PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Booker Huffman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sarkis Barsamian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Booker Huffman has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Huffman
vs
Barsamian

177 cm
23
189 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Booker Huffman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sarkis Barsamian!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Lou da Vinci and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huffman shoots in looking for a takedown but Barsamian manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Huffman's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Barsamian lands a nice hook to Huffman's body. Huffman takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Huffman slips under a jab.

Huffman has closed the distance and engaged Barsamian in a clinch.
I was talking to Huffman's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Barsamian leaning his opponent against the cage.
Huffman is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Barsamian is keeping busy.

Huffman tightens his grip and picks Barsamian up, before dumping him to the ground. Barsamian manages to land in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Huffman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huffman loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Huffman throws a big right hand that misses.
Huffman is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Huffman chips away with some ground and pound.
Huffman throws a big right hand that misses.
Huffman looking to pass the guard.
Huffman trying to control but Barsamian is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Huffman slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Barsamian keeping moving, preventing Huffman from controlling successfully.

Booker Huffman has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Huffman tries to clinch but Barsamian is having none of it.
Huffman takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Barsamian goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huffman slips a jab and a cross from Barsamian.
Huffman drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Huffman ducks under a wild hook from Barsamian.
Barsamian's corner calls for a 1-2. Barsamian obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Barsamian misses with a looping left.
Huffman is looking to clinch.
Barsamian looks to land a left hand but Huffman moved out of range nicely.
A combination from Barsamian does no damage.
We've been informed that Barsamian has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Barsamian ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Huffman moves away.

Huffman manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Barsamian on his heels. He'll look to pass Barsamian's guard now, I'm sure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Huffman wants to control from the top but Barsamian keeps moving.
Huffman is pushing down on Barsamian's leg trying to pass to half guard. Barsamian is fighting to maintain full guard but Huffman has managed to sneak the leg through.
Barsamian is looking to control Huffman's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barsamian avoid being mounted?
Huffman uses his free foot to push down on Barsamian's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Barsamian.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barsamian in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Booker Huffman dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A punch combination from Barsamian misses.
Barsamian slaps away a takedown attempt from Huffman, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Barsamian tests Huffman's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A big left from Barsamian misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Barsamian.
Huffman takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Barsamian throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Barsamian throws a jab but it's blocked by Huffman.
The fighters circling - Barsamian throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huffman looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barsamian is fending him off so far but Huffman persists. Nope, Barsamian circles away and we're back to standing.
Booker Huffman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Huffman shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Barsamian counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Booker Huffman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Huffman shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Barsamian defends it nicely.
Sarkis Barsamian is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Huffman slips a jab and a cross from Barsamian.
Barsamian throws the left hand but Huffman avoids the punch easily.
Barsamian misses with a hook.

Barsamian gets caught napping as Huffman dives in and scores a takedown. Barsamian manages to retain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Huffman trying to control the position from guard on top but Barsamian is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barsamian preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Huffman controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Huffman distracts Barsamian with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Huffman is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Barsamian can do anything to dispel that myth.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barsamian wants to control the position but Huffman says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Barsamian really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Huffman. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barsamian blocking the ground and pound attempt from Huffman.
Huffman moves nicely into side control.
Barsamian is working to avoid the ground and pound but Huffman connects with a decent elbow.
Huffman in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Huffman working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Barsamian prevents Huffman from improving position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Huffman tries for a kimura but Barsamian is defending well.
Huffman throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Huffman passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Barsamian!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barsamian working to try and regain half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Huffman sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Booker Huffman dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Barsamian looks to land a combination but Huffman avoids it well.
Some wild striking there from Barsamian.
Barsamian throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Huffman sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Huffman takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Huffman throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barsamian's waist but Barsamian gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Huffman off to one side.
Huffman dodges the punch combination from Barsamian.
A left lands for Barsamian.
Huffman slips a jab and a cross from Barsamian.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barsamian misses with a body shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Barsamian. That snapped Huffman's head back.
Barsamian leaves Huffman with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Huffman looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Booker Huffman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barsamian lands a right hook to the body.
Huffman is trying hard to land a takedown here. Barsamian sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Barsamian throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Horrible takedown by Huffman or perhaps it was just good defense by Barsamian which made him look bad.
Booker Huffman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Huffman moves away from the strike by Barsamian.
Barsamian looks to land a right hand but Huffman moved out of range.
A slow jab from Barsamian misses its intended target.
Huffman ducks under a wild hook from Barsamian.
Huffman slips under a jab from Barsamian.
Barsamian jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barsamian misses with a straight left.
Barsamian lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Barsamian throws an off balance right hand

and Huffman counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barsamian taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Huffman gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Barsamian trying to control here.
Barsamian trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Huffman manages to pass to mount!
Huffman controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Huffman has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sarkis Barsamian comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Huffman has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Booker Huffman!