PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rasputin Mekk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Barriage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mekk comes into the arena with Boney M - Rasputin blaring out of the sound system. Barriage comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix) by Prodigy kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The key to victory for Rasputin Mekk has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Mekk
vs
Barriage

185 cm
20
225 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

193 cm
23
227 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rasputin Mekk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, David Barriage!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Paulsen Ambrosius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Barriage.
Mekk shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barriage but Barriage pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mekk tries to close the distance and clinch but Barriage swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mekk tries to clinch up but Barriage circles away and keeps his distance.
Barriage moves to clinch but Mekk breaks away

and Mekk counters with a single leg into guard. Barriage didn't expect that.
Barriage wants to sweep here but Mekk controlling him for the moment.

Mekk avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Barriage is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mekk is controlling him.
Mekk trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barriage wants to stand but Mekk is controlling the position.
Mekk is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mekk wants to control from the top but Barriage keeps moving.
Barriage lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mekk!
Mekk slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Mekk wants to get back to full guard but Barriage has passed into side control.
Mekk managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Barriage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barriage cracks Mekk with an elbow. That is naaassty.
A lull in the action here.

Barriage is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mekk has escaped the position, nice work there.
Barriage looks winded!
Barriage trying to control the position but Mekk is working away.
Mekk can't do much from the bottom here.
Barriage working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barriage cracks Mekk with a big elbow.
Barriage has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mekk tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barriage wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mekk wants to control but Barriage postures up.
Barriage in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Mekk is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Barriage off and has taken his back!
Barriage rolls, trying to escape but Mekk keeps control of the position.
Mekk trying to control momentarily.
Barriage rolls, trying to escape but Mekk keeps control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mekk trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Barriage is trying to remain composed but Mekk is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Barriage is trying to get back to his feet but Mekk has full control of the position and if anything, Barriage has just worked his way into a worse spot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barriage is trying to break free.
Barriage manages to reverse the position and now he's in Mekk's guard. Nice work there by Barriage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mekk keeping moving, preventing Barriage from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mekk trying to keep a closed guard but Barriage is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but David Barriage will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mekk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mekk blocks a low kick nicely.

Mekk clinches with his opponent.

Barriage pulls guard effortlessly.
Mekk keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Barriage's head.
Barriage not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mekk trying to control but Barriage is working from the bottom.
Barriage wants to stand and escape but Mekk is having none of it.
Barriage is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mekk stands up from Barriage's guard - Mekk perhaps looking for a knockout.
Mekk fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mekk misses with a takedown
and Barriage counters with a two punch combo.
Barriage is looking to clinch but Mekk is avoiding it.
Barriage blocks a head kick by Mekk.
Barriage swats away the attempt to clinch by Mekk.
Barriage throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mekk.
Mekk tries to clinch

and Barriage counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Barriage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barriage looking to sit in guard and control but Mekk gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mekk trying to control the position from guard on top but Barriage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Barriage is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mekk defends well.
Mekk wants to pass the guard but Barriage is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mekk missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Barriage keeping moving, preventing Mekk from controlling successfully.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Barriage can do anything to dispel that myth.
Barriage being controlled here, momentarily.

We're going to have a standup here because Rasputin Mekk wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Barriage tries to clinch there but Mekk circles away.
Mekk shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Barriage pinned against the cage. Barriage gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mekk swats away the attempt to clinch by Barriage.
Mekk is looking to clinch but Barriage is avoiding it.
Barriage pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mekk tries to score a power double leg takedown but Barriage sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mekk somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rasputin Mekk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mekk showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barriage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Barriage moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but David Barriage will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mekk tries to clinch but Barriage moves out of range.
Barriage attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
No luck for Mekk with that takedown attempt.

Mekk fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Barriage to the ground. Mekk is now in Barriage's guard.
Mekk is looking to pass into half guard but Barriage pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Barriage is in guard.
Barriage wants to control from the top but Mekk keeps moving.
Mekk keeping full guard, as Barriage tries to pass.
Barriage throws a big elbow that misses.
Barriage takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barriage connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barriage trying to control but Mekk is working from the bottom.
Mekk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barriage is one step ahead there.
Barriage trying to control but Mekk is working from the bottom.
Barriage postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mekk looking to control.
Barriage controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mekk utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Barriage throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mekk wants to stand up but Barriage is controlling him.
Mekk tries to strike from the bottom.
Barriage stands up over Mekk, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mekk has momentary wrist control but Barriage slips an elbow through the middle.
Barriage lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mekk is trying to control the position but Barriage postures up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barriage stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mekk swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barriage landing some decent shots from guard.

Mekk working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Barriage doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Barriage manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Barriage's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Barriage scoring with some ground and pound.
Barriage missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Barriage content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Barriage pushing down on Mekk's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Barriage is stalling here. Mekk is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Barriage seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mekk has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Barriage wants to control but Mekk postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mekk trying to control the action but Barriage is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Barriage's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
David Barriage is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barriage manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Rasputin Mekk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barriage is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Barriage comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Barriage has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Barriage!
David Barriage was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.