PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Clifton Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fiodor Stavrov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Barnes
vs
Stavrov

192 cm
22
267 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

188 cm
25
224 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Vicious Nutrition (159 Recovery With Proof)
Nemesis Cage Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Clifton Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Fiodor Stavrov!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stavrov throws the left hand but Barnes avoids the punch easily.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stavrov.
Barnes misses with a wild body shot.
Some wild striking there from Stavrov.
Stavrov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stavrov lands a jab to Barnes's midsection.
Stavrov with a nice cross.

It looks like Clifton Barnes has been cut.
Stavrov scores with a nice right hand.

Barnes scores a takedown into full mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stavrov tries to lock up and control but Barnes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Stavrov sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Stavrov wants to improve his position but Barnes is controlling well.
Stavrov is trying to stand up here but Barnes is controlling him well.
Barnes controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes is looking to advance position but Stavrov won't allow it.
Stavrov trying to control but Barnes postures up.
Stavrov is trying to stand up here but Barnes is controlling him well.
Barnes working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Stavrov is trying to get back to full guard.
Barnes throwing shots but Stavrov is blocking nicely.
Stavrov is trying to maintain the position but Barnes is very close to passing his half guard.
Stavrov is staying active underneath Barnes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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.
Barnes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Barnes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Barnes prevents Stavrov from improving his position.
Stavrov won't allow Barnes to pass to mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stavrov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barnes was well out of range. Poor timing from Stavrov.
Barnes shoots in looking for a takedown. Stavrov tries to sprawl out of it but Barnes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stavrov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Barnes dives in and grabs Stavrov's left leg, looking for a takedown. Stavrov pushes down on Barnes's head and hops out.

Barnes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barnes showed some decent athleticism there.
Barnes stops Stavrov from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes working over Stavrov with some ground and pound. Stavrov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Barnes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stavrov wants to get back to his feet.
Barnes lands strikes from half guard.
Stavrov wants to control but Barnes is keeping busy.
Stavrov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stavrov is refusing to be controlled, as Barnes sits in half guard.
Barnes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Stavrov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stavrov is looking to improve his position.
Barnes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barnes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stavrov's head.
Barnes stops Stavrov from getting back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Barnes.
Stavrov is trying to maintain the position but Barnes is very close to passing his half guard.
Barnes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stavrov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barnes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stavrov's head.
Barnes working over Stavrov with some ground and pound. Stavrov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Barnes wants to pass to mount but Stavrov is defending the position.
Barnes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clifton Barnes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Clifton Barnes's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Stavrov swinging wildly here.
Stavrov scores with a jab to the head.
Stavrov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stavrov misses the body punch
and Barnes counters with a nice body shot.
Stavrov lands with a straight right. Barnes didn't see that one coming.
Stavrov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Barnes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stavrov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stavrov. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stavrov misses with an uppercut.
Fiodor Stavrov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some bone on bone action there as Stavrov checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Barnes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Stavrov throws a predictable looking body shot

and Barnes counters with a shoot takedown. Stavrov fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stavrov keeping moving, preventing Barnes from controlling successfully.
Barnes chips away with some ground and pound.
Stavrov wants to stand up but Barnes is controlling him.
Stavrov keeping full guard, as Barnes tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Barnes throws a big right hand that misses.
Stavrov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stavrov is controlling Barnes's posture.

Stavrov working for a triangle but Barnes defends it easily.
Stavrov is breathing heavily.

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.

Stavrov manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Barnes tries to clinch up but Stavrov circles away and keeps his distance.
Stavrov takes one on the button.

Barnes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Stavrov is trying to defend but Barnes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Barnes wants to free his trapped foot but Stavrov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Barnes perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Stavrov is trying to control but can't.

Stavrov kicks Barnes off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Stavrov, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stavrov leaves Barnes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Stavrov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
No luck for Barnes with that takedown attempt.
Stavrov throws a combination that misses

so Barnes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Barnes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stavrov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stavrov pulls Barnes in close to prevent any damage.
Stavrov keeping full guard, as Barnes tries to pass.
Barnes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Barnes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stavrov is looking to stand up but Barnes isn't so interested in that idea.
Stavrov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barnes is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Barnes fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clifton Barnes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Clifton Barnes's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get 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.

Stavrov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
No luck for Barnes with that takedown attempt.

Barnes drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Barnes lands a nice forearm strike.
Barnes throws a strike aimed at the side of Stavrov's head but Stavrov avoids it well.
Stavrov is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Barnes asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Stavrov gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Stavrov controlling the position for now.
Stavrov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barnes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stavrov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barnes.
Barnes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Stavrov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Stavrov wants to get back to full guard.
Barnes slips a nice elbow through Stavrov's hands, connecting with Stavrov's forehead.
Stavrov manages to get to full guard.
Barnes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Stavrov bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Barnes's guard.
Stavrov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barnes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Barnes throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Stavrov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barnes is keeping the position for now.
Clifton Barnes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stavrov won't allow Barnes to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stavrov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Barnes wants to sweep but no luck.
Barnes keeping moving, preventing Stavrov from controlling successfully.

Stavrov drops back, looking for a kneebar! Barnes looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Barnes looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Barnes!
Stavrov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barnes works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Barnes working the ground and pound but Stavrov is defending the strikes.
An elbow from Barnes crashes against the mat.
Barnes looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Stavrov is avoiding damage well.
Stavrov parries the strikes from Barnes easily there. Barnes is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Stavrov to escape.
Barnes is looking to take a break and control but Stavrov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stavrov is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Barnes is controlling him well.
Barnes tries to move into full mount but can't pass Stavrov's legs.
Barnes working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Fiodor Stavrov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Barnes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stavrov moves away.
Stavrov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stavrov misses with a body shot.

Barnes feints and as Stavrov raises his hands in defense, Barnes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Barnes sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Stavrov's guard.
Barnes working over Stavrov with some ground and pound. Stavrov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Barnes looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stavrov tries to kick Barnes off but Barnes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Barnes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stavrov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stavrov wants to get back to his feet.
Stavrov trying to control from the bottom.
Stavrov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Barnes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stavrov's head.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Barnes moves forwards but Stavrov connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Barnes is defended easily by Stavrov.
Stavrov misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Barnes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barnes wants to control from the top but Stavrov keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Clifton Barnes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Barnes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clifton Barnes!