PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Scot Barlow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Owen Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Owen Hicks has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Barlow
vs
Hicks

194 cm
22
151 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

183 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Scot Barlow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Owen Hicks!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hicks drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hicks slips nicely into half guard.
Hicks content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barlow is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barlow missing with punches from the bottom.
Barlow is in trouble now - Hicks has advanced to mount!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hicks looking to control but Barlow is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barlow tries to reverse the position but Hicks maintains control.
Barlow really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Barlow working to try and regain half guard.
Hicks lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Hicks can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Barlow is looking to escape.
Barlow can't escape the position.
Hicks misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hicks gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Barlow blocks the body kick.

Hicks clinches.
The referee calls for Hicks to work.

Hicks's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hicks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hicks fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Barlow went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Hicks takes the fight into the clinch.

Hicks pulls Barlow into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hicks throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks has Barlow pulled in close to control his posture.
Hicks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hicks working a defensive guard here.
Hicks controlling the position.
Barlow missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Barlow being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Barlow looks for a takedown but Hicks sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Hicks drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hicks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barlow swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Barlow looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Hicks has picked Barlow up and slammed him! Barlow can't keep hold of the triangle and Hicks manages to pass to side control!

Hicks is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Barlow is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Barlow being controlled for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Hicks dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hicks drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Owen Hicks has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hicks sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Barlow's guard.
Hicks moves into full mount! Barlow won't be happy about that!
Hicks wants to control the pace but Barlow is squirming around nicely.
Hicks tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hicks throws some wild stikes that Barlow manages to avoid easily.
Barlow manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hicks wants to pass the guard but Barlow is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barlow actively working from the bottom here.
Hicks is looking to take a break and control but Barlow is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barlow blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hicks.
Hicks is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Hicks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barlow defending well though.
Barlow wants to get back to full guard.

Hicks decides to return to a standing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Hicks shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hicks in particular looking to stall.
Hicks thows a huge punch but Barlow dodges it nicely.
Barlow is looking for a sweep. Hicks is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Barlow looking for submissions off his back.
Hicks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barlow defending well though.
Hicks seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hicks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barlow defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hicks is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Barlow is just riding it out for now. Hicks eventually gives up the hold.
Hicks wants to take a breather but Barlow is having none of it.
Well, if Hicks is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Hicks missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Hicks looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hicks wants to take a breather but Barlow is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Barlow goes for a double leg but Hicks avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Hicks continues to drive forward.

Hicks throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Barlow was covering up waiting for the punch and Hicks finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Barlow keeping full guard, as Hicks tries to pass.
Hicks has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hicks sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Hicks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Hicks closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Barlow quickly recovers to half guard.
Barlow is looking to improve his position.
Barlow is working hard here to advance position.
Hicks has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hicks not doing much here.
Barlow is trying to stand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hicks is working for a submission of some sort.
Hicks is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barlow is staying active underneath Hicks, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Barlow moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Barlow trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Hicks stands up from Barlow's guard - Hicks perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Barlow gets caught flat footed, as Hicks shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hicks throwing strikes from guard but Barlow blocks nicely.
Barlow keeping moving, preventing Hicks from controlling successfully.
Barlow manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hicks manages to get himself to full guard.

Hicks looking for a sweep. Not yet Hicks, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barlow accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Barlow is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hicks wants to sweep here but Barlow controlling him for the moment.
Hicks pulls Barlow in close to prevent any damage.
Barlow has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Barlow in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Barlow is fighting to break Hicks's control of his arms but Hicks is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Scot Barlow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barlow fails with a takedown attempt.

Hicks closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Barlow did well to prevent Hicks getting side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hicks throwing shots but Barlow is blocking nicely.
Hicks wants to take a breather but Barlow is having none of it.
Scot Barlow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Owen Hicks is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hicks tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barlow knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Owen Hicks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hicks 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Owen Hicks!