PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Casey Higgins (ranked 25371 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sid Burns (ranked 5917 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Higgins
vs
Burns

160 cm
19
278 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

190 cm
21
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Casey Higgins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sid Burns!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Sosuke Kotani and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burns lands a body shot.

Higgins clinches with his opponent.
Burns tries to break the clinch but Higgins is controlling the position.
Burns looking to stall.

Burns gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Higgins regains guard.

Higgins pushes Burns off and scrambles back to his feet.
Higgins fails with a takedown attempt.

Burns fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Higgins sprawls well initially but Burns persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Higgins has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Burns is on him like a limpet, forcing Higgins back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Higgins stalling.
Burns is trying to break the clinch but Higgins is controlling him.
Higgins tries to score a body lock takedown but Burns shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Casey Higgins. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Higgins manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Burns postures up in Higgins's guard and throws a big left but Higgins blocks it.
Burns wants to pass the guard but Higgins is keeping the position.
Higgins might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Burns slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Higgins really is a fat lump.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns trying to control but Higgins is working from the bottom.
Higgins thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Burns is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Higgins is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Burns is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Burns works over Higgins's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Casey Higgins has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Higgins has Burns up against the cage in a clinch.
Burns holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Burns is trying to trip Higgins. He has hold of a leg but Higgins is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Burns persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Higgins manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Burns manages to get himself to full guard.

Burns pulls Higgins in close to prevent any damage.
Higgins is working Burns over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Higgins sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Burns looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burns looks winded!
Higgins postures up in Burns's guard and throws a big left but Burns blocks it.

Higgins decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Burns misses with the combination.
Higgins misses the shot to the body.
Higgins misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Burns has managed to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Casey Higgins will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Casey Higgins's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Burns manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Higgins on his heels. He'll look to pass Higgins's guard now, I'm sure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Higgins is looking to stand up but Burns isn't so interested in that idea.
Higgins keeping moving, preventing Burns from controlling successfully.

Higgins pushes Burns off and gets back to his feet.

Higgins pushes Burns up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burns drags the fight down to the ground.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burns is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Higgins is aware though and is defending well.
Burns is breathing heavily.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Burns has his foot on Higgins's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Higgins works his way back into a safe position though.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Higgins drops back looking for a leg! Burns is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Burns manages to kick Higgins off! Higgins jumps back into Burns's guard.
Burns preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

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.
Burns is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Higgins throws a nice outside leg kick.

Burns gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Higgins tries for a takedown but Burns manages to get underhooks.

Higgins breaks the clinch.

Burns looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Higgins wants to stand and escape but Burns is having none of it.
Higgins bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Burns's guard.

Higgins decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Burns, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins throws a sloppy head kick and Burns moves out of range easily.
Higgins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Burns decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Higgins regains full guard. Nicely done.
Burns tries to stand but Higgins is controlling from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Higgins is on top in guard.

Higgins gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Higgins moves in looking to clinch but Burns pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Higgins misses with a takedown attempt - Burns sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Burns throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Higgins was covering up waiting for the punch and Burns finishes the takedown easily into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Higgins manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Higgins is looking to take this one to the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Casey Higgins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Higgins is trying to drag Burns to the mat but Burns just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Burns prevents a takedown attempt there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Casey Higgins dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Casey Higgins's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Burns content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Burns gets underhooks to prevent Higgins's takedown attempt.
Burns has had enough of the clinch but Higgins keeps him there for the moment.

Higgins's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sid Burns is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burns drives through and clinches with Higgins against the cage.
Burns stalling in the clinch but Higgins improves position.
Higgins keeps control of Burns as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins 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.
Higgins looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Casey Higgins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burns tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Higgins's elbow.
Higgins wants to take the fight to the mat but Burns manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Burns has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Burns jumps guard and drags Higgins to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Higgins sitting in guard here, content to control.
Burns throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Burns takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Burns doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burns pulls Higgins in to control the position.

Burns has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Higgins off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
The fight stays on the outside here - Higgins looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Burns fails to land with a series of punches.
And Higgins counters with a quick kick to the body but Burns blocks it.

Higgins rushes Burns and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Higgins can't get the takedown.
Burns misses with a hook from the clinch.

Burns drags the fight down to the ground.

Burns working for a triangle but Higgins defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Higgins stands up and waves to Burns to follow him.
Higgins moves in looking to clinch but Burns pushes him off.

Higgins has Burns up against the cage in a clinch.
Burns goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Burns wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Sid Burns seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Burns stops a takedown attempt from Higgins.
Higgins is looking to take this one to the mat.

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.
Burns tries to stall but Higgins uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Higgins is trying to drag Burns to the mat but Burns just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Higgins is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Burns gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Higgins landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Higgins successfully pulls guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Higgins is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Higgins is trying to drag Burns to the mat but Burns just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sid Burns comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Higgins has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Casey Higgins!