PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mike Barnes (ranked 5879 p4p, 6744 weight class) and Bantam Rooster (ranked 285 p4p, 313 weight class). Mike Barnes has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Barnes
vs
Rooster

181 cm
19
144
1 - 3 - 0

165 cm
19
138
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bantam Rooster!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Barnes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rooster throws a hook to the side of Barnes's head but Barnes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rooster avoids the head kick by Barnes.
Rooster throws a big shot that misses.
Rooster misses with a straight left.
Rooster throws a jab when Barnes was well out of range.
Barnes throwing a counter right hand but Rooster manages to avoid it.
A head kick by Barnes misses
and Rooster counters with a right hand to the body.
Barnes lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rooster.
Barnes misses the shot to the body.
Barnes with a nice cross.
Nice body punch from Rooster.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barnes connects with the punch.
Barnes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A little jabbing left from Rooster on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nice body kick from Barnes.
Barnes misses with a leg kick

and Rooster counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rooster.
Barnes is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Rooster dives into side control.

Rooster is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Barnes is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes tries to escape but Rooster is in control.
Barnes stops Rooster from passing to mount.
Rooster throws an elbow but Barnes slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rooster tries to move into full mount but can't pass Barnes's legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rooster in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Barnes is trying to get back to his feet.
Rooster wants to control but Barnes is keeping him busy.
Rooster has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Barnes!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rooster 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.
Rooster looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rooster looking to control but Barnes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barnes wants to hold on but Rooster pushes him away.
Barnes wants to get back to his feet.
Rooster thowing shots but they're missing.

Rooster jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Barnes is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Barnes and Rooster has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Sloppy strikes there by Rooster.
Rooster working away.
Rooster prevents Barnes from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Rooster seems to be looking for submissions.
Barnes is looking to escape.
Rooster thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barnes's head.

Rooster looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnes is trying to stand.
Barnes tries to get to full guard but Rooster has control of the leg.

That's four 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.

Rooster is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Barnes wants to get back to his feet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Rooster wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barnes keeps working.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rooster fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barnes manages to avoid it.
Rooster drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rooster throws a big shot that misses.
Rooster looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnes is just out of range.
Rooster looks to land a left hand but Barnes moved out of range nicely.
Barnes shoots for a double leg takedown but Rooster sprawls well. He's pushed Barnes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bantam Rooster dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Barnes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rooster.
Rooster throws out a counter right but Barnes avoids it with no problem.
Barnes looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barnes is looking to counter punch.
Rooster is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Rooster jabs at Barnes's body.
Bantam Rooster seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rooster catches Barnes with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Barnes takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Barnes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rooster has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barnes lands a jab.
Rooster misses with a wild body shot.
Rooster avoids the body shot from Barnes.
Rooster throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Barnes scoring well with a low kick there.
Barnes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Barnes throws a big counter combination but Rooster scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rooster scores with a jab. Barnes acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnes feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Roosters jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rooster lands with a hook. Barnes tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Barnes lands the left hand.
Barnes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Barnes darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rooster misses with an uppercut. Barnes saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes shoots for a takedown but Rooster saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Barnes shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Rooster eats them both and turns towards Barnes to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Barnes thuds his shin into the meat of Rooster's side.
Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barnes tries to close the distance and clinch but Rooster swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rooster looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Barnes tries to close the distance and clinch but Rooster swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barnes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rooster momentarily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rooster. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barnes slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Rooster swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Barnes slips under a jab from Rooster.

Barnes moves into range and clinches up with Rooster.

Barnes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rooster slaps away a takedown attempt from Barnes, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Barnes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barnes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rooster momentarily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rooster thows a left - swing and a miss!
Barnes is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes wants to clinch up but Rooster keeps it at a distance.
Rooster doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Mike Barnes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rooster throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rooster throws a lazy right hand but Barnes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Barnes scores with a nice strike.
Rooster throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Barnes scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A big left from Rooster misses.
Barnes throws a shot to the body.
Barnes cracks Rooster with a right hand to the side of the head.
Barnes lands the left hand.
Rooster throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Barnes shoots in for a takedown but Rooster shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Barnes tests Rooster's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Barnes lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Barnes shoots for a takedown but Rooster saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rooster takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rooster moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooster misses with an uppercut. Barnes saw that one coming.
Barnes closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rooster counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Barnes!
Barnes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rooster is looking to take a break and control but Barnes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnes is looking for a sweep.
Bantam Rooster has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barnes wants to get back to his feet.

Rooster is trying to get an arm triangle but Barnes is defending well.

Rooster swings around for an armbar but Barnes sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rooster's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Barnes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Barnes stands and throws Rooster's legs to the side, diving into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rooster tries to bench press Barnes off him but Barnes keeps the position.

Barnes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rooster tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barnes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rooster sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Barnes working the head and body with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mike Barnes will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Barnes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barnes throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Barnes connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rooster. Rooster circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Barnes slips a straight right by Rooster.
Barnes connects with a nice looking jab.
Barnes dives in and grabs Rooster's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rooster pushes down on Barnes's head and hops out.
Barnes lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Nice sprawl there from Rooster as Barnes shoots in.
Barnes closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rooster counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Barnes!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barnes wants to control but Rooster postures up.
Barnes wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Rooster wants to control but Barnes is keeping him busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rooster is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Barnes looks calm but he's in trouble here. Rooster gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Barnes is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Rooster lets go of the hold and Barnes can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Bantam Rooster!