PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between LeRoy Barkley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dzhabrail Kuriev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Barkley
vs
Kuriev

185 cm
19
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, LeRoy Barkley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dzhabrail Kuriev!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Illya Tyunina and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barkley shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kuriev pinned against the cage. Kuriev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice sprawl there from Kuriev as Barkley shoots in.
Barkley throws a right and a left that Kuriev avoids nicely.
Barkley throws a nice looking combination but Kuriev bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Barkley closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Barkley lands in his opponent's guard.
Barkley wants to control from the top but Kuriev keeps moving.
Barkley preventing the sweep.

Kuriev is looking for a triangle but Barkley pushes his legs off easily.

Barkley thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Barkley will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Kuriev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barkley trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuriev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kuriev controlling Barkley's posture.
Barkley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kuriev swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Kuriev looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kuriev looks gassed!
Barkley trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuriev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Barkley looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kuriev!
Barkley trying to control but Kuriev is having none of it.
Kuriev tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The referee warns Kuriev that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Barkley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kuriev is looking to escape.
Barkley controlling the pace for now.
Barkley looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barkley trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kuriev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kuriev taking shots to the head.
Barkley in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
BOOM! Barkley connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Kuriev is rocked!
Kuriev is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kuriev is still in real trouble! Can Barkley finish him?
Kuriev is squirming around, avoiding Barkley's attempts to control the action.
Kuriev seems to have recovered his senses.
Kuriev tries to hold on but Barkley pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barkley working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kuriev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Barkley trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Barkley lands a big shot there that rocks Kuriev but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Kuriev wants to control but Barkley is having none of it.
Barkley trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kuriev gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kuriev is looking to clinch but Barkley is avoiding it.
Nice sprawl there from Kuriev as Barkley shoots in.
Kuriev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kuriev throws a right and a left that Barkley avoids nicely.
Barkley fails to land with a series of punches.
Barkley misses with a combination

and Kuriev counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kuriev.

Kuriev has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Barkley clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Barkley 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.

Kuriev is persistently looking for the submission but Barkley is defending it well.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Kuriev's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Kuriev gets his hands free as Barkley looks to control.
Kuriev doesn't have the hooks in and Barkley manages to turn into his guard.
Barkley trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuriev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuriev controls Barkley momentarily but Barkley frees himself.

Kuriev working for a triangle but Barkley defends it easily.
Barkley keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kuriev's head.
Kuriev looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Kuriev has his feet on Barkley's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuriev on the wrong end of a nice jab.
LeRoy Barkley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barkley looks to land a body kick but Kuriev moved away.

Kuriev takes the fight into the clinch.
Barkley wants to break free but Kuriev has control.

Kuriev jumps into guard, dragging Barkley to the mat.
Kuriev trying to keep a closed guard but Barkley is proving a slippery customer.
Barkley showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kuriev throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Barkley trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuriev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuriev wants to stand up but Barkley is controlling him.
Kuriev preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Kuriev manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Barkley fails with the takedown

and Kuriev counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Barkley!
Barkley really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Kuriev looking for a guillotine from mount but Barkley is having none of it.
Barkley is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kuriev content just to control the position here.

Kuriev looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuriev content just to control the position here.

Kuriev get's back to his feet.
Barkley gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Kuriev counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LeRoy Barkley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuriev controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Barkley looking to control.
Barkley has Kuriev pulled in close to control his posture.
Dzhabrail Kuriev has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barkley is trying to control the position but Kuriev postures up.
Barkley is really struggling to control Kuriev but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dzhabrail Kuriev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Barkley throws a shot to the body.
Barkley throws a right hand that Kuriev ducks under and follows up with a left that Kuriev also avoids with ease.
Barkley throws a right hand that Kuriev ducks under and follows up with a left that Kuriev also avoids with ease.
A punch combination from Barkley misses.

Barkley darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Barkley is looking to advance position but Kuriev won't allow it.
Barkley landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Barkley sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuriev defending well though.
Barkley prevents Kuriev from standing back up.
Kuriev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barkley.
Barkley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kuriev wants to control but Barkley is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuriev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barkley.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Barkley has his takedown stuffed
and Kuriev counters with a nice body kick.

Kuriev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Barkley taking shots to the head.
Barkley is controlling an arm, preventing Kuriev from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Barkley is trying desperately to improve position.
Kuriev trying to control but Barkley is having none of it.

Kuriev goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Barkley is on top in guard.
Kuriev can't keep his opponent in guard - Barkley advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barkley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kuriev is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Barkley's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Barkley's back!
Barkley can't escape the position.

Kuriev has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Barkley has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Barkley has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Kuriev.
Barkley tries to roll but Kuriev sticks to his back.
Barkley breaks Kuriev's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Kuriev wants to hit a switch here but Barkley passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Kuriev there!
Kuriev is squirming around, avoiding Barkley's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barkley wants to control but Kuriev has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Barkley in particular looking to stall.
Barkley is pressing down on Kuriev's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kuriev is holding on for now.
Barkley is tying to control. Kuriev wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Barkley lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Barkley is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Barkley prevents Kuriev from getting the reversal.
Barkley putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuriev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kuriev is trying to escape the mount.
Barkley looking to finish with strikes here!
Kuriev wants to hold on but Barkley pushes him away.
Barkley tries to control but Kuriev wriggling away.
Kuriev sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kuriev is pressing down on Barkley's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Kuriev holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to LeRoy Barkley.
I think Barkley 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... LeRoy Barkley!