PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brian Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keiji Mutou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Burns comes to the cage accompanied by Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic Three - The Roof Is On Fire. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Keiji Mutou enters the cage!

Burns
vs
Mutou

193 cm
31
215 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

188 cm
34
213 lbs
20 - 9 - 2

Great wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Red Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

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 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brian Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 9 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Keiji Mutou!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Wagner Zegers and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burns gets a double leg takedown into Mutou's guard.
Mutou looking for a sweep. Not yet Mutou, not yet.
Mutou not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Burns looking to sit in guard and control but Mutou gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Burns working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mutou doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mutou manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Burns isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mutou stacks Burns on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mutou!
Mutou misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mutou tries to score with some ground and pound. Burns controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Burns is looking to reverse the position.
Mutou wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burns keeps working.
Mutou lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mutou.
Burns is not content to let Mutou control the position.
Burns tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mutou wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Burns takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Mutou slows the pace down.
Mutou wants to control but Burns is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Burns is trying to improve his position.
Mutou working away.
Mutou in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Burns keeps Mutou under control for a moment.
Burns on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Mutou working the head and body with strikes.
Mutou is looking to take a break and control but Burns is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mutou throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mutou.
Burns on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Mutou is looking to take a break and control but Burns is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mutou is chipping away with strikes.
Mutou working the ground and pound but Burns is defending the strikes.
Check out the look on Mutou's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Burns is looking for a sweep.
Burns can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Mutou working away.
Mutou working the ground and pound.
Mutou lands a decent elbow from side control.
Burns regains half guard.
Mutou looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mutou lands with a punch from half guard.
Mutou looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Burns with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice strikes from Mutou there.
Mutou wants to take a breather but Burns is having none of it.
Mutou has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keiji Mutou dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mutou is looking to clinch but Burns is avoiding it.
Mutou has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Burns scores with a punch to the head.
Burns lands with an uppercut that bounces Mutou off the cage and back into range.
A thudding body kick lands there by Burns!
Burns lands with a hook. Mutou tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Burns cracks Mutou with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
An inside leg kick lands from Burns.
Burns misses the shot to the body.
Mutou shoots in but Burns avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burns instigates a clinch.
Mutou has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Burns is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mutou wants a takedown.
Brian Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Keiji Mutou.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns throws a head punch that misses.
Burns misses with some punches.

Mutou has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Burns clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burns just trying to survive but Mutou is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Mutou has the hooks in. Burns is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Mutou scores with punches and elbows.
Mutou trying to control.
Burns finds himself mounted whilst avoiding strikes.
Burns tries to reverse the position but Mutou maintains control.
Mutou can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Burns is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns 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.
Mutou is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mutou controlling the pace.
Burns taking some punishment here, with Mutou in his half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Burns trying to control but Mutou postures up.
Mutou thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Burns's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mutou wants to control but Burns is keeping him busy.

Burns actively working from the bottom here.
Mutou throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Burns to regain full guard.
Mutou has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mutou wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Mutou with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Burns is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Burns is trying to control the position but Mutou postures up.
Mutou distracts Burns with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Burns is trying to keep Mutou in close.
Mutou lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mutou trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns looking for a sweep. Not yet Burns, not yet.
Mutou throws a big elbow that misses.
Mutou is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Burns working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mutou.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mutou keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Burns.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns sizes up Mutou with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Mutou has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Burns.
Burns fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Brian Burns will probably get the nod.
That's time! Burns's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Burns throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Burns throws an off balance right hand

and Mutou counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mutou.
Burns looking for a sweep. Not yet Burns, not yet.
Keiji Mutou has got the better of the ground game so far.

Burns is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mutou is aware though and is defending well.
Mutou throwing strikes from guard but Burns blocks nicely.
Mutou looking to sit in guard and control but Burns gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Mutou looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mutou lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Mutou wants to pass the guard but Burns is keeping the position.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mutou working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mutou loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Burns is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Burns throws his legs up looking for a submission but Mutou uses it to pass to side control.
Mutou is chipping away with strikes.
Mutou scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Burns to see if he's OK.
Mutou wants to control but Burns is keeping him busy.
Mutou working away.
Mutou is looking to take a break and control but Burns is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Burns defending against the ground and pound.
Mutou wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burns keeps working.
Mutou is putting a hurting on Burns here, landing some big shots from side control.
Mutou lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Mutou wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burns keeps working.
Mutou working the body and head with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Mutou.
Mutou scores with punches from side control.
Mutou scores with punches from side control.
Mutou lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Burns down.
Mutou lands some shots froms side control.
Mutou throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Burns works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Mutou is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Burns is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mutou scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns wants to improve his position but Mutou is controlling well.
Burns is working hard here to advance position.
Mutou is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mutou sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Burns defending well though.
Burns regains full guard. Nicely done.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Mutou from controlling successfully.
Mutou landing some decent shots from guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burns keeping moving, preventing Mutou from controlling successfully.
Burns working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keiji Mutou comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mutou has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keiji Mutou!
Keiji Mutou took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.
The defeated Brian Burns had this to say: 'Hats off to my opponent. He was better tonight. I hope we meet again in the future.'.