PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reijo Halli (ranked 733 p4p, 96 weight class) and Lester Burnham (ranked 397 p4p, 46 weight class). Burnham is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by I m Blue. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Halli
vs
Burnham

177 cm
24
150 lbs
7 - 2 - 1

170 cm
24
149 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Fenrir Fightgear - Anno 2013

SynCity Fightwear
Groove Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Reijo Halli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lester Burnham!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Topper Green and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burnham swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Halli tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Burnham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Halli moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Halli motions for Burnham to come forward. Halli throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Halli throws a hook to the side of Burnham's head but Burnham sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A jab from Halli finds it's way through Burnham's defenses.
Halli dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Burnham swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Burnham has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Burnham walks into a straight right hand from Halli.
Halli misses with a leg kick
and Burnham counters with a nice body kick.
Burnham throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Halli to counter with a crisp jab.
Halli throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Halli moves into range and clinches up with Burnham.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Halli lands with a short shot to the head.
Halli misses with a punch to the body.
Burnham is trying to break the clinch but Halli has him pressed against the cage.

Burnham's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Burnham.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli lands a jab to Burnham's midsection.
Burnham throws a series of strikes that have Halli backpedaling.
Halli connects with a single shot there.
Lester Burnham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Halli ducks under a wild hook from Burnham.
Nice defenses there by Halli.
Burnham looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Halli takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A jab from Burnham misses.
Burnham is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

Halli takes the fight into the clinch.
Halli struggles to land a body shot inside as Burnham controls his hands.
Burnham lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Halli backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Burnham breaks the clinch.
Burnham is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Halli.
A counter left hand to the body from Halli misses its target.
Burnham looks to throw the jab but Halli is out of range.
Halli fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli throws a leg kick but Burnham sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Halli misses with a wild body shot.
Halli lands with a straight right. Burnham didn't see that one coming.
Burnham lands with a straight right. Halli didn't see that one coming.

Halli looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Burnham!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burnham is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Halli with the ground and pound but Burnham regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Burnham keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli stops Burnham from getting back to his feet.
Halli scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Burnham wants to get back to his feet.
Halli wants to free his trapped foot but Burnham is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Halli stops Burnham from getting back to his feet.
Halli not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

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.
Burnham is trying to stand up here but Halli is controlling him well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Halli looks to throw the jab but Burnham is out of range.
Burnham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Halli.
Burnham swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Burnham checks a leg kick.
A shot to the liver by Halli. Beautiful body shot.
Halli gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Burnham counter with a right hand.
Burnham throws a push kick but Halli slaps the foot to one side.
Burnham throws a sloppy head kick and Halli moves out of range easily.
Burnham missing with a left hand there. Halli was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Halli closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Halli lands in his opponent's guard.
Halli throwing strikes but missing.
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 Reijo Halli will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Halli keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Burnham.
Halli connects with a crisp jab.
Halli throws a jab when Burnham was well out of range.
Halli tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Burnham misses the jab.
Halli lands an overhand right.
A big right from Halli misses.
Burnham fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Halli manages to avoid it.
Halli fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burnham gets off balance looking for a body kick
letting Halli counter with a right hand.
Halli with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Burnham keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Halli shoots in but Burnham avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Halli misses with a kick to the body.
Burnham checks a low kick from Halli.
Halli misses with a body shot.
Burnham fakes the leg kick and cracks Halli in the body.
Halli throws a head kick that misses.
Halli just misses with a punch to the body.
Halli connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Halli moves into the clinch.
Burnham doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Burnham breaks from the clinch.

Halli takes the fight into the clinch.
Halli lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Burnham breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli shoots for a double leg takedown but Burnham sprawls well. He's pushed Halli's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Burnham follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Reijo Halli. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Halli attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Halli throws a big shot that misses.
Burnham pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Burnham throws an overhand right that lands on Halli's shoulder, as Halli tries to avoid the shot.
Halli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Burnham misses with an uppercut. Halli saw that one coming.
Halli dodges the punch combination from Burnham.
Burnham misses with a wild body shot.
Nice defenses there by Burnham.
Some bone on bone action there as Burnham checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Burnham is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Halli.
Lester Burnham seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Halli connects with a body shot that sends Burnham's belly button to the back.

Halli dives in and scores a takedown into Burnham's guard.
Halli postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Burnham pushes Halli off looking to stand but Halli dives back in and keeps control.
Halli thows a huge punch but Burnham dodges it nicely.
Burnham is trying to stand up here but Halli is controlling him well.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Halli ducks right into an uppercut from Burnham.
Reijo Halli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Halli fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Burnham manages to avoid it.
Halli lands with an overhand left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halli walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Burnham checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Halli bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Halli, right into the meat.
Halli is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Burnham stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Halli.
Some bone on bone action there as Burnham checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Halli closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Burnham's guard.
Halli throws a big right hand that misses.
Burnham wants to stand and escape but Halli is having none of it.
Halli throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Burnham works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Halli tries to free his leg and advance position but Burnham is retaining full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Halli trying to control but Burnham is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Burnham checks a leg kick nicely.
And Burnham responds with a good body kick, but Halli manages to step out the way in time.
Halli tries a head kick but it misses.
Halli scores with a crisp jab that stopped Burnham in his tracks.
Halli ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
An inside leg kick lands from Halli.
Halli misses with a right hand
and Burnham counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Burnham tries to bum rush Halli with a series of wild strikes but Halli uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Halli ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Burnham moves away.
Burnham throws a half hearted mid kick.
Burnham keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halli uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Burnham.
Halli slips under a jab from Burnham.
Burnham stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Halli.
Halli misses the shot to the body.
Halli connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burnham scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Halli closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Burnham's guard.
Halli won't allow Burnham to get back to his feet.
Halli working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Halli is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Burnham can do to turn this around?
Halli pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burnham is keeping the position for now.
Halli stops Burnham from standing up.
Halli trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Halli prevents Burnham from getting back to his feet.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli pushing down on Burnham's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halli missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Halli misses with a head shot. Burnham uses the momentum to regain guard.
Burnham wants to stand up but Halli is controlling him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Burnham looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Halli misses with a straight left.
Halli connects with a nice looking jab.
Halli scores with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli swings for the body but Burnham moves out of range.
Burnham loads up on a big right hand but Halli slips the punch.
Burnham with a nice cross.

Halli shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Burnham napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Halli scores with a couple of short elbows.
Reijo Halli is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Halli prevents Burnham from escaping the position.
Lester Burnham has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Halli passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Burnham!
Halli trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Burnham is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burnham is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Burnham is squirming around, avoiding Halli's attempts to control the action.
Burnham is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Halli sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Burnham is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Halli misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Halli wants to control but Burnham has made it back to half guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reijo Halli showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Halli has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reijo Halli!
After winning the bout, Reijo Halli thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.