PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Miika Toikka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Burroughs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burroughs has chosen The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden as his entrance music. Toikka has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Toikka
vs
Burroughs

190 cm
20
200 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

188 cm
22
202 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miika Toikka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Burroughs!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burroughs scores with a takedown into Toikka's guard.
Toikka is breathing heavily.
Burroughs is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burroughs wants to control from the top but Toikka keeps moving.

Burroughs decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Toikka, up you get!
Burroughs tries to clinch but Toikka is having none of it.
Burroughs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Toikka swats away the attempt to clinch by Burroughs.
Toikka misses with a takedown attempt
and Burroughs counters with a good low kick that Toikka was not able to check.

Burroughs shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Toikka looking for a guillotine here but Burroughs defends easily.
Burroughs chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burroughs controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Burroughs wants to stand but Toikka is controlling his posture from full guard.
Toikka avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Burroughs wants to control from the top but Toikka keeps moving.
Burroughs content to stall in guard here.
Burroughs wants to control from the top but Toikka keeps moving.

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.
Toikka working a defensive guard here.
Burroughs trying to control the position from guard on top but Toikka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Burroughs closes the distance and clinches.

Burroughs escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Burroughs tries to clinch but Toikka moves out of range.

Burroughs shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Toikka is trying to defend but Burroughs finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Burroughs tries to pass the half guard into mount. Toikka knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burroughs looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Toikka with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Burroughs prevents Toikka from standing back up.
Burroughs lands with a punch from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Burroughs in particular looking to stall.
Burroughs throwing shots but Toikka is blocking nicely.
Burroughs wants to control but Toikka is keeping him busy.
Toikka is in trouble now - Burroughs has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Burroughs throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Burroughs looking to secure an arm triangle but Toikka defends it well.
Burroughs landing punches.
Burroughs avoids the attempt from Toikka to control.
Burroughs lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Burroughs looking to control but Toikka is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Burroughs dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Toikka takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Burroughs throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Burroughs scores with a takedown into Toikka's guard.
Burroughs scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Burroughs is working Toikka over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Toikka is working an open guard so Burroughs takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Toikka takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Burroughs closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burroughs thumps Toikka with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burroughs throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Toikka misses with a takedown
and Burroughs counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Toikka is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Toikka slips a jab and a cross from Burroughs.
Toikka throws a sloppy head kick and Burroughs moves out of range easily.

Burroughs gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Burroughs manages to break the clinch.

Burroughs decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Burroughs drops an elbow to the side of Toikka's head.
Toikka won't allow Burroughs to pass to mount.
Burroughs slips a nice elbow through Toikka's hands, connecting with Toikka's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toikka tries to roll over but Burroughs keeps him under control.
Burroughs takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Toikka is looking to control Burroughs's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Toikka avoid being mounted?
Toikka wants to improve his position but Burroughs is controlling well.
Toikka wants to control but Burroughs is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
No joy there for Burroughs, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Burroughs keeps Toikka at a distance using the push kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Burroughs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Toikka as Burroughs shoots in.
Burroughs swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Miika Toikka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Toikka blocks a head kick by Burroughs.
Toikka scores with a one two! Burroughs had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Burroughs scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Burroughs trying to control the action but Toikka is working from the bottom.
Toikka manages to get back to half guard.

Burroughs is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Burroughs looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toikka wants to get back to full guard.
Burroughs is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Burroughs is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Toikka reverses the position - he's now on top in Burroughs's guard.
Burroughs wants to stand but Toikka is controlling the position.
Burroughs throwing short punches from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Burroughs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Burroughs with a lazy takedown attempt

and Toikka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Burroughs won't be happy with that.
Burroughs is trying to control Toikka's posture but Toikka avoids it.
Burroughs sneaks back into half guard.
Burroughs is not content to let Toikka control the position.
Burroughs missing with punches from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burroughs controlling the position for now.
Burroughs wants to improve his position but Toikka is controlling well.
Burroughs tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Toikka manages to move to mount!
Toikka throwing strikes here but Burroughs is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Burroughs sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Toikka seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Burroughs does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Toikka looks to land a strike but Burroughs avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Burroughs has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Toikka prevents Burroughs from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burroughs looking for a guillotine here but Toikka defends easily.
Toikka looking to pass the guard.
Miika Toikka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Burroughs scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Burroughs clinches up with Toikka and pushes him back against the cage.
Toikka is trying to break the clinch but Burroughs has him pressed against the cage.
Toikka wants a takedown.

Burroughs pulls Toikka into guard.
Burroughs is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
John Burroughs has got the better of the ground game so far.

Toikka is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Burroughs is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Burroughs has escaped and now he's on top!

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

And that's the end of the fight!
John Burroughs comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Burroughs 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Burroughs!