PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Martin Prien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Barker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Prien comes into the arena with Yellow Submarine blaring out of the sound system. Travis Barker is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Prien
vs
Barker

160 cm
24
201 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

186 cm
28
190 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Martin Prien!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Travis Barker!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, John Mangel and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barker swinging wildly here.
Prien tries a low kick but Barker avoids it.
Prien is looking to chop away at Barker's legs.
Prien throws a hook but Barker blocks it.

Prien decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Barker wants to control but Prien is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Prien is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Barker is just riding it out for now. Prien eventually gives up the hold.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Prien is looking for a kimura here.
Prien throws a strike but Barker avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prien stands and throws Barker's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Prien throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Barker is looking for a sweep.

Prien is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Barker knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Prien moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barker managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Prien.
Prien working the ground and pound but Barker is defending the strikes.
Prien throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Prien wants to control for a moment but Barker uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Barker is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barker keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Prien works his foot free and advances to mount.
Barker is trying to escape the mount.
Prien throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Prien throwing strikes here but Barker is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Prien moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Barker has worked his arm free - good work by Barker!
Prien cracks Barker with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prien working the ground and pound but Barker is defending the strikes.
Prien has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Prien looking to control but instead Barker has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Barker is refusing to be controlled, as Prien sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Prien prevents Barker from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Prien dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Prien shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Prien tries to clinch up.
Prien throws a series of punches but Barker avoids them all with ease.
Barker throws a push kick but Prien slaps the foot to one side.
Nice body kick there by Barker.
Barker throws a head kick but Prien moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Prien throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Prien fails with the takedown
and Barker counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Prien shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Prien thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barker's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barker keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Prien passes to full mount!
Barker avoids a series of strikes thrown by Prien.
Prien fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Prien is trying to take his opponent's back.
Prien landing punches.
Prien punishing his opponent with strikes.
Poor strikes thrown by Prien there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barker is trying to escape the mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Prien throwing strikes here but Barker is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Prien wants to control the pace but Barker is squirming around nicely.

Prien goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Barker is on top in guard.
Barker must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Prien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Prien wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Barker is now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prien is staying active underneath Barker, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Prien is trying to get back to full guard.
Prien is working hard here to advance position.
Prien is staying active underneath Barker, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Prien gets back to full guard.

Prien has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Barker can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Prien working for a triangle but Barker defends it easily.
Barker trying to control the position from guard on top but Prien is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Prien looking to control.
Barker seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Prien dominated that second round.
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.

Prien tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Barker swivels and escapes.
Prien misses with an attempted mid kick.
Barker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barker throws a right hand that Prien ducks under and follows up with a left that Prien also avoids with ease.
Barker throws a push kick but Prien slaps the foot to one side.

Barker gets caught napping as Prien dives in and scores a takedown. Barker manages to retain guard.
Prien preventing the sweep.
Prien might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Prien throws a big elbow that misses.
Prien throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Prien sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Barker's guard.

Prien is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Barker sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prien trying to advance position but Barker counters by regaining guard.
Prien stands and throws Barker's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Prien looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Barker is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prien looks up at the clock and then as Barker takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Prien smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Prien is trying to ground and pound but Barker uses the momentary lack of control by Prien to regain half guard.
Barker wants to control but Prien is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Barker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Prien.

Prien is working for a submission of some sort.
Prien is looking to advance position but Barker won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prien thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Prien missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Martin Prien is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Prien tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barker knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Prien takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Prien'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.
Travis Barker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prien is pressing down on Barker's thigh, looking to free his foot. Barker is holding on for now.
Barker is concentrating on defense, preventing Prien from advancing position.

We're going to have a standup here because Martin Prien wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Prien shoots in for a double leg but Barker sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Prien checks the leg kick.
Prien moves forwards but Barker connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Martin Prien seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Prien gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Barker counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Prien shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barker as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Prien. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barker takes a swing at Prien's ribcage but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Prien showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Prien, 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Prien!
Martin Prien decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.