PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nathanial Burch (ranked 5834 p4p, 5850 weight class) and Kelvin Harvey (ranked 235 p4p, 236 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Burch
vs
Harvey

200 cm
18
285
0 - 2 - 0

198 cm
18
290
0 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nathanial Burch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kelvin Harvey!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burch uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Harvey.
It looked like Burch was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Harvey scores with a sloppy right hand. Burch should have avoided that one.
Harvey lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Harvey gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Burch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burch wants to control from the top but Harvey keeps moving.
Burch controlling from the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burch wanted to stand there but Harvey had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burch engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Burch loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Harvey avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Burch cracks Harvey with a solid left hand.
Harvey utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Harvey should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Harvey working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Burch.
Burch throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Burch scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burch missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Burch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Burch is trying to control the action in half guard but Harvey is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Burch is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Burch content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Burch is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Harvey has managed to free his arm - good work.
Harvey felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Harvey blocking the ground and pound attempt from Burch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burch thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Harvey's head.
Burch looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Burch is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Harvey looks like he's trying to stand up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Burch is looking for a kimura but Harvey is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Burch to get the leverage.
Burch is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Harvey wants to get back to his feet.

Burch is looking for a kimura here.
Burch slips a nice elbow through Harvey's hands, connecting with Harvey's forehead.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nathanial Burch dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kelvin Harvey'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.

Burch is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Harvey's half guard.
Harvey wants to get back to his feet.
Burch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Burch wants to pass the guard but Harvey is defending well.
Burch is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harvey blocking the ground and pound attempt from Burch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burch thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Harvey's head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Burch connects with a nice short shot to Harvey's temple.

Burch is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Burch seems to be looking for submissions.
Harvey regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Burch.
Burch is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Harvey can do to turn this around?

Burch drops back looking for a leg! Harvey is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Harvey manages to kick Burch off! Burch jumps back into Harvey's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Harvey avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Burch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Burch wants to control from the top but Harvey keeps moving.
Burch postures up in Harvey's guard and throws a big left but Harvey blocks it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Burch bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Harvey is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Burch has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Burch wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Harvey, who protects the arm well.

Burch tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Burch has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Burch throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Harvey is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Harvey avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Burch.
Burch throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Burch working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burch lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Harvey down.

Burch tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Burch has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Harvey regains half guard, as Burch was trying to land strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nathanial Burch dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kelvin Harvey's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Burch drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Harvey pushes Burch off and gets back to his feet.
Harvey swinging wildly here.

Burch bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Burch tries to score with some ground and pound. Harvey controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Burch creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Harvey sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Burch controls the position.
Burch trying to control the position but Harvey is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burch looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Harvey is avoiding damage well.
Burch working the ground and pound.
Burch in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Burch wants to stand but Harvey has his arm trapped.
Burch wants to control for a moment but Harvey uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Burch looks to land a strike but Harvey avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

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.
Harvey keeping moving, preventing Burch from controlling successfully.
Burch works over Harvey with some ground and pound from guard.
Burch trying to control but Harvey is working from the bottom.
Burch is looking to work some ground and pound but Harvey has wrist control.
Burch throws a strike but Harvey rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Burch is adopting a defensive guard.
Burch looking for a sweep. Not yet Burch, not yet.
Burch on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Burch tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burch throws his legs up looking for a submission but Harvey uses it to pass to side control.
Burch is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Burch regains half guard.
Burch wants to control but Harvey is keeping busy.
Burch is trying to get back to full guard.
Burch is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harvey is thwarting Burch's attempts to control the position.
Burch slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Burch manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Harvey manages to get himself to full guard.

Kelvin Harvey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nathanial Burch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burch working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kelvin Harvey.
I think Burch 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nathanial Burch!