PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jarod Kirkland (ranked 25088 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carter Briggs (ranked 6175 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kirkland
vs
Briggs

174 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

189 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarod Kirkland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Carter Briggs!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kirkland throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Briggs was covering up waiting for the punch and Kirkland finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Briggs keeping moving, preventing Kirkland from controlling successfully.
Briggs pulls Kirkland in close to his closed guard and prevents Kirkland from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kirkland postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kirkland manages to get himself to full guard.

Briggs stopping the sweep attempt from Kirkland.
Briggs looking to pass the guard.
Kirkland utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Kirkland looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Briggs makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kirkland keeping moving, preventing Briggs from controlling successfully.
Briggs is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Briggs trying to control but Kirkland is working from the bottom.
Kirkland throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

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.
Kirkland is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kirkland keeping full guard, as Briggs tries to pass.
Kirkland is trying to keep Briggs in close.
Briggs is working Kirkland over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Briggs trying to control the position from guard on top but Kirkland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Briggs postures up and lands a big shot to Kirkland's brow.
Briggs looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kirkland is trying to keep Briggs in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirkland looking for a sweep. Not yet Kirkland, not yet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Briggs must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Briggs trying to control the position from guard on top but Kirkland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Carter Briggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Briggs tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kirkland defends well and Briggs ends up having to push Kirkland into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Briggs pushes Kirkland up against the cage in a clinch.

Kirkland jumps into guard, dragging Briggs to the mat.
Briggs is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Briggs keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kirkland's head.
Briggs chips away with some ground and pound.
Kirkland wants to sweep but no luck.
Kirkland trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kirkland is keeping the position for now.
Kirkland utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kirkland trying to strike off his back.
Kirkland wants to stand and escape but Briggs is having none of it.
Kirkland might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Briggs sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kirkland will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Briggs stopping the sweep attempt from Kirkland.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Briggs stays in close to Kirkland's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Briggs has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carter Briggs dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Briggs misses with a wild combination.
Kirkland attempts a counter takedown but Briggs avoids it well and moves away.
Briggs misses with a combination

and Kirkland counters with a nice double leg into side control. Briggs won't be happy with that.
Briggs is trying to control Kirkland's posture but Kirkland avoids it.
Briggs is trying to improve his position.
Briggs holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirkland wants to control but Briggs is keeping him busy.
Briggs is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Kirkland's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Briggs has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kirkland is working away from the top position though.
Briggs on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Briggs is looking to control Kirkland's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Briggs avoid being mounted?

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.

Kirkland is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Briggs gets back to full guard.

Kirkland postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Briggs is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kirkland, into his guard.

Briggs stopping the sweep attempt from Kirkland.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirkland is working hard here to advance position.
Kirkland seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Briggs trying to control the position from guard on top but Kirkland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Briggs pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kirkland is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Briggs trying to control but Kirkland is working from the bottom.
Briggs is looking to stand up but Kirkland won't let him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Briggs darts in and clinches Kirkland up against the cage.

Briggs escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Briggs lands with a good body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Briggs moves into the clinch successfully.
Briggs wants a takedown.
Briggs keeps control of Kirkland as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Briggs pulls guard.
Kirkland is fighting to break Briggs's control of his arms but Briggs is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Briggs trying to control the position.
Kirkland throws a big elbow that misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Briggs is on top in guard.

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

Carter Briggs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. 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.

No luck for Briggs with that takedown attempt.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Kirkland enables Briggs to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Kirkland manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Kirkland has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Briggs is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Briggs manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kirkland is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Briggs is trying to keep Kirkland in close.
Briggs preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs 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.
Briggs trying to control the position.
Briggs wants to sweep here but Kirkland controlling him for the moment.

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

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Briggs or perhaps it was just good defense by Kirkland, which made it look bad.

Briggs clinches up against the cage.

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.

Kirkland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Briggs tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kirkland defends well and Briggs ends up having to push Kirkland into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Jarod Kirkland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carter Briggs.

Kirkland tries to keep at a distance but Briggs has taken the fight into the clinch.

Briggs breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Briggs has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kirkland fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Briggs avoids it really well and circles away.
Briggs shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kirkland as he jumps to the side.
As Briggs looks to move away, Kirkland throws a big counter combo but Briggs just gets out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Briggs misses with a head kick.
Kirkland drops down looking for a counter takedown but Briggs sprawls and moves away.
Briggs is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kirkland sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Briggs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kirkland keeps the fight on the outside.

Kirkland bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Briggs explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Kirkland fails to land the takedown.
Kirkland blocks a leg kick.
Kirkland seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Briggs swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kirkland drives through with a takedown into Briggs's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Kirkland drops back looking for a leg! Briggs is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Briggs manages to kick Kirkland off! Kirkland jumps back into Briggs's guard.
Briggs preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Briggs seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Jarod Kirkland has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Carter Briggs is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Briggs not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Carter Briggs.
Well Briggs 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carter Briggs!