PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Simon Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ludwig Beethoven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Byrne
vs
Beethoven

160 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

162 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Simon Byrne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ludwig Beethoven!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Byrne scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Beethoven is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Byrne prevents Beethoven from improving his position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Byrne lands a nice short elbow.
Byrne trying to pass the guard but Beethoven defending well.
Beethoven wants to control but Byrne is keeping busy.
Beethoven wants to get back to full guard.
Byrne trying to mount his opponent but Beethoven defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne wants to lay and pray for a moment but Beethoven keeps working.

Byrne is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Beethoven sees it coming and defends easily.
Beethoven trying to control from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Byrne darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Beethoven is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Byrne's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Byrne's back!
Byrne trying to control the hands but Beethoven won't let him.

Beethoven is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Beethoven looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrne manages to reverse the position and now he's in Beethoven's guard. Nice work there by Byrne.

Beethoven had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Byrne defends it easily.
Byrne trying to control the position from guard on top but Beethoven is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Byrne passes into half guard.

Byrne is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Byrne tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne trying to control the action but Beethoven is working from the bottom.

Beethoven manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Byrne misses with a double jab.

Byrne shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Beethoven napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Byrne goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Beethoven rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Byrne's guard! Nice work there by Beethoven!

Byrne has an active guard here but Beethoven has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beethoven seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Byrne manages to get to full guard.

Byrne escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Beethoven gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Beethoven trying to control but Byrne is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Byrne dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Byrne is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Beethoven pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Byrne looks for a takedown but Beethoven sprawls well.

Byrne shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Beethoven napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Beethoven manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Beethoven manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Beethoven seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Beethoven working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Beethoven controls Byrne momentarily but Byrne frees himself.
Byrne wants to pass the guard but Beethoven is keeping the position.
Simon Byrne overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Beethoven has a closed guard, preventing Byrne from standing up.
Beethoven working a defensive guard here.

That's two 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Byrne fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Byrne shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Beethoven sprawls well. Beethoven wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Byrne gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Byrne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Beethoven throws a nice looking combination but Byrne bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Byrne shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Beethoven manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Beethoven wants to sweep here but Byrne controlling him for the moment.
Byrne looking to pass the guard.
Byrne has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Beethoven is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Beethoven decides to stand and escape the position.
Byrne is looking to clinch but Beethoven is avoiding it.

Byrne shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Beethoven napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Beethoven struggling a bit here.

Byrne is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Beethoven is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Byrne scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Beethoven tries to buck Byrne off but Byrne is having none of it.

Byrne tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Byrne working away.

Byrne is trying to get an arm triangle but Beethoven is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Byrne dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Byrne gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Beethoven pulls guard effortlessly.
Byrne tries to free his leg and advance position but Beethoven is retaining full guard.
Byrne wants to get up but he can't break Beethoven's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Beethoven pushes Byrne off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Beethoven clinches up against the cage.

Beethoven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Beethoven has managed to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Beethoven breaks the clinch.
Simon Byrne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Byrne gets a takedown into half guard.
Beethoven controlling the position well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byrne is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Byrne is just content to waste time from the top position. Beethoven takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Byrne scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Byrne tries to free his leg and advance position but Beethoven is retaining full guard.
Byrne wants to stand but Beethoven has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Beethoven has Byrne pulled in close to control his posture.

That's two 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.
Byrne keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Beethoven's head.
Beethoven is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Byrne dives into side control.
Beethoven is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Byrne is controlling him well.
Beethoven tries to improve position but can't.
Byrne could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Check out the look on Byrne's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Beethoven struggling a bit here.

Byrne in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Beethoven is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Simon Byrne!