PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Connor Mac Burns (ranked 1407 p4p, 196 weight class) and Arthur Pendragon (ranked 649 p4p, 94 weight class). Burns comes to the cage accompanied by . Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Mac Burns
vs
Pendragon

189 cm
39
215 lbs
33 - 21 - 0

189 cm
27
195 lbs
16 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Connor Mac Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arthur Pendragon!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Burns. Pendragon does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pendragon lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A left lands for Burns.
Burns throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pendragon misses with a body shot.
Burns tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pendragon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Burns connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Pendragon momentarily.
Pendragon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pendragon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pendragon punishes Burns's body with a nice straight punch.
Pendragon paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Pendragon has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Burns finds it's way round the side to connect with Pendragon's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pendragon tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Burns has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Burns gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pendragon throws a predictable looking body shot
and Burns connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Pendragon lands the left hand.
A lazy left from Pendragon finds it's target.
Burns misses with a looping left.
Pendragon connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Pendragon lands an impressive looking overhand right. Burns doesn't seem phased though.
Burns closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Pendragon swings for the body but Burns moves out of range.
Pendragon lands the left hand.
Pendragon looks to land a body kick but Burns moved away.
Nice body punch from Pendragon.
Burns shoots in for a takedown but Pendragon shows good takedown defense.
Pendragon misses with a body shot.
Pendragon tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Burns was well out of range. Poor timing from Pendragon.
Burns fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pendragon manages to avoid it.
Burns takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Pendragon lands a nice shot to the body.
Pendragon bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Pendragon looks to score with a jab to the body but Burns is just out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pendragon lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Pendragon keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Burns chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Burns lands with a nice body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pendragon getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Burns fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pendragon.
Burns connects with a leg kick. Pendragon looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Pendragon slips under a jab.
Arthur Pendragon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Burns.
A big left from Burns misses.
Burns lands a body shot.
Burns scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Burns cracks Pendragon with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Pendragon connects with a body shot that sends Burns's belly button to the back.
Burns uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Pendragon has time to react.
Burns throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Burns looks to land a left hand but Pendragon moved out of range nicely.
Pendragon dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Burns has his takedown stuffed
and Pendragon counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Pendragon throws a nice outside leg kick.
Pendragon bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Burns's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A head kick by Burns misses
and Pendragon counters with a nice uppercut.
A jab from Burns misses.
Burns takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Pendragon stuns Burns with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Burns throws a body shot but no joy.
Pendragon lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Pendragon!

It looks like Connor Mac Burns has been cut.

Burns gets a double leg takedown into Pendragon's guard.
Burns is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pendragon looking to control.
Pendragon seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Pendragon looking for a sweep. Not yet Pendragon, not yet.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Pendragon seems keen to control Burns's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pendragon is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns preventing the sweep.
Pendragon looking to control.
Burns pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pendragon is keeping the position for now.
Pendragon looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Pendragon is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pendragon controls Burns momentarily but Burns frees himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pendragon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Burns defends it easily.

Pendragon has an active guard here but Burns has managed to pass into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Pendragon dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Connor Mac Burns's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pendragon lands with a thumping leg kick.
Pendragon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Burns.
Pendragon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Burns.
Burns throws a wild body kick that Pendragon sees coming a mile off.
Pendragon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Burns.
Pendragon lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Pendragon looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Pendragon walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Burns checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Burns misses with a looping left.
Decent striking displayed by Pendragon there.
Burns avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Pendragon. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Burns.
Burns loads up on a big right hand but Pendragon slips the punch.
Burns with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Burns keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pendragon misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns throws a leg kick which misses Pendragon's front leg but catches the back leg as Pendragon tries to avoid it.
Pendragon loads up on a big right hand but Burns slips the punch.
Burns ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pendragon moves away.
Burns defending well as Pendragon loads up on a big left hand.
Burns scores with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pendragon. Burns does a little dance to reset his feet.
Burns feinted with a counter takedown.
Burns ducks under a wild hook from Pendragon.
Burns thows a left - swing and a miss!
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Pendragon! But no joy.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Pendragon, right into the meat.
Burns takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Arthur Pendragon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pendragon swings for the body but Burns moves out of range.
Pendragon connects with a solid leg kick.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Pendragon.
Burns throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pendragon feints a counter leg kick.
Pendragon slips under a jab from Burns.
Pendragon throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Burns on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Burns throws a big shot that misses.
Pendragon throws out a loose jab but Burns uses good head movement to avoid it.
Burns misses with a body shot.
Pendragon stuns Burns with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Pendragon jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pendragon throws a hook but Burns avoids it easily.
Burns slips a straight right by Pendragon.
Burns scores with a punch to the head.
Pendragon throws a lazy uppercut
and Burns makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pendragon looks to land a combination but Burns avoids it well.
Burns misses with an uppercut.
Pendragon digs a good hook to Burns's body.
Pendragon has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Pendragon throws a looping overhand right but Burns ducks down to avoid it.
Pendragon lands with a cross.
Burns scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Pendragon doesn't seem bothered though.
Arthur Pendragon seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pendragon. Burns does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pendragon lands with a nice combination. Burns backs away looking to recover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns moves away from the strike by Pendragon.
Burns connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Burns misses with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pendragon. Burns does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pendragon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Burns tries to clinch up but Pendragon circles away and keeps his distance.
Burns goes for a double leg but Pendragon avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pendragon continues to drive forward.
It seemed like Pendragon was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Pendragon swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Burns makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pendragon thows a left - swing and a miss!
Some bone on bone action there as Burns checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Burns jabs Pendragon to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Burns slips a jab and a cross from Pendragon.
Pendragon keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Burns dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Pendragon. That did some damage!
Burns throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pendragon keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pendragon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pendragon has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Pendragon there as he acknowledges the shot.
An inside leg kick lands from Burns.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Burns takes a swing at Pendragon's ribcage but misses.
Pendragon lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Pendragon's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Pendragon connects with a jab.
Burns throws a body shot but no joy.
Nice body punch from Pendragon.
Burns with a hook.
Burns throws a predictable looking body shot
and Pendragon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pendragon lands a slapping body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pendragon lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Burns doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pendragon counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Connor Mac Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pendragon throws a hook to the side of Burns's head but Burns sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pendragon lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A shot to the liver by Burns. Beautiful body shot.
Pendragon scores with the left hand. Burns knows he should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Pendragon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Connor Mac Burns's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Pendragon throws an overhand right that lands on Burns's shoulder, as Burns tries to avoid the shot.
Burns was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Pendragon swings for the body but Burns moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Pendragon.
Burns throws a looping overhand right but Pendragon ducks down to avoid it.
Pendragon swinging wildly here.
Burns throws a counter high kick but Pendragon was just alert enough to avoid it.
Pendragon displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Pendragon thows a left - swing and a miss!
Burns fails with the takedown.
Jab from Burns.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pendragon walks into a straight right hand from Burns.
Burns ducks under a wild hook from Pendragon.
Burns throws a looping overhand right but Pendragon ducks down to avoid it.
Burns scores with a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pendragon scores with a body shot.
An inside leg kick lands from Pendragon.
Burns lands a slapping body shot.
Pendragon tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A big left from Burns misses.
Burns throws a jab but it's blocked by Pendragon.
Pendragon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Burns manages to avoid it.

Burns looking to score a takedown here. Pendragon is defending well but Burns drives through and ends up in Pendragon's guard.
Pendragon trying to control the position.
Burns has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pendragon is adopting a defensive guard.
Burns looking to pass the guard.
Pendragon manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Burns manages to get himself to full guard.

Connor Mac Burns has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pendragon content to stall in guard here.
Burns lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pendragon has his hands on Burns's head, controlling the position.
Pendragon looking to control.
Pendragon wants to sweep but no luck.
Burns trying to control the position from guard on top but Pendragon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns wants to pass the guard but Pendragon is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns pushing down on Pendragon's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pendragon manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Burns stays in close to Pendragon's body and controls the position.
Burns trying to control the position from guard on top but Pendragon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Burns won't allow Pendragon to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Pendragon is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Burns frees his head nicely. Oh but Pendragon has switched to an armbar! Burns is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Arthur Pendragon!