PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between LeRoy Barkley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johan Giles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). LeRoy Barkley has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Barkley
vs
Giles

185 cm
20
166 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
160 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, LeRoy Barkley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johan Giles!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Jonathan Paton and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giles throws a jab when Barkley was well out of range.
Giles misses with a wild combination.
Barkley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Giles slips a jab and a cross from Barkley.
A big right from Barkley misses.
Giles fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Barkley misses with a jab, cross combination.

Giles closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Giles working away.
Giles working the ground and pound.
Giles working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Giles landing a few strikes.
Barkley can't do much from the bottom here.
Barkley manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Barkley blocks the strikes from Giles.
Giles tries to roll over but Barkley keeps him under control.
Nice strikes from Barkley there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giles tries to roll over but Barkley keeps him under control.
Barkley thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Giles's head.
Barkley is looking to pass Giles's guard but actually Giles recovers to full guard.
Barkley wants to control from the top but Giles keeps moving.
Giles trying to control the position.
Giles lands a decent punch to the body there.
Giles keeping moving, preventing Barkley from controlling successfully.
Barkley working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Giles jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Giles will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Barkley shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barkley showed some decent athleticism there.
Giles scores with a few weak punches.
Giles trying to hold on to Barkley's head to control him but Barkley postures up.
Giles makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Giles.
Barkley throwing strikes but missing.
Giles has his hands on Barkley's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giles working a defensive guard here.
Giles throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Barkley preventing the sweep.
Barkley is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Giles keeping moving, preventing Barkley from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Giles ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Barkley closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Giles to the mat! Giles manages to get full guard.
Barkley is breathing heavily.
Giles looking for a sweep. Not yet Giles, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giles looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Barkley puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Giles is not content to let Barkley control the position.
Giles is looking to control Barkley's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Giles avoid being mounted?
Barkley is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Giles manages to get to full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barkley accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Giles striking off his back, scoring a few points.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Barkley misses with a two punch combination.
Giles throws a right and a left that Barkley avoids nicely.
Giles stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Johan Giles will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Barkley misses with a wild combination.
Barkley gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Giles.

It looks like LeRoy Barkley has been cut.

Giles shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Barkley trying to control here.
Giles passes to side control.
Barkley is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Giles off and has taken his back!
Giles breaks Barkley's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Barkley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Giles is one step ahead there.
Giles trying to control the position from guard on top but Barkley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giles is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Giles postures up and lands a big shot to Barkley's brow.
Giles is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Barkley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Giles's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Giles is trying to control the position but Barkley postures up.
Giles has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Giles manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barkley manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barkley keeping moving, preventing Giles from controlling successfully.
Giles landing with the ground and pound.
Giles trying to control but Barkley is working from the bottom.
Giles postures up and lands a big shot to Barkley's brow.
Giles is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Despite being in the dominant position, Johan Giles just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Giles paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giles throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barkley throws a body punch but Giles moves out of range.
Giles throws the left hand but Barkley avoids the punch easily.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Barkley.
Giles is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Barkley trying to advance position but Giles counters by regaining guard.
Giles trying to keep a closed guard but Barkley is proving a slippery customer.
Giles looking for a sweep. Not yet Giles, not yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Giles is on top in guard.

Barkley is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barkley keeping moving, preventing Giles from controlling successfully.
Giles postures up and lands a big shot to Barkley's brow.
Giles with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Giles is working Barkley over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Giles works over Barkley with some ground and pound from guard.
Giles postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Giles wants to control from the top but Barkley keeps moving.
Giles is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Giles showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on LeRoy Barkley's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A right-left combo lands from Giles.
Barkley on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Giles darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Giles working over Barkley with some ground and pound. Barkley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Giles lands a nice short elbow.
Barkley missing with punches from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Giles connects with a nice short shot to Barkley's temple.
Barkley wants to get back to full guard.
Giles slips a nice elbow through Barkley's hands, connecting with Barkley's forehead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Giles with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Giles looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Barkley with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giles lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The fighters are battling for position here. Barkley manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Barkley manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Giles manages to get himself to full guard.
Giles throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Giles has control of Barkley's left arm, preventing Barkley from doing any damage.
Barkley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Giles is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Giles is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giles striking off his back but it's not causing Barkley any problems.
Giles working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barkley.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Giles lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barkley takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
LeRoy Barkley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fighters circle momentarily. Giles darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Giles connects with the punch.
Giles shoots in and drives through. Barkley sprawls well.
Giles throws a hook to the side of Barkley's head but Barkley sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Giles tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Barkley swivels and escapes.
Barkley slips a straight right by Giles.
Giles takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giles steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Barkley.
Giles throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Barkley.
Giles fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
LeRoy Barkley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johan Giles.
Barkley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A swing and a miss from Giles.
Giles showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barkley.
Giles shoots for a double leg takedown but Barkley sprawls well. He's pushed Giles's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Giles thows a body shot but no joy.
Barkley throws a right and a left that both miss.
Giles throws a right hand that Barkley ducks under and follows up with a left that Barkley also avoids with ease.
Barkley throws a left and a right that both miss
and Giles counters with a straight right hand.
Barkley misses with a series of wild punches.
LeRoy Barkley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A punch combination from Barkley misses.

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.
Giles closes the distance and clinches up with Barkley, looking for a takedown. Giles pushes Barkley against the cage but Barkley circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A combination from Barkley does no damage.
Giles loads up on a big right hand but Barkley slips the punch.
No joy there for Barkley, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barkley uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Giles.
Jab by Giles.
Giles swings and misses with a hook to the body.
No joy there for Barkley, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Giles gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Barkley counters with a three punch combo that has Giles backing up. Giles nods at Barkley to acknowledge the strikes.
Giles looks to throw the jab but Barkley is out of range.
Giles shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barkley but Barkley pushes him off and we're back to square one.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Barkley.
Giles ducks under a wild hook from Barkley.
Giles throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johan Giles comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Giles 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight for Johan Giles!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Johan Giles!
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight for Johan Giles!

Johan Giles wins by unanimous decision!