PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fouad Barayev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and xavier martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fouad Barayev looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Barayev
vs
martinez

190 cm
21
185 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

168 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Apocalypse Clothing
Apocalypse Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fouad Barayev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, xavier martinez!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

martinez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Barayev tries to improve position but can't.
Barayev manages to work his way to half guard, despite martinez's best efforts.
Barayev moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Barayev looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Barayev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Barayev is breathing heavily.
Barayev tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

Barayev has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but martinez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
martinez trying to control the position from guard on top but Barayev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barayev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Barayev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
martinez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barayev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

martinez gets the takedown into side control.

martinez decides to stand back up. martinez steps back and let's Barayev get back to his feet.
martinez throws and low kick but Barayev moves out of range easily.
Barayev tries for a takedown but martinez circles away easily

and martinez moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barayev tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

martinez turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

martinez decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Barayev doesn't succeed with the takedown

and martinez counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fouad Barayev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
martinez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Barayev throws an elbow but misses.
martinez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Barayev drops to a knee looking for a takedown but martinez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
martinez missing with knees to the body.
martinez tries to break the clinch but Barayev is controlling the position.

Barayev pulls martinez into guard.

Barayev has an active guard here but martinez has managed to pass into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barayev wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
martinez wants to stand up but Barayev is controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Barayev tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Barayev is trying to control but can't.

martinez gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Barayev tries to keep at a distance but martinez has taken the fight into the clinch.

martinez has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Barayev clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

martinez tightening his grip on Barayev, looking for the choke.
Barayev turns into martinez and is now in his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barayev wants to control from the top but martinez keeps moving.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Barayev can do anything to dispel that myth.

Barayev thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
martinez keeping moving, preventing Barayev from controlling successfully.
Barayev passes martinez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Barayev wants to free his trapped foot but martinez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Barayev stalling.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barayev works his way into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

xavier martinez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Barayev shoots in and drives through. martinez sprawls well.
Barayev fails to land the takedown.
Barayev tries to clinch up but martinez circles away and keeps his distance.

martinez closes the distance and clinches.

martinez breaks from the clinch.
martinez darts in trying to clinch

and Barayev counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

martinez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Barayev shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and martinez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fouad Barayev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barayev has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. martinez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

martinez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Barayev swats away the attempt to clinch by martinez.

Barayev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for martinez!
martinez is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barayev putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
martinez is squirming around, avoiding Barayev's attempts to control the action.
Barayev looking to control and managing it successfully.
Barayev looking to control but martinez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
martinez is wriggling around trying to escape.
martinez avoids a series of strikes thrown by Barayev.

Barayev looking to secure an arm triangle but martinez defends it well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
martinez can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Barayev trying to control but martinez is having none of it.
martinez tries to hold on but Barayev pushes him away.
Barayev seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but martinez is holding on tight.
Barayev throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for martinez because Barayev loaded up on that one.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
martinez wants to hold on but Barayev pushes him away.
Barayev looking to ground and pound but martinez is blocking nicely.
martinez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Barayev wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
martinez avoids a series of strikes thrown by Barayev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barayev trying to control but martinez is having none of it.
martinez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Barayev prevents martinez from getting the reversal.
Barayev trying to control but martinez is having none of it.
Barayev looking to finish with strikes here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
martinez is controlling an arm, preventing Barayev from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Barayev with a couple of short strikes.

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.

Barayev working from mount. He moves in close and looks like he might be going for an arm triangle... He's hopped off to the side and he's transitioned into an Anaconda choke. martinez turning a nasty shade of purple. He's refusing to tap but he's gone! He's out! The ref rips Barayev off and cradles martinez's limp body as Barayev celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Anaconda Choke). Fouad Barayev!