PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Barnham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Prien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Prien has chosen Yellow Submarine as his entrance music. Martin Prien is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Barnham
vs
Prien

196 cm
25
216 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

160 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

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 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Barnham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Martin Prien!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Eliza Hachem and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnham scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Barnham swings for the body but Prien moves out of range.
Barnham wants to clinch up but Prien keeps it at a distance.
Good work by Prien as he checks the leg kick.
Barnham stuffs the takedown.
Prien avoids the head kick by Barnham.
Barnham tries to close the distance and clinch but Prien swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barnham throws a half hearted mid kick.
Barnham is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Prien throws a leg kick but Barnham checks it.

Prien tries to keep at a distance but Barnham has taken the fight into the clinch.
Barnham has Prien pressed against the cage.
Prien goes for a takedown attempt but Barnham pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Prien moves in looking to clinch but Barnham pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prien takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Barnham moves in looking to clinch but Prien pushes him off.
Barnham fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Barnham digs a good body shot into Prien's ribs.
Barnham scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Barnham takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Barnham tries to bum rush Prien with a series of wild strikes but Prien uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Prien on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Barnham avoids the body shot from Prien.
Barnham misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnham lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Barnham clinches up against the cage.
Prien takes a shot to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Barnham lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Barnham using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Prien has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Prien successfully pulls guard.

Prien looking for subs off his back but Barnham has passed one foot through into half guard.
Prien won't allow Barnham to pass to mount.
Barnham missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Barnham is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Prien doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Barnham.
Barnham will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Barnham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prien is looking to get back to full guard here but Barnham has managed to pass to side control instead.
Barnham cracks Prien with a big elbow.
Prien tries to buck Barnham off but Barnham is having none of it.
Barnham throws a strike aimed at the side of Prien's head but Prien avoids it well.

Barnham looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Prien tries to improve position but can't.
Barnham throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Prien avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Barnham.

Barnham is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Prien knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Barnham working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Barnham is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Prien knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Prien tries to bench press Barnham off him but Barnham keeps the position.
Barnham tries to score with some ground and pound. Prien controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Prien gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barnham is pressing down on Prien's thigh, looking to free his foot. Prien is holding on for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Prien is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Barnham scores with a couple of nice shots.

Prien looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Prien wants to improve his position but Barnham is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Barnham dominated that round.
That's time! Barnham's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Barnham lands with a kick to the temple. Prien shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Barnham lands a leg kick that knocks Prien off balance momentarily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Barnham checks a leg kick.
Barnham throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Prien throws a body punch but Barnham moves out of range.
Nice shot lands for Barnham.
Barnham throws a push kick but Prien slaps the foot to one side.
Barnham lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Barnham stuns Prien with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Prien doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnham tries to clinch but Prien moves out of range.
Barnham throws a head kick but Prien moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnham throws a head kick but Prien moves out of range.
Prien checks a leg kick.
Prien wants to clinch up but Barnham keeps it at a distance.
Ben Barnham is winning the standup battle so far.
Barnham bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Prien's head.

Barnham rushes Prien and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Barnham with a knee to the head.

Barnham's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ben Barnham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barnham getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Barnham scores with a one two! Prien had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Barnham scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Prien gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Barnham counters with an outside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnham misses with a series of wild punches.
Barnham lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Prien has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Barnham finds it's way round the side to connect with Prien's head.
Barnham cracks a nice hook into Prien's ribs.
Barnham looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Barnham cracks a nice hook into Prien's ribs.
Barnham throws a nice inside leg kick.
Nice jab there from Barnham.
Prien walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Barnham is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Barnham checks a low kick from Prien.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prien takes one to the side of the head.
Prien ducks right into an uppercut from Barnham.
Prien misses with a hook. Barnham ducked under it nicely.
Barnham's jab looks to have found its range, popping Prien under the eye.
Barnham rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Prien moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barnham with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A head kick misses from Barnham.
Prien throws a wild body kick that Barnham sees coming a mile off.
Barnham throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Barnham connects with a single shot there.
Prien throws a front kick that sends Barnham stumbling back into the cage.
Barnham pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ben Barnham is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Barnham pushes Prien up against the cage in a clinch.
Barnham lands an elbow just above Prien 's eye.

It looks like Martin Prien has been cut.
Prien tries to work over Barnham's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barnham stops a takedown attempt from Prien.
Barnham landing knees to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Barnham with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A bit of stalling here from Barnham.

Prien lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Prien thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barnham's head.
Barnham is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Prien is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Barnham doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Prien.
Barnham trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Barnham dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Martin Prien'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. This is the final round!

Barnham connects with a leg kick. Prien looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Barnham has closed the distance and engaged Prien in a clinch.
Barnham lands a left hand that snaps the head of Prien backwards.
Barnham content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Prien is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barnham pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Barnham keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Prien's efforts to push away.
Still in the clinch, Barnham scores with a nice short uppercut.
Barnham is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Barnham leaning against his opponent.
Barnham using the Thai clinch to land 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!
Prien wants to take the fight to the mat but Barnham manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Prien takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Prien misses with an elbow over the top.
Prien looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A body shot lands from Barnham.
Barnham lands a nice elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnham crunches a lovely knee into Prien's ribcage.
Barnham working Prien over with knees to the body.
Barnham lands a body shot.
Barnham is struggling to control the position.
Barnham gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Prien.
Ben Barnham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Martin Prien.
Barnham effectively controlling the action here.
Barnham lands a nice knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnham putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Prien in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Barnham avoiding damage.
Prien wants a takedown.
Barnham scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Barnham will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Prien up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Barnham.
Barnham has Prien pushed against the cage.
Nice elbow from Barnham.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Barnham.
Barnham is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Prien can do to turn this around?
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ben Barnham.
Barnham misses with the combination.
Prien takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Prien tries to clinch there but Barnham circles away.
Prien has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Barnham.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prien looks to throw a body kick
letting Barnham counter with a right hand.
Barnham moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Barnham moves into range and clinches up with Prien.

Barnham breaks from the clinch.
Barnham fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Barnham fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Prien.
Barnham misses with a two punch combination.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knees to the body from Barnham.
Prien drops down looking for an ankle pick but Barnham pulls his leg out and moves away.
Barnham fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Prien manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnham throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barnham ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Barnham sizes up Prien with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Barnham pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Prien back to the cage. Barnham follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That has opened up Martin Prien's cut even more.
Barnham misses with a double jab.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Barnham. Prien shrugs it off though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Barnham lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Prien misses with a kick to the body.
Martin Prien has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barnham with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Barnham showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Barnham 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 John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Barnham!
An out of breath and clearly excited Ben Barnham thanked CEC Nutrition Q159 for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).