PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eugene Carl Alexander Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carl Draiman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carl Draiman has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Carl Alexander Burns
vs
Draiman

170 cm
28
197 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

178 cm
27
193 lbs
8 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Firebird Designs - 10% Laundry commission

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Eugene Carl Alexander Burns!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Carl Draiman!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Paul Tew and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Draiman doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Burns counters with a nice double leg into side control. Draiman won't be happy with that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Burns working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Draiman is trying to improve his position.

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!

Burns is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Draiman is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Draiman manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burns is working for a kimura but Draiman is defending it quite comfortably.

Burns seems to be working for a kimura but Draiman defends the submission attempt.

Draiman is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Burns pulls his head out easily.

Burns is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Draiman sees it coming and defends easily.

Burns is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Burns prevents Draiman from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Burns is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Draiman sees it coming and defends easily.
Draiman trying to control but Burns postures up.
Burns is keen to just control but Draiman is a slippery customer.
Draiman is trying to control but can't.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Draiman is defending against the submission attempts here by Burns.

Burns seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns works his foot free and advances to mount.
Draiman tries to lock up and control but Burns gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Draiman is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Draiman really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Burns can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Draiman is looking to escape.

Burns looking to secure an arm triangle but Draiman defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burns goes for an armbar but Draiman turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Draiman.

Burns looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Draiman has picked Burns up and slammed him! Burns can't keep hold of the triangle and Draiman manages to pass to side control!
Burns manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Draiman is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Draiman wants to control but Burns is keeping him busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draiman is thwarting Burns's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eugene Carl Alexander Burns dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Burns gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Draiman shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Burns manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Draiman wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.

Burns looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Burns is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Burns is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns is trying to keep Draiman in close.
Draiman wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Draiman is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Burns is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Draiman 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 looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Draiman wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Carl Draiman hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Draiman throws a head kick that misses.

Burns scores with a takedown into Draiman's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burns stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Draiman swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Draiman is trying to keep Burns in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns looking to pass the guard.

Draiman is looking for a triangle but Burns pushes his legs off easily.
Burns looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Draiman keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.
Burns looking to sit in guard and control but Draiman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Draiman wants to pass the guard but Burns is keeping the position.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Draiman working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns looking for a sweep. Not yet Burns, not yet.
Draiman trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns is adopting a defensive guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Eugene Carl Alexander Burns has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Draiman fails with the takedown

and Burns counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Draiman shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Burns decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Draiman's guard.
Burns wants to pass the guard but Draiman is keeping the position.
Draiman keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.
Burns looking to pass the guard.

Burns is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Draiman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Burns doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Burns manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Draiman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns trying to control the position from guard on top but Draiman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Burns tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Burns is looking to take a break and control but Draiman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Burns moves into full mount!
Draiman is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Burns has hold of Draiman's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Draiman manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Draiman tries to hold on but Burns postures up.
Draiman is in all sorts of trouble here.
Burns trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Burns is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Draiman is surviving well by controlling Burns's body position as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Draiman wants to control but Burns is having none of it.
Draiman is looking to get to half guard.
Burns looking to control but Draiman is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Eugene Carl Alexander Burns overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Burns throwing strikes but Draiman bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns controls Draiman momentarily but Draiman frees himself.
Draiman wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Draiman wants to clinch up but Burns keeps it at a distance.
Draiman shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Burns counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Burns trying to control the position from guard on top but Draiman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eugene Carl Alexander Burns clearly takes that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Draiman with a poor takedown

and Burns counters with a shoot takedown. Draiman fights it but they end up in guard.

Draiman is looking for a triangle here but Burns uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Draiman is looking to reverse the position.

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

Burns is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Draiman knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The ground and pound from Burns seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns controls the position from side control.

Burns has an Americana. Draiman didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Burns is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Burns hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Eugene Carl Alexander Burns!
Eugene Carl Alexander Burns retains his middleweight title!
Eugene Carl Alexander Burns decided to call for a title shot in his post fight interview, which was very strange given the fact this fight was for a title and he's already the champion. I guess that's what getting punched in the head does for you.