PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Clifton Burner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tank Sparrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tank Sparrow told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Burner
vs
Sparrow

201 cm
26
275 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

183 cm
26
280 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Clifton Burner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tank Sparrow!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparrow throws a head kick but Burner moves out of range.
Burner is looking to clinch but Sparrow is avoiding it.
Sparrow lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sparrow.

It looks like Clifton Burner has been cut.
Sparrow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Burner fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Burner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sparrow swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Burner tries to clinch up.
Burner tries to clinch up.
Burner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sparrow swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A punch combination from Sparrow misses.
Burner dodges the punch combination from Sparrow.
Burner shoots in but Sparrow avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sparrow misses with a few strikes there.

Sparrow drops Burner with a beautiful combination! Burner stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Sparrow is looking for the KO!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Burner tries to clinch there but Sparrow circles away.
A punch combination from Sparrow misses.
Sparrow misses with a few strikes there.
Sparrow throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Sparrow misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burner moves in looking to clinch but Sparrow pushes him off.
A left and a right from Burner both land. Nice combination.
Sparrow throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Burner counters with a series of strikes. Sparrow will be more careful next time no doubt.
Burner is breathing heavily.
Burner is looking to clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Sparrow. Those never looked like landing.
Sparrow throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sparrow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sparrow misses with a combination
and Burner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Burner showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sparrow.
Sparrow throws a combination that misses

and Burner counters with a shoot takedown. Sparrow fights it but they end up in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Burner trying to control the position from guard on top but Sparrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Burner gets to his feet - Sparrow follows without any prompting.
Sparrow throws a combination that misses
and Burner counters with a straight right hand.
Sparrow ducks under a wild hook from Burner.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burner wants to clinch up but Sparrow keeps it at a distance.
Sparrow leaves Burner with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sparrow misses with a two punch combination.
Sparrow scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sparrow tries to bum rush Burner with a series of wild strikes but Burner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sparrow misses with the combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Sparrow falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Burner to counter with a crisp jab.
Sparrow misses with a double jab
and Burner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sparrow throws a nice looking combination but Burner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tank Sparrow is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sparrow lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Sparrow avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sparrow tries to bum rush Burner with a series of wild strikes but Burner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sparrow lands with a nice combination. Burner backs away looking to recover.
Sparrow throws a nice looking combination but Burner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sparrow looks to land a combination but Burner avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burner clinches up with Sparrow and pushes him back against the cage.

Sparrow breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sparrow is working the combinations to good effect here.
Burner connects with the punch.
Sparrow uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Burner.
Sparrow throws a nice looking combination but Burner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Burner avoids the head kick by Sparrow.
Burner scores with a nice head shot.
Sparrow throws a right and a left that both miss.
Burner tries to clinch there but Sparrow circles away.
Sparrow swinging wildly here.
Sparrow throws a head kick that misses.
Sparrow feints a jab promting Burner to slip. Sparrow then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Burner slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Burner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sparrow throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Burner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sparrow will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Burner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sparrow paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Burner shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clifton Burner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sparrow falls off balance throwing a combination
and Burner counters with a straight right hand.
Burner showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sparrow.
Burner is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Burner fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sparrow rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Burner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sparrow looks to land a combination but Burner avoids it well.
Burner looks for a takedown but Sparrow sprawls well.
A punch combination from Sparrow misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Burner wants to clinch up but Sparrow keeps it at a distance.
Burner tries to clinch but Sparrow moves out of range.
Sparrow throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Burner slips a jab and a cross from Sparrow.
Burner throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sparrow counters with a two punch combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tank Sparrow dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Clifton Burner's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Burner closes the distance but Sparrow moves to the side
and Sparrow counters with a series of strikes. Burner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Burner tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Sparrow counters with a left and a right that stings Burner.
Burner wants to clinch
and Sparrow counters with a two punch combo.
Sparrow misses with a combination

and Burner counters by moving into the clinch.
Burner is working for takedown but Sparrow is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sparrow tries to break free but Burner pushes him back against the cage.

Sparrow manages to break the clinch.
Sparrow's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Sparrow duly obliges.
Sparrow throws a series of punches but Burner moves out of range.
Sparrow throws a right hand that Burner ducks under and follows up with a left that Burner also avoids with ease.
Sparrow misses with a series of wild punches.
Sparrow misses with a wild combination.
Burner darts in trying to clinch
and Sparrow counters with a left and a right that stings Burner.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparrow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Burner is looking to clinch.
Tank Sparrow seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sparrow throws a series of punches but Burner moves out of range.
Burner explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sparrow lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burner circles away quickly and effectively.
Burner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sparrow falls off balance throwing a combination
and Burner counters with a nice low kick that buckles Sparrow's knee momentarily.
Some wild striking there from Sparrow.
Sparrow misses with a head kick.
A combination from Sparrow does no damage.
Sparrow fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sparrow misses with a double jab

and Burner counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sparrow won't be happy with that.
Burner connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Sparrow some visible discomfort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burner wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sparrow keeps working.

Sparrow bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Sparrow swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Burner counters with a series of strikes. Sparrow will be more careful next time no doubt.
Burner shoots in looking for a takedown but Sparrow manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Burner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sparrow misses with a two punch combination.
Sparrow lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burner circles away quickly and effectively.
Sparrow falls off balance throwing a combination

and Burner moves into the clinch.

Sparrow breaks the clinch.

Burner shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Burner is looking to advance position but Sparrow won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow wants to get back to his feet.
Burner lands strikes from half guard.
Sparrow is trying to stand up here but Burner is controlling him well.
Burner is trying to control the action in half guard but Sparrow is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Burner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Burner throwing shots but Sparrow is blocking nicely.

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.
Sparrow avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Burner.
Burner sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sparrow defending well though.
Burner tries to stand and escape but Sparrow is controlling the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sparrow can do anything to dispel that myth.
Burner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sparrow pushes Burner off looking to stand but Burner dives back in and keeps control.
Sparrow avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Burner.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Burner stands up from half guard.
Burner wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Clifton Burner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Clifton Burner's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sparrow swinging wildly here.
Burner looks to clinch
and Sparrow counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Burner wants to clinch but Sparrow slips to the side
and Sparrow counters with a three punch combo that has Burner backing up. Burner nods at Sparrow to acknowledge the strikes.
Burner closes the distance but Sparrow moves to the side
and Sparrow counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Burner throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sparrow counters with a series of strikes. Burner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Sparrow goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sparrow fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A combination from Sparrow does no damage.
Sparrow will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Burner misses with a hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Burner tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sparrow counters with a one-two to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sparrow checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparrow rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Burner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sparrow looks to land a combination but Burner avoids it well.
Burner darts in trying to clinch
and Sparrow counters with a left and a right that stings Burner.
Sparrow blocks a head kick by Burner.
Burner is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Sparrow throws a combination. Burner tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Sparrow looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sparrow swinging wildly here.
Burner shoots in looking for a takedown but Sparrow manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Burner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sparrow circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sparrow counters with a one-two to the body.
Sparrow throws a nice looking combination but Burner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Burner tries to clinch but Sparrow moves away
and Sparrow counters with a series of strikes. Burner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Burner is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Burner wants to clinch up but Sparrow keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sparrow tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Burner is looking to clinch but Sparrow is avoiding it.
Sparrow looks to land a combination but Burner avoids it well.
Burner tries to clinch but Sparrow moves away
and Sparrow counters with a two punch combo.
Sparrow avoids the body shot from Burner.
Burner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Burner has a takedown stuffed.
Sparrow throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Burner.
Sparrow fails to land with a series of punches.
Burner closes the distance but Sparrow moves to the side
and Sparrow counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Burner looks to land a combination. Sparrow sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Burner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sparrow manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sparrow pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Burner back to the cage. Sparrow follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Burner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clifton Burner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sparrow throws a left and a right that both miss
and Burner counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Burner.
Sparrow is working to avoid the ground and pound but Burner connects with a decent elbow.
Burner trying to control the position but Sparrow is working away.
Burner postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sparrow is pushing Burner's head away, looking to escape. Burner manages to hold on to the position though.
Burner working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Burner working the head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burner working the head and body with strikes.
Sparrow managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Burner.
Burner looks up at the clock and then as Sparrow takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Burner smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Sparrow wants to get back to his feet but Burner drags him back down.

Burner is trying to get an arm triangle but Sparrow is defending well.
Burner works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tank Sparrow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sparrow 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tank Sparrow!