PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kj Barakus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Stryker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stryker has chosen Sandstorm as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Barakus
vs
Stryker

183 cm
22
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
26
196 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kj Barakus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Austin Stryker!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barakus shoots for a takedown but Stryker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Stryker moves into range and clinches up with Barakus.
Barakus is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Stryker pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stryker stalling in the clinch but Barakus improves position.
Stryker with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stryker misses with a knee strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stryker.
Barakus goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stryker prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kj Barakus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barakus avoiding damage as Stryker throws knees to the body.
Stryker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Barakus is defending well for now.
Stryker pushes off an throws an elbow but Barakus leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Stryker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Barakus is defending well for now.
Barakus is working for takedown but Stryker is calmly controlling the position for now.
Barakus avoiding damage.
Barakus managing to block the knees to the body from Stryker.
Barakus on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stryker looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barakus avoiding damage as Stryker throws knees to the body.
Stryker throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barakus blocks it with crossed arms.
Stryker stalling in the clinch but Barakus improves position.
Barakus drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Stryker gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Barakus goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stryker prevents it.
A knee to the head by Stryker.
Stryker throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barakus blocks it with crossed arms.
Stryker tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Barakus avoids it.

Barakus pulls guard effortlessly.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Barakus pulls Stryker in to control the position.
Barakus keeping moving, preventing Stryker from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barakus is pulling down on Stryker's head. It's preventing any offense from Stryker, at least for the moment.

We're going to have a standup here because Kj Barakus wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Stryker fails in his attempt to clinch.
Austin Stryker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stryker throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barakus swats away the attempt to clinch by Stryker.
Stryker throws a lazy head kick

and Barakus counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Stryker with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Kj Barakus has been cut.
Barakus is breathing heavily.
Stryker with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Stryker trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Stryker.
Barakus blocking some punches.
Stryker tries a knee to the head but Barakus blocks it.
Barakus is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Stryker with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Barakus lands an elbow inside that Stryker shrugs off.
Stryker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Barakus is defending well for now.
Stryker misses with an elbow strike.
Barakus goes for a takedown attempt but Stryker pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Stryker feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Barakuss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Stryker throws a nice outside leg kick.

Stryker has Barakus up against the cage in a clinch.
Stryker using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barakus has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stryker with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stryker is trying to maintain a safe position but Barakus gets an underhook and turns Stryker into the cage.

Barakus successfully pulls guard.
Stryker is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stryker tries to stand but Barakus is controlling from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barakus keeping moving, preventing Stryker from controlling successfully.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Stryker might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Barakus kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Stryker dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kj Barakus'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.

Stryker tries to clinch but Barakus moves out of range.
Stryker tries to clinch up but Barakus circles away and keeps his distance.
Stryker scores with a jab to the body.
Stryker fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barakus manages to avoid it.
Barakus avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stryker tries to clinch but Barakus moves out of range.
Barakus throws an overhand right that lands on Stryker's shoulder, as Stryker tries to avoid the shot.
Stryker tries to clinch but Barakus is having none of it.
Stryker tries to clinch up but Barakus circles away and keeps his distance.
Stryker tries to clinch but Barakus moves out of range.
Stryker tries to close the distance and clinch but Barakus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stryker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stryker tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barakus paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stryker tries to clinch up.
Stryker dips to his left and cracks Barakus with an uppercut!
Stryker tries to clinch there but Barakus circles away.
Stryker wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barakus shoots for a takedown but Stryker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Barakus is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Stryker.
Stryker lands a glancing blow to the side of Barakus's head.
Stryker tries to clinch but Barakus is having none of it.
Stryker moves in looking to clinch but Barakus pushes him off.
Stryker tries to close the distance and clinch but Barakus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stryker avoids the head kick by Barakus.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barakus wants to clinch.
Barakus on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Barakus drives through with a takedown into Stryker's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stryker wants to stand and escape but Barakus is having none of it.
Barakus keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Stryker's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barakus postures up and lands a big shot to Stryker's brow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stryker wants to stand but Barakus is controlling the position.
Barakus working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barakus won't allow Stryker to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stryker can do anything to dispel that myth.
Barakus throws a big right hand that misses.

Barakus stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Barakus shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barakus showed some decent athleticism there.
Stryker avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barakus.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stryker wants to control but Barakus is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Barakus seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stryker does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Barakus connects with a nice short shot to Stryker's temple.
Stryker slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Stryker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stryker wants to get back to his feet but Barakus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Barakus throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barakus is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Barakus cracks Stryker with a solid left hand.
Barakus is looking to work some ground and pound but Stryker has wrist control.
Barakus throwing strikes from guard but Stryker blocks nicely.
Barakus postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barakus is pushing down on Stryker's leg trying to pass to half guard. Stryker is fighting to maintain full guard but Barakus has managed to sneak the leg through.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stryker is refusing to be controlled, as Barakus sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kj Barakus will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kj Barakus's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Stryker stuffs the takedown.
Stryker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Stryker pushes Barakus up against the cage in a clinch.
Stryker throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stryker landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Stryker tries to land a knee to the head but Barakus blocks with his arms.
Barakus goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stryker prevents it.
Stryker throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Stryker creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barakus's defenses.
Stryker throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barakus blocks it with crossed arms.
Stryker tries to land knees in the clinch but Barakus avoids the damage to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stryker misses with a knee to the head.
Stryker using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stryker lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barakus backwards.
Barakus takes an elbow to the temple.
Knees to the body from Stryker.
Stryker tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Barakus takes a knee right on the jaw!

Kj Barakus's cut is getting worse.
Barakus blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stryker tries a knee to the head but Barakus blocks it.
Stryker throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barakus blocks it with crossed arms.
Barakus has Stryker pressed against the cage.
Barakus wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kj Barakus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stryker misses with a knee to the head.
Stryker looking to throw knees to the head but Barakus is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barakus blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stryker scores a nice knee to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Stryker obliges.
Stryker connects with a knee to the head.
Stryker looking to throw knees to the head but Barakus is blocking nicely.

Barakus manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barakus working a defensive guard here.
Stryker tries to stand but Barakus is controlling from the bottom.
Barakus pulls Stryker in close to his closed guard and prevents Stryker from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stryker has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Barakus is proving hard to escape from.
Barakus is controlling Stryker's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kj Barakus wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Stryker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nice cross by Stryker.

Barakus clinches up with Stryker and pushes him back against the cage.
Barakus wants a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stryker connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barakus's face.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stryker.
Austin Stryker seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A short left from Stryker.
Stryker lands a knee to the head.
Stryker tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Barakus looking for a takedown.
Stryker lands a knee to the head.
Stryker tries to land knees in the clinch but Barakus avoids the damage to the body.
Barakus avoiding damage as Stryker throws knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stryker with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stryker missing with knees to the body.

Barakus turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Barakus manages to end up in side control.
Kj Barakus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stryker is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Barakus is controlling him well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Stryker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stryker 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Austin Stryker!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Austin Stryker!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Austin Stryker!

Austin Stryker wins by unanimous decision!
Austin Stryker seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.