PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nigel Burling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Soto Makikomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burling's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Iron Maiden - Aces High. Nigel Burling has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Burling
vs
Makikomi

172 cm
21
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Nigel Burling!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Soto Makikomi!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makikomi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Burling tries to close the distance and clinch but Makikomi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Makikomi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Makikomi throws a sloppy head kick and Burling moves out of range easily.
Makikomi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Makikomi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Burling moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Burling has a takedown stuffed.
Makikomi throws a head kick but Burling moves out of range.
Makikomi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Burling. That did some damage!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Makikomi.
Burling is pushing Makikomi's head away, looking to escape. Makikomi manages to hold on to the position though.

Makikomi stands up.
Burling wants to clinch.

Burling closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Makikomi to the mat! Makikomi manages to get full guard.
Makikomi working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makikomi has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Burling has passed into side control.

Burling decides to stand back up.
Makikomi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Burling swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Burling avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Makikomi connects with a high kick.
Burling tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Makikomi paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Burling tries to keep at a distance but Makikomi has taken the fight into the clinch.
Makikomi prevents a takedown attempt there.
Makikomi is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Burling is keeping busy.
Makikomi tries to pull guard but Burling holds him up against the cage and eventually Makikomi drops back down to his feet.
Burling prevents Makikomi from breaking the clinch.
Burling goes for a takedown attempt but Makikomi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nigel Burling. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burling throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Makikomi sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Makikomi.

Makikomi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Makikomi won't allow Burling to sweep him here.
Burling seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Burling pushes Makikomi off and scrambles back to his feet.

Makikomi clinches up against the cage.
Makikomi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Burling prevents Makikomi from breaking the clinch.

Burling lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Burling is breathing heavily.
Makikomi gets back to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Burling trying to control the position from guard on top but Makikomi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Makikomi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Burling is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Makikomi is looking for a triangle but Burling pushes his legs off easily.
Burling won't allow Makikomi to sweep him here.

Makikomi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Makikomi had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Burling is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Makikomi Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Burling's back instead.
Burling manages to reverse the position and now he's in Makikomi's guard. Nice work there by Burling.
Burling trying to control the position from guard on top but Makikomi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Burling is really struggling to control Makikomi but he's trying to hold on to the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Makikomi is on top in guard.
Burling has a closed guard, preventing Makikomi from standing up.
Burling is pulling down on Makikomi's head. It's preventing any offense from Makikomi, at least for the moment.
Burling keeping moving, preventing Makikomi from controlling successfully.
Makikomi looking to pass the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Burling is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Soto Makikomi will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Makikomi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Makikomi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Burling thows a body shot but no joy.

Burling clinches.
A short right from Burling.

Burling has Makikomi pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Burling pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Makikomi tumbling to the mat - Burling dives into Makikomi's guard.
Makikomi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Burling looking to pass the guard.

Makikomi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Burling gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burling throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Makikomi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makikomi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Makikomi throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Burling tries to free his leg and advance position but Makikomi is retaining full guard.
Burling postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Makikomi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Burling decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Makikomi, up you get!
Burling connects with a single shot there.
Burling misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Burling gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Makikomi pulls Burling into guard.
Makikomi looking to control.
Makikomi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Burling is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burling landing some decent shots from guard.
Burling with a nice head shot there.
Makikomi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Burling!
Burling is desperately trying to improve his position but Makikomi has a good base and remains in mount.
Makikomi lands with some strikes.
Burling gets back to half guard.
Burling is trying to get back to full guard.

Makikomi wants to work for an arm triangle but Burling is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Burling has one foot on Makikomi's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makikomi tries to clinch but Burling is having none of it.
Makikomi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Makikomi throws a nice head kick!
Burling shoots in but no luck this time.
A good leg kick by Makikomi.
Makikomi throws a head kick that Burling semi-blocks.
Makikomi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Burling's calf.
Makikomi misses with a takedown attempt - Burling sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Burling throws a shot to the body.
Burling gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Makikomi counters with a head kick. That will keep Burling thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Burling tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Makikomi forces Burling back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Makikomi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Burling crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Makikomi - the referee stops the clock and Burling gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Makikomi. Burling manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Makikomi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Makikomi throws a head kick but Burling moves out of range.
Makikomi throws a head kick that half lands.
Nigel Burling is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burling tries to clinch there but Makikomi circles away.
Makikomi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Burling closes this distance looking for a takedown but Makikomi circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nigel Burling. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Makikomi clinches up with Burling and pushes him back against the cage.
Makikomi scores a nice knee to the body.
Makikomi blocks an uppercut.

Makikomi pulls guard effortlessly.

Makikomi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Burling can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Burling stopping the sweep attempt from Makikomi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Soto Makikomi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Makikomi lands with a slapping head kick.
Makikomi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Makikomi scoring well with a low kick there.
Makikomi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Burling's calf.

Burling scores a takedown into full mount!
The referee warns Makikomi that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Burling lands a big shot there that rocks Makikomi but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Makikomi is desperately trying to improve his position but Burling has a good base and remains in mount.
Burling landing punches.
Makikomi slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Makikomi looking for submissions off his back.
Makikomi tries to kick Burling off but Burling keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makikomi is looking to improve his position.

Makikomi is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Burling pulls his head out easily.
Makikomi is looking to escape.
Burling perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
A chopping leg kick lands by Makikomi.
Makikomi shoots in but no luck this time.
Burling fails with the takedown.
Makikomi pulls out of a head kick attempt.

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.
Makikomi tries to close the distance and clinch but Burling swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Burling shoots in and bounces Makikomi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Burling trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Makikomi has momentary wrist control but Burling slips an elbow through the middle.
Burling scoring with some ground and pound.
Makikomi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Makikomi working the ground and pound effectively.
Burling tries to hold on but Makikomi postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makikomi with shots to the head and body - Burling looks very uncomfortable down there.
Makikomi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Burling?
Makikomi avoids the attempt from Burling to control.
Burling taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Makikomi dominating with strikes here.
Burling on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Burling tries to get out of the position.
Burling wants to hold on but Makikomi pushes him away.
Burling is working to get back to half guard.
Makikomi landing shots from mount.
Burling working to try and regain half guard.

Makikomi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Makikomi working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Burling can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Makikomi.
Makikomi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Burling looks a forlorn figure.
Makikomi cracks Burling with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Burling throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Burling is looking to get to half guard.
Burling is working hard here to advance position.
Makikomi lands a heavy elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nigel Burling.
I think Makikomi 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 James Ackerman scores the fight for Soto Makikomi!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Soto Makikomi!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Soto Makikomi!

Soto Makikomi wins by unanimous decision!