PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Karl Burgh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Safej (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burgh kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Oy, da ne vecher, russian folk song. Karl Burgh looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Burgh
vs
Safej

190 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

186 cm
25
191 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Karl Burgh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kevin Safej!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burgh shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Safej counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Safej looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Burgh being controlled here, momentarily.
Burgh looking to control.
Safej stays in close to Burgh's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Kevin Safej hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
A head kick misses from Safej.
Burgh wants to clinch but Safej slips to the side
and Safej counters with a big head kick but Burgh shrugs it off.
Burgh throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Safej's waist but Safej gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Burgh off to one side.
Safej throws a head kick that Burgh semi-blocks.
Burgh tries to clinch up

and Safej counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Burgh tries to break free but Safej pushes him back against the cage.
Burgh tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Safej just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karl Burgh. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Safej throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Burgh blocks it with crossed arms.
Burgh wants a takedown but no success here.
Burgh blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Burgh is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Burgh tries to land knees in the clinch but Safej avoids the damage to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Safej obliges.
Burgh is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safej unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Burgh is trying to pull guard but Safej has him pressed against the cage.
Safej tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Burgh avoids it.
Burgh tries to stall but Safej uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Burgh can't find room to land a body shot as Safej controls the action.
Burgh avoiding damage as Safej throws knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Burgh fails to land.
Safej missing with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burgh is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Safej is defending well for now.
Safej is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Burgh takes a knee to the side of the body.
Safej is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Burgh tries a body shot but Safej blocks it.
Safej lands a knee to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Safej lands a nice knee to the body.
Safej unloads a knee to the mid-section. Burgh lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Safej dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Burgh takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Burgh shoots and misses

and Safej moves into the clinch.
Safej unloads a knee to the mid-section. Burgh lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Burgh has had enough of the clinch but Safej keeps him there for the moment.
Safej using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Burgh has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Safej blocking some punches.
Burgh tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Safej's elbow.
Burgh managing to block the knees to the body from Safej.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burgh managing to block the knees to the body from Safej.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burgh jumps guard but Safej stands there with Burgh around his waist. Burgh gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Safej keeps control of Burgh as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Safej tries to land knees in the clinch but Burgh avoids the damage to the body.
Burgh jumps guard but Safej stands there with Burgh around his waist. Burgh gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karl Burgh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burgh is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Safej landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Safej landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Burgh is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Safej to keep the fight standing.
Safej stops a takedown attempt from Burgh.
Safej with a knee to the head.

It looks like Karl Burgh has been cut.
Safej tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Burgh avoids it.
Burgh can't break the clinch.
Safej has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. So far he's outscoring his opponent in the clinch so it seems to have been worthwhile.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burgh has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Safej avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Safej is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Safej.
Safej trying to land knees to the body.
Burgh is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Safej to keep the fight standing.
Burgh avoiding damage as Safej throws knees to the body.
Burgh misses with the head strike.
Safej tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Safej.
Safej with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Burgh looking to throw knees to the head but Safej is blocking nicely.
Kevin Safej seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Safej tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Burgh avoids it.
Safej with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Burgh on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Burgh takes a knee right on the jaw!
Safej trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Safej showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Karl Burgh's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Burgh gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Safej holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Burgh fails to pull guard.

Burgh manages to break the clinch.
Burgh takes a kick to the side of the head.
Burgh with a poor takedown

and Safej moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karl Burgh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Safej is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Safej using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Safej unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safej missing with knees to the body.
Safej is pressed up against the cage. Burgh has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Safej down to the mat. Safej avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Safej goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Safej lands with a kick to the temple. Burgh shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Safej connects with a high kick.
Burgh takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Burgh wants to clinch up but Safej keeps it at a distance.
Safej throws a head kick but Burgh moves out of range.
Safej throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Karl Burgh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Burgh gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Safej counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Safej.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burgh fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Safej keeps control of Burgh as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Safej with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Burgh is trying to pull guard but Safej has him pressed against the cage.
Safej trying to land knees to the body.
Burgh drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Safej is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Burgh is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Safej unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Safej lands a knee to the head.
Burgh takes a knee to the side of the body.
Burgh wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Safej crunches a lovely knee into Burgh's ribcage.
Burgh fails to pull guard.
Burgh managing to block the knees to the body from Safej.
Burgh avoiding damage as Safej throws knees to the body.
Safej scores a nice knee to the body.
Safej connects with a knee to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burgh tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Safej just stands there and leans against the cage.
Burgh managing to block the knees to the body from Safej.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin Safej comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Safej 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Safej!
The defeated Karl Burgh had this to say: 'Maybe I have lost but that, that doesn't mean I give up. I shall rise higher and get stronger for my motherland!'.