PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kai Burgi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Reese (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reese has chosen Bad Boys as his entrance music. Kai Burgi has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Burgi
vs
Reese

194 cm
21
173 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kai Burgi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Reese!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Steve Montenegro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reese's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Reese duly obliges.
Reese fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Burgi lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Reese throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Burgi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Burgi rushes Reese and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Reese told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.

Burgi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Burgi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Burgi takes the fight into the clinch.
Burgi pushes off an throws an elbow but Reese leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Burgi breaks the clinch.
Burgi fails with the takedown.

Reese has closed the distance and engaged Burgi in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reese wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burgi has him pressed against the cage.
Reese wants to break free but Burgi has control.
Reese is looking to break free of the clinch but Burgi has double underhooks.
Burgi tries to pull guard but Reese forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Burgi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Burgi throws a leg kick

and Reese counters with a takedown into side control.

Reese decides to stand back up. Reese steps back and let's Burgi get back to his feet.
Burgi wants to clinch up but Reese keeps it at a distance.

Burgi tries to keep at a distance but Reese has taken the fight into the clinch.
Burgi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burgi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Burgi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Reese's elbow.
Burgi throws an elbow but it misses.

Burgi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Reese, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Reese has managed to clinch.
Reese is trying to break the clinch but Burgi has him pressed against the cage.
Burgi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Reese blocks an elbow strike.
Burgi throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Reese tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Reese on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reese looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Burgi is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Reese is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kai Burgi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reese is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Reese avoids a wild elbow strike from Burgi.
Burgi trying to stall but Reese improves his position.

Reese breaks from the clinch.
Reese tries to bum rush Burgi with a series of wild strikes but Burgi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Burgi attempts a counter takedown but Reese avoids it well and moves away.

Burgi closes the distance and clinches.
Burgi holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Burgi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Reese's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burgi lands a nice uppercut.
Burgi pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Burgi.
Reese tries to break the clinch but Burgi is controlling the position.
Reese wants to get back to striking at distance but Burgi won't allow it.

Reese turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Reese decides to stand up, so the ref orders Burgi to his feet.
Reese misses with a body kick.
Reese just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBurgi.
Burgi fails in his attempt to clinch.
John Reese seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Burgi clinches up with Reese and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Reese will probably get the nod.
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.

Burgi wants to clinch.
Reese keeps the fight on the outside.
Reese is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Burgi tries to clinch but Reese moves out of range.
Reese changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Reese goes for a double leg but Burgi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Burgi continues to drive forward.
Burgi throws a counter high kick but Reese was just alert enough to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Reese clinches.
Burgi is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Burgi just misses with a elbow thrown towards Reese's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reese takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kai Burgi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Reese avoids the elbow strike from Burgi, against the cage.
Reese is trying to push Burgi away but Burgi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Reese blocks the elbow strike.
Burgi throws an elbow but it misses.

Burgi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Reese moves into the clinch successfully.
With the fighters up against the cage, Burgi throws an elbow but misses.
Burgi tries to pull guard but Reese holds him up against the cage and eventually Burgi drops back down to his feet.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Burgi.
Reese is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Reese changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Burgi fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reese throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Burgi.
Burgi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Burgi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No joy there for Reese, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Reese feints and then cracks Burgi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Burgi down.
Burgi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Reese wants to counter the offense by Burgi and move into the clinch position.
Reese keeps the fight on the outside.
Reese throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Reese gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Reese is trying to break the clinch but Burgi is controlling him.

Burgi breaks from the clinch.
Reese takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Burgi blocks a head kick by Reese.

Burgi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Burgi scores with a nice short uppercut.
Burgi lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Reese is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Burgi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burgi tries to clinch up but Reese circles away and keeps his distance.
Kai Burgi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burgi throws a lazy head kick

and Reese decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Burgi's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Reese stands and steps away. Burgi gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Reese tries to bum rush Burgi with a series of wild strikes but Burgi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Burgi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Reese.
Burgi throws a counter high kick but Reese was just alert enough to avoid it.
Kai Burgi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Reese.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burgi misses with a kick to the body.
Burgi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Reese manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Reese will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Reese throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Reese looks to land a combination but Burgi avoids it well.
It looked like Burgi wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Burgi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
As Burgi backs off Reese throws a huge counter combo but Burgi manages to avoid it all.
Burgi throws a sloppy head kick and Reese moves out of range easily.
Burgi is looking to clinch.
Burgi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Reese paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reese tries to counter by closing the distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burgi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Reese manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Reese lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Reese has had enough of the clinch but Burgi keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burgi is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Reese takes an elbow to the forehead.
Reese wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burgi has him pressed against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Reese as Burgi tries to tie him up.
Burgi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Reese's efforts to push away.
Burgi looking to throw knees to the head but Reese is blocking nicely.

Burgi pulls guard successfully.
Reese trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reese controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Burgi has his feet on Reese's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Reese throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
John Reese seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Reese chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Reese gets a double leg takedown into Burgi's guard.
Burgi seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Burgi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Reese won't allow Burgi to get back to his feet.
Kai Burgi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Reese is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reese wants to control from the top but Burgi keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Reese.
I've got Reese winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:28
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... John Reese!
After winning the bout, John Reese thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.