PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gaius Pompaius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Pompaius
vs
Byrne

200 cm
20
285 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

203 cm
21
240 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gaius Pompaius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Matt Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Roger Salmon and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pompaius takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pompaius was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Pompaius misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Byrne takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Byrne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pompaius.
Gaius Pompaius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Byrne throws the kick towards the body but Pompaius avoids it.
Byrne throws a body shot but no joy.
Pompaius throwing a counter right hand but Byrne manages to avoid it.
A jab from Byrne does it's job there.
Byrne bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Pompaius's head backwards.
Pompaius throws a looping overhand right but Byrne ducks down to avoid it.
Pompaius gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Pompaius works the jab nicely.
Pompaius lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Byrne tries to land a leg kick but Pompaius saw it coming and moves away.
Pompaius throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Byrne connects with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pompaius moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Byrne pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pompaius waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Byrne.
Byrne uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pompaius.
Byrne throws a body shot but no joy.
Byrne scores with a crisp jab that stopped Pompaius in his tracks.
Pompaius jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pompaius looks to score with a jab to the body but Byrne is just out of range.
Good exchange - Pompaius coming out on top.
Pompaius ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Byrne bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Byrne shapes to counter with a head kick.
Pompaius punishes Byrne's body with a nice straight punch.
Pompaius misses with a hook.
A lazy left from Pompaius finds it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pompaius lands with a right hand.
Byrne has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pompaius throws a left and a right that both miss
and Byrne counters with a left to the body.
Pompaius misses with a body shot.
It seemed like Byrne was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Byrne walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Byrne connects with an inside leg kick.
Pompaius walks into a straight right hand from Byrne.
Pompaius misses with a straight right.
Byrne is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Pompaius with a body shot.
Byrne will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A jab from Pompaius misses.
Pompaius looks to score with a jab to the body but Byrne is just out of range.
Byrne is trying to counter with his kicks.
Pompaius just misses with a punch to the body.
Byrne is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Byrne misses with a looping left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pompaius scores with a jab. Byrne acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A big left from Pompaius misses.
Pompaius misses with a right hand
letting Byrne counter with a right hand.
Pompaius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pompaius loads up on a big right hand but Byrne slips the punch.
Byrne ducks under a wild hook from Pompaius.
Pompaius throws a hook but Byrne blocks it.
Byrne raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Byrne takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Byrne throws a body kick that misses.
Pompaius gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Byrne.
Byrne missing with a left hand there. Pompaius was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pompaius misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Byrne.
Byrne fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pompaius.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne misses with the body kick
and Byrne takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pompaius.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A jab from Pompaius finds it's way through Byrne's defenses.
Pompaius takes a swing at Byrne's ribcage but misses.
Byrne slips under a jab from Pompaius.
A little jabbing left from Byrne on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Pompaius misses the shot to the body.
Pompaius throws a body punch but Byrne moves out of range.
Despite the aggression on Byrne's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Pompaius uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Byrne.
Byrne lands with a right hand.
Pompaius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Byrne manages to avoid it.
We've been told by Pompaius's head coaches at Outlaws Paradise that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Byrne turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Byrne has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Byrne there as he acknowledges the shot.
Byrne throws a body kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaius Pompaius dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Byrne slips under a jab from Pompaius.
Pompaius lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Byrne circles away quickly and effectively.
Byrne throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Pompaius throwing a counter right hand but Byrne manages to avoid it.
Pompaius throws a right hand that Byrne ducks under and follows up with a left that Byrne also avoids with ease.
Pompaius misses with a straight left.
Pompaius moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromByrne.
Byrne moves away from the strike by Pompaius.
Pompaius misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A punch combination from Byrne misses.
Byrne misses with a looping right.
Byrne takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrne steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pompaius.
Pompaius swings for the body but Byrne moves out of range.
Byrne slips a straight right by Pompaius.
Pompaius catches Byrne with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pompaius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Byrne tries to bum rush Pompaius with a series of wild strikes but Pompaius uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A nice inside leg kick there by Byrne. That's going to slow Pompaius down.
A left lands for Pompaius.
Pompaius connects with the punch.
Byrne keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pompaius.
Byrne throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Gaius Pompaius has been cut.
Pompaius throws an overhand right that lands on Byrne's shoulder, as Byrne tries to avoid the shot.
Byrne misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Byrne throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Byrne throws a lazy right hand but Pompaius sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pompaius takes one to the chin there.
Byrne throws a lazy head kick
and Pompaius counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sloppy strikes from Pompaius. Those never looked like landing.
Byrne throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
It looked like Pompaius was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Byrne might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Pompaius has got the better of the exchanges.
Pompaius rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Byrne counters with a nice uppercut.
Byrne slips a jab from Pompaius.
Pompaius looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A nice side step and Byrne releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Byrne displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pompaius throws out the jab.
Pompaius has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Byrne finds it's way round the side to connect with Pompaius's head.
Good exchange - Pompaius coming out on top.
Pompaius swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Byrne throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pompaius missing with a left hand there. Byrne was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pompaius punishes Byrne's body with a nice straight punch.
Byrne throws a push kick but Pompaius slaps the foot to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne staying out of range there.
Byrne throws a low kick, looking for Pompaius's leg but Pompaius calmly moves out of range.
Pompaius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Byrne throws a head kick but Pompaius moves out of range.
Pompaius avoids a kick to the body.
As Byrne looks to move away, Pompaius throws a big counter combo bu Byrne just gets out of the way.
Byrne moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Pompaius misses the jab.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Byrne! But no joy.
Pompaius takes a swing at Byrne's ribcage but misses.
Nice jab there from Pompaius.
Byrne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Pompaius.
Byrne scores with a jab.
Byrne throws a jab when Pompaius was well out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pompaius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pompaius is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Byrne can do to turn this around?
Byrne bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Pompaius misses with a jab, cross combination.
Byrne tries a quick counter leg kick but Pompaius is wise to it.
Byrne throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Byrne moves away from the strike by Pompaius.
Byrne doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Byrne doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Byrne throws a low kick but Pompaius moves out of range easily.
Pompaius throws a body punch but Byrne moves out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Byrne.
Gaius Pompaius is winning the standup battle so far.
Byrne cracks the inside of Pompaius's front leg.
Pompaius throws a nice looking combination but Byrne bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Byrne! But no joy.
Pompaius lands with a good body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaius Pompaius dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gaius Pompaius's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Pompaius avoids the head kick by Byrne.
Byrne with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pompaius to score with a decent uppercut.
Byrne smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Pompaius misses with a jab to the body
and Byrne counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A swing and a miss from Pompaius.
A punch combination from Pompaius misses.
Pompaius throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Byrne appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Pompaius throws a looping overhand right but Byrne ducks down to avoid it.
Byrne tries a quick counter leg kick but Pompaius is wise to it.
A telegraphed right hand from Byrne misses the target.
Pompaius is looking to counter punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrne throws a half hearted mid kick.
Good leg kick by Byrne there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Byrne throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Pompaius misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Byrne.
Byrne looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pompaius misses with an uppercut

and Byrne counters with a series of strikes that sends Pompaius to the canvas! Byrne follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!

Pompaius is rocked!
Byrne is looking to work some ground and pound but Pompaius has wrist control.
Oh Pompaius is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Byrne throws a big elbow that misses.
Byrne trying to control the position from guard on top but Pompaius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Byrne throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pompaius works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pompaius seems to have got his legs back now.
Byrne pushes down on Pompaius's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Byrne is trying to control. Pompaius wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Pompaius looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pompaius won't allow Byrne to pass to mount.
Byrne thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Byrne slips a nice elbow through Pompaius's hands, connecting with Pompaius's forehead.
Pompaius is looking for a sweep. Byrne is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Byrne not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Pompaius on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pompaius tries to get out of the position.
Byrne missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Pompaius is controlling Byrne's position as best he can from this difficult position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Pompaius moves out of range as Byrne strikes.
It looked like Pompaius was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Pompaius works Byrne's body with a nice hook.
Gaius Pompaius is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne slips under a jab from Pompaius.
Byrne scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A big right from Byrne misses.
Byrne misses with a body shot.
Byrne lands with a straight right. Pompaius didn't see that one coming.
Pompaius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Byrne manages to avoid it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Pompaius, as that shot connected.
Pompaius throws a right hand that misses
and Byrne counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pompaius looks to score with a jab to the body but Byrne is just out of range.
Byrne cracks Pompaius with an open hand slap.
Byrne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Pompaius checks a leg kick nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pompaius tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Byrne was well out of range. Poor timing from Pompaius.
Byrne doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Byrne throws a sloppy body shot
and Pompaius counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Pompaius misses with a series of wild punches.
Byrne slips a jab and a cross from Pompaius.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Byrne lands a brutal head kick. Pompaius looks out on his feet and Byrne throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Matt Byrne!