PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Edmundo Hays (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Swinburne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Liam Swinburne enters the cage!

Hays
vs
Swinburne

160 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

182 cm
19
138 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Edmundo Hays!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Liam Swinburne!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Swinburne instigates a clinch.
Hays has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Swinburne after a bit of a struggle.
Hays wants to take the fight to the mat but Swinburne manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Swinburne drags the fight down to the ground.
Swinburne is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swinburne wants to get back to his feet but Hays is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Swinburne has control of Hays's left arm, preventing Hays from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Swinburne is on top in guard.

Hays avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Swinburne wants to stand but Hays has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Swinburne gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Swinburne is looking to slow Hays down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hays tries to keep at a distance but Swinburne has taken the fight into the clinch.

Swinburne pulls guard successfully.
Swinburne is trying to control the position but Hays postures up.
Swinburne working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hays.
Swinburne is adopting a defensive guard.
Hays throwing strikes from guard but Swinburne blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hays throws a big right hand that misses.
Swinburne is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hays closes the distance and clinches.
Hays is trying to drag Swinburne to the mat but Swinburne just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edmundo Hays. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four 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.
Swinburne fails to pull guard.
Hays jumps guard but Swinburne turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Swinburne gets control of Hays's arms and successfully pulls guard. Swinburne will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Swinburne preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Swinburne is controlling Hays's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hays with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hays fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Swinburne, pushing him back against the cage.
Swinburne lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Edmundo Hays has been cut.
Swinburne stops a takedown attempt from Hays.
Hays goes for a takedown attempt but Swinburne pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Left hook, right uppercut from Swinburne.
Hays misses with a takedown attempt - Swinburne sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edmundo Hays. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Swinburne keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hays.
Swinburne leaves Hays with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Swinburne throws a right and a left that Hays avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swinburne throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Swinburne misses with the combination.
Hays chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Swinburne can pounce on him.

Hays rushes Swinburne and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hays tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Swinburne smiles and moves away.
Hays fails with the takedown.
Swinburne avoids the body shot from Hays.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swinburne misses with the combination.
Swinburne slaps away a takedown attempt from Hays, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Liam Swinburne is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Swinburne darts in and clinches Hays up against the cage.

Swinburne jumps guard and drags Hays to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Swinburne pulls Hays in close to prevent any damage.
Hays postures up and lands a big shot to Swinburne's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hays working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Swinburne wants to stand up but Hays is controlling him.
Hays throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hays throws a strike but Swinburne rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Swinburne is looking to work some ground and pound but Hays has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Swinburne accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Swinburne throws a wild body kick that Hays sees coming a mile off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hays looks for a takedown but Swinburne sprawls well.
Hays shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Swinburne as he avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hays tries for a takedown but Swinburne sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hays on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Swinburne throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Swinburne gets a clinch.
Nice elbow from Swinburne.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Swinburne jumps guard but Hays stands there with Swinburne around his waist. Swinburne gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Swinburne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Swinburne jumps guard but Hays turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Hays lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Swinburne backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liam Swinburne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Edmundo Hays's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hays gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Swinburne is trying to pull guard but Hays has him pressed against the cage.
Swinburne is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hays to keep the fight standing.

Swinburne pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Hays has Swinburne up against the cage in a clinch.
Swinburne gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hays is trying to pull guard but Swinburne turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Swinburne pulls guard effortlessly.
Swinburne has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hays postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swinburne utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hays is standing up over Swinburne. Swinburne looks to escape but Hays dives into side control.
Swinburne manages to get back to half guard.
Liam Swinburne has got the better of the ground game so far.
Swinburne moves into full guard.
Hays throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Swinburne is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Swinburne is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Swinburne avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hays darts in looking for a takedown but Swinburne gets double underhooks and turns Hays into the cage.
Swinburne is looking for the big counter here.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Swinburne.
Swinburne stuffs the takedown attempt from Hays. Hays gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edmundo Hays. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hays forces Swinburne back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hays is trying to pull guard but Swinburne has him pressed against the cage.
Hays wants a takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hays tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Swinburne lands an elbow inside that Hays shrugs off.

Swinburne has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hays uses from the top position.
Swinburne is pulling down on Hays's head. It's preventing any offense from Hays, at least for the moment.

Swinburne manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Swinburne fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hays.
Some wild striking there from Swinburne.

Swinburne darts in and clinches Hays up against the cage.

Swinburne successfully pulls guard.
Swinburne has his hands on Hays's head, controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Swinburne is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Liam Swinburne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Swinburne 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Liam Swinburne!