PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Burroughs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will McRoberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burroughs comes to the cage accompanied by The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden. Will McRoberts is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Burroughs
vs
McRoberts

188 cm
22
202 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Burroughs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Will McRoberts!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McRoberts misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Burroughs.
Burroughs shoots for a double leg takedown but McRoberts sprawls well. He's pushed Burroughs's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
McRoberts is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Burroughs fails in his attempt to clinch.

McRoberts closes the distance and clinches.
Burroughs tries to pull guard but McRoberts won't allow it.
Burroughs tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. McRoberts smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Burroughs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burroughs thuds his shin into the meat of McRoberts's side.
McRoberts throws a head kick that misses.
Burroughs lands a nice hook to McRoberts's body. McRoberts takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Burroughs blocks a leg kick.
McRoberts is looking to clinch.
Burroughs throws a one two combo.

It looks like Will McRoberts has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McRoberts misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Crunch! Burroughs slams his shin into McRoberts's torso.

Burroughs gets a takedown into half guard.

Burroughs gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
McRoberts moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
McRoberts throws a sloppy head kick and Burroughs moves out of range easily.
McRoberts lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by McRoberts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Burroughs swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting McRoberts counter with a right hand.

McRoberts forces Burroughs back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burroughs has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. McRoberts avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Burroughs is breathing heavily.
McRoberts is pressed up against the cage. Burroughs has hold of a leg and is looking to drag McRoberts down to the mat. McRoberts avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Burroughs throws a quick head kick that skims the top of McRoberts's head.

Burroughs gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
McRoberts looking to sit in guard and control but Burroughs gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Burroughs throws a strike but McRoberts rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
McRoberts makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McRoberts trying to control the position from guard on top but Burroughs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burroughs wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and McRoberts is now in half guard.
Burroughs is staying active underneath McRoberts, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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.
McRoberts lands with a punch from half guard.
Burroughs is refusing to be controlled, as McRoberts sits in half guard.

McRoberts looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
McRoberts trying to control the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will McRoberts dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Will McRoberts's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

McRoberts tries to close the distance and clinch up but Burroughs swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Burroughs checks a low kick from McRoberts.
McRoberts has his takedown stuffed
and Burroughs counters with a head kick. That will keep McRoberts thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Burroughs doesn't succeed with the takedown
and McRoberts counters with a nice uppercut.
McRoberts fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

McRoberts takes the fight into the clinch.
McRoberts prevents Burroughs from breaking the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burroughs has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. McRoberts avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Burroughs is trying to maintain a safe position but McRoberts gets an underhook and turns Burroughs into the cage.
McRoberts gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Burroughs.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Burroughs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McRoberts looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
McRoberts wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
McRoberts tries to land knees in the clinch but Burroughs avoids the damage to the body.
McRoberts has Burroughs pushed against the cage.

McRoberts pulls guard effortlessly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McRoberts tries to land a sweep but no joy.

McRoberts is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two 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.
McRoberts is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Burroughs with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Burroughs throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burroughs loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
McRoberts looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McRoberts pulls out of a head kick attempt.
McRoberts throws a series of strikes that have Burroughs backpedaling.
Burroughs misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

McRoberts closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
McRoberts scores with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McRoberts pulls guard successfully.
McRoberts looking to control.

McRoberts pushes Burroughs off and gets back to his feet.
McRoberts fails with the takedown.
McRoberts blocks a head kick by Burroughs.
John Burroughs is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

McRoberts closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
McRoberts just content to control the position.
Burroughs tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burroughs is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
McRoberts looking to control but Burroughs is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

McRoberts is working for a guillotine from mount but Burroughs frees his head quite easily.
Burroughs is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will McRoberts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Will McRoberts's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

McRoberts feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
McRoberts working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Burroughs's head.
Burroughs throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
McRoberts slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
McRoberts scores with a couple of short elbows.
McRoberts working the ground and pound.

McRoberts thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McRoberts wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burroughs keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burroughs gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

McRoberts is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Burroughs has managed to escape the submission attempt.

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.

McRoberts moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Burroughs has worked his arm free - good work by Burroughs!
McRoberts wants to control but Burroughs is keeping him busy.
Burroughs wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burroughs is looking to reverse the position.
McRoberts is looking to take a break and control but Burroughs is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
McRoberts scores with a couple of short elbows.

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.
McRoberts content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
McRoberts trying to control the action but Burroughs is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Burroughs ducks right into an uppercut from McRoberts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will McRoberts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well McRoberts 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will McRoberts!