PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paul Best (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Best
vs
Burns

207 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

200 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Best!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Burns!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Eddie Farnsworth and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burns has closed the distance and engaged Best in a clinch.
Best blocking some punches.

Burns is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Best can't fight it off and eventually Burns manages to take the fight to the floor. Best looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Best really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Best is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Best keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Best wants to stand but Burns is controlling the position.
Burns wants to stand but Best is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns looking to pass the guard.
Best throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Burns slips nicely into half guard.
Best throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Best tries to get to full guard but Burns has control of the leg.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Best tries to clinch but Burns moves out of range.

Burns has taken the fight to the clinch.

Best breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Burns misses with the combination.

Burns moves into range and clinches up with Best.

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

Burns looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Burns not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Best is trying to control but can't.
Burns missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Burns is looking for a kimura here.

Burns is trying to work for a kimura but Best is defending well.
Burns is nestled in close to Best, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Best trying to hold on to Burns's head to control him but Burns postures up.
Burns controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Best trying to control here.
Best pushes Burns off looking to stand but Burns dives back in and keeps control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Burns throws a series of punches but Best moves out of range.

Best gets tackled into the cage by Burns. Burns maintains the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Burns dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Burns shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Best is trying to defend but Burns finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Best tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Burns manages to move to mount!
Best regains half guard.
Burns is keen to just control but Best is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns wants to stand up but Best has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Best trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Burns keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Burns is just content to waste time from the top position. Best takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Best is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Burns breaks the clinch.

Burns moves into the clinch successfully.

Best breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Best looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Burns lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
David Burns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Best misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Paul Best is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Burns moves into range and clinches up with Best.

Best breaks the clinch.

Best gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Burns to score an easy takedown into full guard.
David Burns has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Burns decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Best, up you get!

Burns decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Burns has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burns is working for an americana but Best has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Burns was thinking about the submission.
Burns is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Burns trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Burns passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Best parries the strikes from Burns easily there. Burns is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Best to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Best is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Best gets back to half guard.
Best trying to control here.

Burns is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Best has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns trying to control from Best's half guard. Best has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Burns showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Burns closes the distance and clinches.
Burns tries to land knees in the clinch but Best avoids the damage to the body.

Best breaks the clinch.

Burns closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Burns is trying to force a seperation but Best has the dominant position.

Best breaks the clinch.

Burns looking to score a takedown here. Best is defending well but Burns drives through and ends up in Best's guard.
Burns must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Burns preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Best looking to control.
Burns trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Best is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns pulls Best in close to prevent any damage.
Burns is trying to control the position but Best postures up.
Best keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Burns's head.
Burns wants to sweep but no luck.
Best is looking to work some ground and pound but Burns has wrist control.
Best postures up.
Best is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Burns looking to control.
Burns takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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.
Burns wants to sweep but no luck.
Best postures up.
Best distracts Burns with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Best with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Best postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Burns is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Best, into his guard.

Best wants to sweep here but Burns controlling him for the moment.
Burns's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Best seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Best looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Burns trying to control but Best is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Best avoids the head kick by Burns.

Burns closes the distance and clinches.
Best creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Best breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burns closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Best did well to prevent Burns getting side control.
Burns is stalling here. Best is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Burns seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Best has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Best thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Burns sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Best is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Best is trying to work for a kimura but Burns is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to David Burns.
Well Burns has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Burns!