PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Michael Barnes (ranked 1732 p4p, 1093 weight class) and Ishmael Egyptian (ranked 153 p4p, 104 weight class). Ishmael Egyptian acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Barnes
vs
Egyptian

170 cm
29
149
14 - 14 - 0

175 cm
27
143
8 - 5 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Fantasy Threads

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 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Ishmael Egyptian!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Egyptian. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barnes looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Barnes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Egyptian momentarily.
Egyptian shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Barnes as he avoids it easily.
Barnes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnes throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Barnes throws out a leg kick but Egyptian moves out of range and Barnes only half commits.
Barnes throws a leg kick
and Egyptian counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Egyptian thuds a left hand into Barnes's body.
Barnes misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Barnes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Egyptian ducks under a wild hook from Barnes.
Egyptian is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Barnes misses with an uppercut.
Egyptian changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Egyptian ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Egyptian tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Barnes misses
and Egyptian counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A good leg kick by Barnes.
Egyptian keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Egyptian throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barnes attempts a counter takedown but Egyptian avoids it well and moves away.
Egyptian takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Barnes lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Egyptian looks for a takedown but Barnes sprawls well.
Barnes changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Egyptian's coach down at The Infamous Duranto Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Egyptian's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
A low kick from Barnes misses

and Egyptian counters with a single leg into guard. Barnes didn't expect that.
Barnes looking to control.
Barnes keeping full guard, as Egyptian tries to pass.
Egyptian scoring with punches to the head and body.
Egyptian trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Egyptian sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Barnes's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barnes trying to control here.
Egyptian tries to pass to full mount but Barnes defends it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barnes manages to get to full guard.
Egyptian controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Barnes wants to sweep but no luck.
Barnes keeping full guard, as Egyptian tries to pass.
Egyptian controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Egyptian from controlling successfully.

Barnes looking for a guillotine here but Egyptian defends easily.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Egyptian from controlling successfully.
Egyptian pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barnes is keeping the position for now.
Barnes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Barnes wants to sweep here but Egyptian controlling him for the moment.

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.

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

Barnes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Egyptian landing some decent shots from guard.
Egyptian 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Egyptian trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Barnes misses with a lunging right hand
and Egyptian counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Barnes thinking.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ishmael Egyptian will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Barnes misses with a body shot.
Barnes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Egyptian.
Barnes throws a jab but it's blocked by Egyptian.
Egyptian changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Barnes misses with a right hand
and Egyptian counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Egyptian manages to avoid it.
Barnes fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Egyptian is out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Egyptian checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Egyptian let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Barnes displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed right hand from Barnes misses the target.
Egyptian shoots in and drives through. Barnes sprawls well.

Barnes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Egyptian keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Barnes thows a huge punch but Egyptian dodges it nicely.

Egyptian is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barnes pulls his head out easily.
Barnes stalling away here and it's allowed Egyptian to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Egyptian looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Barnes wants to stand but Egyptian has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Egyptian is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Egyptian is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Egyptian trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barnes looking for a sweep. Not yet Barnes, not yet.
Egyptian looking to sit in guard and control but Barnes gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Egyptian is looking for a triangle but Barnes pushes his legs off easily.
Barnes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Egyptian looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes trying to control but Egyptian is working from the bottom.
Barnes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Egyptian swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barnes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Egyptian is looking for a triangle but Barnes pushes his legs off easily.

Egyptian looking for a guillotine here but Barnes defends easily.
Egyptian is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Barnes works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Egyptian is looking to control Barnes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Egyptian avoid being mounted?
Barnes wants to pass to mount but Egyptian is defending the position.

Egyptian is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barnes pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Egyptian actively working from the bottom here.
Egyptian is trying to get back to full guard.
Barnes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Egyptian looking for submissions off his back.
Barnes is trying to control. Egyptian wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Egyptian trying to hold on to Barnes's head to control him but Barnes postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barnes thows a huge punch but Egyptian dodges it nicely.
Egyptian trying to control from the bottom.
Barnes tries to pass to full mount but Egyptian defends it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Barnes dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barnes with a nice calf kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Barnes misses the target.
Egyptian misses with a wild body shot.
Barnes changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Barnes throws a body kick that misses.
Nice defenses there by Egyptian.
Nice body punch from Egyptian.
Egyptian slips a jab from Barnes.
Egyptian feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A low kick from Barnes misses

so Egyptian counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Egyptian's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Egyptian trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barnes trying to keep a closed guard but Egyptian is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Egyptian landing some decent shots from guard.
Egyptian trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Barnes throws his legs up looking for a submission but Egyptian uses it to pass to side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Egyptian controlling from side mount.
Egyptian advances nicely into full mount.

Egyptian goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Barnes is on top in guard.
Egyptian trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Egyptian throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Barnes stands up over Egyptian, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Egyptian working for a triangle but Barnes defends it easily.

Barnes sitting in guard doing not very much at all here. Egyptian doesn't need a second invitation though! He's locked up a guillotine and he's squeezing tight! That is tiiiiiiiiight! Barnes paying the price for stalling here - he's pushing hard on the arm trying to free himself but it's no use! He's tapped! WOW, quick submission from Egyptian - great work!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Ishmael Egyptian!
A very excited looking Ishmael Egyptian made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.