PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Laak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Avon Barksdale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Laak
vs
Barksdale

180 cm
21
199 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
19
189 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eric Laak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Avon Barksdale!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Lou da Vinci and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barksdale misses with a body shot.
Laak misses with a straight left.
Laak throws a head kick that misses.
Barksdale fails to land with a series of punches.
Barksdale throws a series of punches but Laak avoids them all with ease.
Barksdale has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Laak.
Laak throws a head kick that half lands.
Barksdale throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barksdale connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Laak lands a right hook to the body.
Laak throws a body punch but Barksdale moves out of range.
Barksdale throws a right and a left that both miss.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Laak.

Laak gets a clinch.
Barksdale drops down looking for an ankle pick but Laak pulls his leg out and moves away.
Laak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laak tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Barksdale swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Laak is looking to clinch.
Barksdale throws a series of strikes that have Laak backpedaling.
Barksdale lands a jab to the nose.
Laak showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barksdale.
Barksdale scores with a one two! Laak had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Laak throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Laak throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Barksdale counters with a left to the body.
Barksdale throws a left and a right that both miss
and Laak counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale misses with a double jab.

Laak moves into the clinch.
Barksdale swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Barksdale tries a body shot but Laak blocks it.
Laak lands with a short shot to the head.
A shot in the inside from Laak.
Laak works on Barksdale's body with a couple of short punches.
Laak is pressed up against the cage. Barksdale has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Laak down to the mat. Laak avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Laak moves into range and connects with a jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Laak.

Laak instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A right handed body shot lands from Laak.
Laak has Barksdale pressed against the cage.
Laak throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Barksdale looks gassed!
Barksdale misses with the head strike.
Barksdale misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laak lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Laak's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Laak tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Barksdale avoids it.
Laak lands a shoulder strike.
Laak presses Barksdale against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Barksdale is trying to drag Laak to the mat but Laak just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Eric Laak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Avon Barksdale.
Laak lands a body shot in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Laak.
Barksdale takes a shot to the head.
Nice body punch from Laak.
Laak scores with a hook to the body.
Laak digs a right hand underneath Barksdale's ribcage. Barksdale let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Laak digs a right hand into Barksdale's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Barksdale's gas tank.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laak lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
Laak lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Barksdale.
Laak lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Laak - that landed with a thud.
Laak pushes off an throws an elbow but Barksdale leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Laak.
Laak lands an uppercut.
A short left from Laak.
Laak holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Laak seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Laak lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Laak.
Laak is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Laak scores with a hook to the body.
Laak works on Barksdale's body with a couple of short punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laak working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Laak lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Laak lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Barksdale or not.
Laak avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Laak dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Barksdale throws a series of punches but Laak avoids them all with ease.
No joy there for Laak, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barksdale throws out a loose jab but Laak uses good head movement to avoid it.
Eric Laak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barksdale lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Barksdale.
Laak staying out of range there.
Laak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barksdale misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Laak misses with a straight right.
Barksdale throws a big shot that misses.

Laak clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laak tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Barksdale avoids it.
Laak blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Barksdale struggles to land a body shot inside as Laak controls his hands.
Laak lands a body punch.
Laak blocks a body shot from Barksdale.
Barksdale swings wildly with an uppercut but Laak uses good head movement to avoid it.
Laak is leaning against Barksdale and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Barksdale is breathing heavily.
Laak scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Laak blocks a body shot from Barksdale.
Laak stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Eric Laak has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Laak.
Laak works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Laak stalling the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Eric Laak.
Laak lands a front kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laak chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Barksdale throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Laak counters with a thumping low kick.
Barksdale misses with the combination.
Barksdale avoids the body shot from Laak.
Laak goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Laak scores with a leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barksdale misses with a series of wild punches.
Laak missing with a left hand there. Barksdale was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale misses with a hook to the body
and Laak makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Laak lands a head kick!
Laak looks to throw the jab but Barksdale is out of range.
Laak lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A slow jab from Laak misses its intended target.

Laak forces Barksdale back against the cage and clinches.
Barksdale changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Laak fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Barksdale scores with a hook to the body. Laak takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Laak has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Laak obliges.
Nice body punch from Laak.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Laak takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Barksdale takes a knee to the side of the body.
A hook to the body from Laak.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Laak pushes Barksdale back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laak lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
A short left from Laak.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laak lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
Laak lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Laak lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Avon Barksdale has been cut.

Laak pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Laak is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barksdale can do to turn this around?
Barksdale misses with an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Laak dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Avon Barksdale's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Barksdale throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Laak is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Barksdale connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Laak is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Laak fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Laak displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barksdale throws out the jab.
Barksdale misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barksdale throws a combination that misses
and Laak counters with a stiff right hand.
Barksdale slips a jab and a cross from Laak.
Barksdale takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barksdale keeps the fight on the outside.
Laak throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barksdale looks to score with a jab to the body but Laak is just out of range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Laak, right into the meat.
Laak walks into a stiff left hand from Barksdale.
Barksdale misses with a double jab
and Laak counters with a left to the body.
Barksdale misses with a few strikes there.
A telegraphed right hand from Barksdale misses the target.
Barksdale fails to land with a series of punches.
A big left from Laak misses.
Laak swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barksdale scores with a three punch combo!
Barksdale bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fight stays on the outside here - Laak looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barksdale falls off balance throwing a combination
and Laak connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Barksdale's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Barksdale throws a right hand that Laak ducks under and follows up with a left that Laak also avoids with ease.
Barksdale throws a hook but Laak blocks it.
Barksdale throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Laak connects with a solid leg kick.
Barksdale showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Laak.
Barksdale throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barksdale throws a left and a right that both miss
and Laak counters with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale throws a right and a left that Laak avoids nicely.
Barksdale throws a nice looking combination but Laak bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Laak doesn't manage to clinch there - Barksdale circles away.
Barksdale takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Laak rushes Barksdale and presses him up against the cage.
Laak lands a body shot.
A hook to the body from Laak.
Laak lands a nice shot to the body.
Laak lands a shot to the body.
Laak's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Laak lands an elbow inside that Barksdale shrugs off.
Laak lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
Laak lands a shot to the body.
Laak scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short body shot lands from Laak as the two fighters clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Laak lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Laak lands a body shot in the clinch.
Laak is working Barksdale over against the cage.
Laak works on Barksdale's body with a couple of short punches.
Nice body punch from Laak - that landed with a thud.
Laak pressing his opponent against the cage.
Laak cracks Barksdale with a nice body shot.
Eric Laak is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Laak effectively controlling the action here.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Barksdale looking for a takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laak pushes Barksdale back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Laak lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
Avon Barksdale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Laak lands a shoulder strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Laak showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Laak has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:26
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Laak!