PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Heinz Medvedev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Foster Barkley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Medvedev
vs
Barkley

175 cm
24
151 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
145 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Heinz Medvedev!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Foster Barkley!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barkley shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Medvedev defends it nicely.
Medvedev just misses with a punch to the body.
Medvedev throws a series of punches but Barkley avoids them all with ease.
Barkley shoots in for a double leg but Medvedev sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Barkley is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A looping hook to the body misses from Medvedev. Barkley does a little dance to reset his feet.
Medvedev digs a good body shot into Barkley's ribs.
Barkley avoids a punch combination nicely.
Medvedev misses the shot to the body.
Barkley misses with a body shot.
Barkley staying out of range there.
Barkley scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Medvedev looks to throw the jab but Barkley is out of range.
Medvedev blocks a head kick by Barkley.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barkley looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Barkley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Barkley prevents Medvedev from improving his position.
Medvedev is working hard here to advance position.
Medvedev is staying active underneath Barkley, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Medvedev tries to roll over but Barkley keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barkley is taking a breather. Medvedev says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Medvedev tries to get to full guard but Barkley has control of the leg.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Barkley ducks under a wild hook from Medvedev.
Medvedev misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Barkley to counter with a crisp jab.
Medvedev lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Foster Barkley has been cut.
Barkley lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Medvedev circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barkley avoids a punch combination nicely.

Barkley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Medvedev sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Barkley controlling the action here.
Medvedev wants to get back to full guard.
Medvedev gets full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barkley trying to control the position from guard on top but Medvedev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Medvedev is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Barkley trying to control the position from guard on top but Medvedev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Medvedev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heinz Medvedev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Foster Barkley's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Medvedev misses the body punch

and Barkley decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Medvedev's guard.
Barkley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Medvedev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Medvedev is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Medvedev keeping moving, preventing Barkley from controlling successfully.
Barkley preventing the sweep.
Barkley's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Medvedev lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Barkley!
Medvedev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Medvedev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Medvedev is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Barkley is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Medvedev looking to control and managing it successfully.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Heinz Medvedev just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Medvedev stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Medvedev wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Medvedev throws a left and a right that both miss

and Barkley counters with a nice double leg into side control. Medvedev won't be happy with that.
Barkley taking a breather here.
Medvedev is trying to improve his position.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Medvedev is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Barkley stops Medvedev from getting back to his feet.
Medvedev tries to roll over but Barkley keeps him under control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Medvedev misses with a series of wild punches.
Medvedev is looking to wear down Barkley with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Medvedev lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Medvedev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Barkley drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Foster Barkley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Foster Barkley's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

No luck for Barkley with that takedown attempt.
Barkley closes the distance and clinches up with Medvedev, looking for a takedown. Barkley pushes Medvedev against the cage but Medvedev circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Barkley shoots in for a takedown but Medvedev shows good takedown defense.
Heinz Medvedev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Foster Barkley.
Barkley misses with a wild combination.

Barkley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Medvedev tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barkley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Medvedev gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Medvedev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Medvedev wants to get back to his feet.
Barkley is looking to take a break and control but Medvedev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Medvedev throws a left and a right that both miss

and Barkley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Medvedev is staying active underneath Barkley, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Medvedev wants to improve his position but Barkley is controlling well.
Medvedev regains full guard. Nicely done.
Barkley takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Medvedev is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Medvedev wants to control but Barkley is keeping him busy.
Medvedev tries to pass to full mount but Barkley defends it.
Medvedev looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barkley is looking to improve his position.
Medvedev performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four 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.
Barkley is looking to improve his position.
Medvedev looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Medvedev decides to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Foster Barkley just about did enough to take it.
The cut man is working on Foster Barkley'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.

A jab from Medvedev misses.
Medvedev looks to land a combination but Barkley avoids it well.
Medvedev lands a jab to the head.
Medvedev misses with a combination

and Barkley counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Medvedev has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Barkley has passed into side control.
Medvedev is looking to reverse the position.
Barkley taking a breather here.

Barkley is trying to get an arm triangle but Medvedev is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barkley is trying to get an arm triangle but Medvedev is defending well.
Medvedev manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Medvedev slows the pace down in half guard.
Medvedev's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two 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.
Foster Barkley has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barkley is looking to escape.
Medvedev trying to control the pace.
Barkley tries to kick Medvedev off but Medvedev keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Medvedev is trying to control. Barkley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Still in half guard, Medvedev seems content to control.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Heinz Medvedev just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Medvedev throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Barkley counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Medvedev!
Medvedev working to try and regain half guard.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Barkley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Medvedev is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Medvedev is trying desperately to improve position.
Barkley looking to control but Medvedev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barkley prevents Medvedev from getting the reversal.
Barkley with a couple of short strikes.

Barkley is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Medvedev has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Medvedev!
Barkley wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Foster Barkley dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Foster Barkley's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Barkley takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Good shot there by Barkley.
Barkley will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Barkley closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Medvedev to the mat! Medvedev manages to get full guard.
Barkley preventing the sweep.
Barkley wants to control from the top but Medvedev keeps moving.
Medvedev manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Medvedev takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Barkley is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barkley is squirming around, avoiding Medvedev's attempts to control the action.
Medvedev controlling his opponent.
Barkley is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's two 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.
Barkley can't escape the position.
Medvedev content just to control the position here.
Barkley is squirming around, avoiding Medvedev's attempts to control the action.
Medvedev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Heinz Medvedev just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Medvedev misses with a jab to the body
and Barkley connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Medvedev throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Barkley counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Medvedev!
Barkley tries to control but Medvedev wriggling away.

Barkley with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barkley trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Heinz Medvedev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Foster Barkley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Medvedev gets back to half guard.
Barkley is trying to control the action in half guard but Medvedev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Barkley slows the pace down in half guard.
Medvedev is looking to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Foster Barkley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barkley has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 46:49
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 47:49
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 46:49

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Foster Barkley!
Foster Barkley is the new featherweight champion!