PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Birchack (ranked 7181 p4p, 448 weight class) and George Conor Russell (ranked 22056 p4p, 500 weight class). George Conor Russell has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Birchack
vs
Conor Russell

159 cm
27
138 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

190 cm
21
153 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Anthony Birchack!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, George Conor Russell!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.
Russell throws a nice looking combination but Birchack bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Some wild striking there from Russell.
Birchack attempts a counter takedown but Russell avoids it well and moves away.
Russell throws a right hand that Birchack ducks under and follows up with a left that Birchack also avoids with ease.
Birchack half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Russell scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russell's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Russell duly obliges.
Russell lands a slapping body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Birchack tries to counter with a takedown but Russell is quick to defend against it.
Russell falls off balance throwing a combination

and Birchack counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Birchack.
Birchack is in close to Russell's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Russell keeping full guard, as Birchack tries to pass.

Russell uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Russell misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birchack takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A punch combination from Russell misses.
Birchack changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Russell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Birchack moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Birchack slips a jab and a cross from Russell.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Russell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Birchack circles away quickly and effectively.
Birchack avoids a punch combination nicely.
Russell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Birchack circles away quickly and effectively.
Birchack tries to counter with a takedown but Russell is quick to defend against it.
Russell throws a left and a right that both miss

and Birchack counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Birchack throws a strike aimed at the side of Russell's head but Russell avoids it well.
Birchack landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Birchack lands an elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sloppy strikes there by Birchack.
Birchack tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Birchack working the body and head with strikes.
Birchack cracks Russell with a big right hand but Russell just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Birchack in side control lands a decent elbow.
Russell prevents Birchack from improving position.
Russell is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Birchack is controlling him well.
Russell is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Birchack scoring with punches and elbows.

Russell is rocked!
Birchack scores with punches from side control.
Russell is still in real trouble! Can Birchack finish him?
Birchack scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Russell is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Birchack can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anthony Birchack!