PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ethan Conrad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Barko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Conrad comes to the cage accompanied by Thousand Foot Krutch - War Of Change. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Conrad
vs
Barko

188 cm
23
200 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ethan Conrad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tony Barko!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Conrad lands with a straight right. Barko didn't see that one coming.
Conrad lands a nice shot to the body.
Conrad throws a low kick but it's checked well by Barko.
A looping hook to the body misses from Barko. Conrad does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Conrad slips a straight right by Barko.
Conrad scores with a jab to the jaw.
Ethan Conrad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Conrad fails to land with a series of punches.
Barko drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Conrad defends it well.
Barko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Conrad is fending him off so far but Barko persists. Nope, Conrad circles away and we're back to standing.
Barko dives in and grabs Conrad's left leg, looking for a takedown. Conrad pushes down on Barko's head and hops out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Conrad leaves Barko with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ethan Conrad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Barko.
Conrad throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Barko counters with a takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barko lands a few punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Conrad's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Conrad manages to get back to half guard.

Barko seems to be working for a kimura but Conrad defends the submission attempt.
Conrad on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
My spies in Beast Cartel inform me that Barko has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Conrad works his way to full guard. Good work.

Conrad is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Barko defends well.
Conrad working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barko.
Barko is looking to work some ground and pound but Conrad has wrist control.
Barko lands a couple of elbows.

Conrad escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Barko gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barko throwing strikes from guard but Conrad blocks nicely.
Barko with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Barko looking to pass the guard.
Conrad is pulling down on Barko's head. It's preventing any offense from Barko, at least for the moment.
Conrad keeping moving, preventing Barko from controlling successfully.

Conrad looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Conrad looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Conrad looking for a guillotine here but Barko defends easily.
Conrad keeping moving, preventing Barko from controlling successfully.
Barko makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Conrad keeping moving, preventing Barko from controlling successfully.
Barko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Barko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Conrad works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four 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.
Good standup being displayed there by Conrad as he connects with a hook.

Barko changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Conrad looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Conrad prevents Barko from moving into mount.
Conrad struggling a bit here.
Barko working the ground and pound.
Conrad tries to bench press Barko off him but Barko keeps the position.
Conrad takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Barko tries to advance to mount but can't.
Conrad takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Conrad is rocked!
Barko scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Conrad is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Barko can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Tony Barko!