douglas wants to get back to his feet but Burns drags him back down.
Douglas takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Douglas wants to control but Burns postures up.
Douglas manages to work his way to half guard, despite Burns's best efforts.
Burns looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Douglas tries to roll over but Burns keeps him under control.
Douglas missing with punches from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Douglas is trying to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Burns dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Douglas stuffs the takedown.
Burns is trying hard to land a takedown here. Douglas sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Douglas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Douglas swats away the attempt to clinch by Burns.

Douglas drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Burns wants to control but Douglas postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns is looking for a sweep.
Douglas wants to take a breather but Burns manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Douglas.
Douglas would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Burns controlling Douglas's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Burns wants to stand and escape but Douglas is having none of it.
Douglas preventing the sweep.
Douglas wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Douglas seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A left and a right from Douglas both land. Nice combination.

Burns closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns has Douglas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Douglas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Burns breaks the clinch.

Burns drives through and clinches with Douglas against the cage.
Douglas blocks a body shot from Burns.

Burns breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Burns tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Douglas swivels and escapes.

Douglas looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

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

Burns gets caught napping as Douglas dives in and scores a takedown. Burns manages to retain guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Burns trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Douglas from controlling successfully.
Douglas slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Douglas trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Douglas postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chop Douglas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Burns shoots in for a takedown but Douglas shows good takedown defense.
Douglas tries to close the distance and clinch but Burns swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Burns is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Burns wants to clinch up but Douglas keeps it at a distance.
Douglas tries to counter by closing the distance.
Burns shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Douglas pinned against the cage. Douglas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Burns clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burns pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Burns shoots for a takedown but Douglas saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Douglas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Douglas is trying hard to land a takedown here. Burns sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Douglas shoots in and bounces Burns off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Burns striking from the bottom here.
Burns seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Douglas wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Burns not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Douglas trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns wants to sweep but no luck.
Burns wants to hit a sweep here but Douglas passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Burns there!
Douglas has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Burns's face.
Burns is squirming around, avoiding Douglas's attempts to control the action.
Burns working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Douglas wants to pass the guard but Burns is defending well.
Burns tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Burns works his way to full guard. Good work.
Burns looking for a sweep. Not yet Burns, not yet.

Burns has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Douglas can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Douglas trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
My spies in Ginásio Guerreiro inform me that Douglas has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

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.
Douglas might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Burns haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Burns bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Douglas's guard.

Douglas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Burns is one step ahead there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burns chips away with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chop Douglas.
I think Douglas has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

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