PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paul Birchall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Knowledge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Birchall
vs
Knowledge

194 cm
26
215 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

189 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Paul Birchall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Brian Knowledge!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Dirk Anderson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Birchall swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Knowledge wants to counter the offense by Birchall and move into the clinch position.

Knowledge clinches with his opponent.
Birchall takes a knee to the side of the body.
Knowledge lands a good knee to the midsection. Birchall won't want to take too many of those.
Knowledge scores with a knee to the head.
Knowledge utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Knowledge lands a nice elbow.
Knowledge lands a knee to the head.
Knowledge lands a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Knowledge.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Knowledge jumps guard but Birchall turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Knowledge scores with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knowledge jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Birchall walks away with a smile on his face. Knowledge gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Birchall lands with a nice body punch.

Knowledge closes the distance and clinches.
Knowledge working Birchall over with knees to the body.
Birchall takes an elbow to the temple.
Knowledge has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Birchall seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Knowledge can turn it around.
Knowledge tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Birchall avoids it.
Knowledge tries to land knees in the clinch but Birchall avoids the damage to the body.
Birchall has had enough of the clinch but Knowledge keeps him there for the moment.
Knowledge lands an elbow inside that Birchall shrugs off.
Knowledge lands a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Knowledge.
Knowledge lands an elbow inside that Birchall shrugs off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knowledge with a knee to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Knowledge using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Knowledge scores a nice knee to the body.

Knowledge pulls guard successfully.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Birchall won't allow Knowledge to get back to his feet.
Knowledge is looking to stand back up but Birchall counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Knowledge.

Knowledge pushes Birchall off and gets back to his feet.
Birchall wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Knowledge tries to close the distance and clinch up but Birchall swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Knowledge tries to clinch there but Birchall circles away.
Birchall stuffs the takedown.
Paul Birchall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Knowledge.
Knowledge looks winded!

Knowledge has managed to clinch.
Knowledge trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knowledge is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Birchall is defending well for now.
Birchall slows down the pace here.
Birchall is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Knowledge jumps into guard, dragging Birchall to the mat.
Knowledge is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Birchall is controlling him.
Birchall would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knowledge wants to stand and escape but Birchall is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Birchall is standing up over Knowledge. Knowledge looks to escape but Birchall dives into side control.
Birchall wants to stand but Knowledge is controlling his arm.
Knowledge pushes Birchall away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Birchall gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Knowledge can do anything to dispel that myth.
Birchall wants to stand but Knowledge has his arm trapped.

Birchall stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Knowledge forces Birchall back against the cage and clinches.
Knowledge putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Birchall in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Knowledge dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Birchall ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Knowledge moves away.
Birchall just misses with a punch to the body.
Birchall misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Knowledge.
Birchall throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Knowledge gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Knowledge unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Knowledge working Birchall over with knees to the body.
Knowledge is trying to pull guard but Birchall turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Knowledge's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Knowledge has Birchall pressed against the cage, preventing Birchall from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knowledge lands a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birchall takes an elbow to the forehead.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Knowledge just misses with a elbow thrown towards Birchall's brow.
Birchall blocks an elbow strike.
Knowledge is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Knowledge has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Knowledge is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Knowledge is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Birchall to keep the fight standing.
Knowledge lands a nice elbow.
Knowledge crunches a lovely knee into Birchall's ribcage.
Knowledge is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Brian Knowledge seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birchall can't break the clinch.
Knowledge is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Birchall is defending well for now.
Birchall avoids a wild elbow strike from Knowledge.
Knowledge has Birchall pressed against the cage, preventing Birchall from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Birchall avoids a wild elbow strike from Knowledge.
Knowledge jumps guard but Birchall turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Paul Birchall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Knowledge.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Knowledge obliges.
Birchall blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knowledge landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knowledge with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Knowledge tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Birchall avoids it.
Birchall takes an elbow to the forehead.
Knowledge missing with knees to the body.
Birchall is trying to break the clinch but Knowledge has him pressed against the cage.
Birchall on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Knowledge misses with a knee to the head.
Birchall working hard to break the clinch.
Knowledge is trying to stall.
Birchall takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knowledge unloads a knee to the mid-section. Birchall lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Knowledge fails to pull guard.
Knowledge tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Birchall avoids it.
Birchall takes a knee to the side of the body.
Knowledge throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Birchall blocks it with crossed arms.
Knowledge is breathing heavily.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Knowledge just misses with a elbow thrown towards Birchall's brow.
Birchall avoids the elbow strike from Knowledge, against the cage.
Knowledge putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Birchall in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Knowledge jumps guard but Birchall turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knees to the body from Knowledge.
Knowledge jumps guard but Birchall turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Knowledge showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Birchall lands with a nice body punch.
Good shot there by Birchall.
Paul Birchall is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Birchall just misses with a punch to the body.
Knowledge tries to clinch but Birchall is having none of it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Knowledge is defended easily by Birchall.
Birchall lands a nice hook to Knowledge's body. Knowledge takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A combination from Birchall does no damage.
Birchall circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Birchall dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Birchall throws a one two combo.
Birchall lands a slapping body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Knowledge uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Birchall.
Birchall gets in close and tags Knowledge with a short punch that almost sends Knowledge to the mat! Oh Knowledge is in big trouble! He turns his back on Birchall, trying to create some distance but Birchall rushes him, striking wildly and Knowledge goes down! The referee tackles Birchall into the cage to end the fight! Birchall is one violent man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paul Birchall!
Paul Birchall very nearly forgot to thank Alpha Nutrition HIGHEST QUALITY ON THE ISLAND amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.