PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Derrick Barnes (ranked 259 p4p, 1788 weight class) and Tobias Ball (ranked 34 p4p, 247 weight class). Barnes 's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, We Want The Funk. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Barnes
vs
Ball

180 cm
29
178
22 - 13 - 0

184 cm
27
169
7 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel
Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 22 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derrick Barnes !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tobias Ball!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Albert Achterberg and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ball.
Barnes throws a leg kick that is checked
and Ball connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Barnes with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ball counters with a stiff right hand.
Barnes cracks Ball with a right hand to the side of the head.
Ball fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barnes manages to avoid it.
Barnes throws a nice looking combination but Ball bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ball keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barnes throws a leg kick

so Ball counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ball trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Ball not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Ball from controlling successfully.
Barnes wants to sweep here but Ball controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ball lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Barnes looking for a sweep. Not yet Barnes , not yet.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Ball from controlling successfully.
Ball preventing the sweep.
Ball looking to pass the guard.
Barnes wants to improve his position but instead Ball has moved into half guard.
Barnes has hold of Ball's hands but Ball slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Barnes tries to roll over but Ball keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ball is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Barnes sees it coming and defends easily.
Ball lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Barnes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ball's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ball's back!
Ball rolls, trying to escape but Barnes keeps control of the position.
Barnes is not going to allow Ball to sit and survive in this position.
Barnes is punishing Ball with strikes - can he finish him?!
Ball turns into Barnes and is now in his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Ball from controlling successfully.

Barnes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ball trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball landing with the ground and pound.
Barnes wants to sweep here but Ball controlling him for the moment.
Ball wants to control from the top but Barnes keeps moving.

Barnes working for a triangle but Ball defends it easily.
Ball trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Barnes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ball defends well.
Ball slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Barnes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ball manages to get himself to full guard.

Barnes tries to free his leg and advance position but Ball is retaining full guard.
Ball is looking to sweep but instead, Barnes has passed into half guard.
Barnes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ball defending well though.

Ball looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ball manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tobias Ball will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice body punch from Ball.
Barnes misses with a lunging right hand
and Ball counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Ball fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Barnes on the side of the head.
Ball bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Barnes throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Ball throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A low kick from Barnes is predictable there
and Ball cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A looping hook to the body misses from Barnes . Ball does a little dance to reset his feet.
A cross from Ball lands.
Barnes looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ball works Barnes 's body with a nice hook.
Barnes throws a leg kick

and Ball counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ball is working Barnes over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Barnes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ball working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ball slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ball postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Barnes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ball trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Ball has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Ball drops back looking for a leg! Barnes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Barnes manages to kick Ball off! Ball jumps back into Barnes 's guard.

Ball drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ball jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Barnes is trying to keep Ball in close.

That's two 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.
Ball is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barnes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ball distracts Barnes with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ball forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Barnes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ball trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Ball stopping the sweep attempt from Barnes .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Ball from controlling successfully.
Ball preventing the sweep.
Tobias Ball has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ball with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ball wants to control from the top but Barnes keeps moving.

Barnes is looking for a triangle but Ball pushes his legs off easily.
Ball keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Barnes 's head.
Ball is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Barnes wants to sweep but no luck.
Barnes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Barnes lands with a punch from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ball manages to get to full guard.

Ball escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Barnes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ball keeping moving, preventing Barnes from controlling successfully.
Barnes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Ball is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Barnes is aware though and is defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ball working a defensive guard here.

Ball is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tobias Ball showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Barnes slips under a jab.
Barnes fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Ball checks it well.
Ball misses the jab.
Barnes misses with a two punch combination.
Ball wants to counter with a clinch but Barnes pushes him away.
Derrick Barnes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barnes throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ball swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Barnes counters with a straight right hand.
Barnes shoots in for a double leg but Ball sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Barnes closes the distance and pushes Ball back into the cage.
Ball goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Barnes - that landed with a thud.
Ball lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Barnes backwards.
Ball lands a body shot in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ball.
Barnes fails to pull guard.
Ball lands with a right to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ball prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Derrick Barnes . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ball lands a right hand.
Ball lands with a right to the head.

Barnes pulls Ball into guard.
Ball trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Ball keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Barnes 's head.
Ball is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Barnes keeping full guard, as Ball tries to pass.
Barnes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ball is one step ahead there.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Ball from controlling successfully.
Barnes can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ball controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ball got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barnes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ball has managed to get both his arms back between Barnes 's legs - danger averted.

Barnes looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Ball has picked Barnes up and slammed him! Barnes can't keep hold of the triangle and Ball manages to pass to side control!
Barnes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Barnes is not content to let Ball control the position.
Barnes tries to bench press Ball off him but Ball keeps the position.

Ball working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ball grinds an elbow into Barnes 's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes wants to control but Ball postures up.

Barnes wants to improve his position, back to half guard but Ball has ideas of his own. He's got hold of Barnes 's far side arm and it looks like he's got an Americana. Ohh! Ohhhh! OOOOOOOOOH! A human being's arm is not meant to bend like that! Barnes is tapping like a morse code operator on the Titanic! SOS SOS! He's out of here! Great win for Ball!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Tobias Ball!
A relieved looking Tobias Ball thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.