PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Damien Barksdale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Poulter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barksdale comes to the cage accompanied by Kanye West ft. Jay-Z - Who Gon Stop Me?. Paul Poulter will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Barksdale
vs
Poulter

175 cm
32
180 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

189 cm
41
171 lbs
40 - 23 - 2

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

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 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Damien Barksdale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 40 - 23 - 2, fighting out of London, Paul Poulter!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barksdale connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Poulter's hands.
Barksdale misses with a low kick as Poulter jumps back.
A nice leg kick lands there from Barksdale.
Poulter throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Poulter takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Barksdale connects with a leg kick. Poulter looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Poulter goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Barksdale attempts a counter takedown but Poulter avoids it well and moves away.
Poulter lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Poulter shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Barksdale eats them both and turns towards Poulter to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barksdale fails with the takedown.

Poulter closes the distance and clinches.
Good body shot from Poulter.
Poulter is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Poulter blocks an uppercut.
Barksdale tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Poulter's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulter missing with knees to the body.
Poulter just leaning against Barksdale, taking a breather.
Barksdale lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Barksdale takes a shot to the head.

Barksdale escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Barksdale throws a push kick but Poulter slaps the foot to one side.
Poulter blocks a head kick by Barksdale.
Poulter throws a head kick but Barksdale moves out of range.
Barksdale avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barksdale looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Barksdale pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Poulter throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Poulter misses with a wild combination.
Paul Poulter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Poulter throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Barksdale.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Barksdale tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Poulter swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damien Barksdale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Poulter getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Barksdale is looking to score with low kicks.
Barksdale connects with a solid leg kick.
Barksdale clobbers Poulter with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Poulter scores with a punch to the head.
Poulter slips a straight right by Barksdale.
Poulter connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Barksdale's hands.
A looping hook to the body misses from Barksdale. Poulter does a little dance to reset his feet.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Barksdale lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Poulter has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Poulter and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Barksdale throws a sloppy head kick and Poulter moves out of range easily.

Poulter closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barksdale on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Poulter tries to land a knee to the head but Barksdale blocks with his arms.
Barksdale fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Poulter misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulter taking a breather.

Barksdale breaks from the clinch.
Poulter leaves Barksdale with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Poulter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barksdale paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Poulter looks for the body kick but Barksdale saw that one coming.
Poulter doesn't manage to clinch there - Barksdale circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Poulter lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
Barksdale cracks Poulter with a nice body shot.

Barksdale jumps into guard, dragging Poulter to the mat.
Barksdale trying to keep a closed guard but Poulter is proving a slippery customer.

Barksdale 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.

Barksdale looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Poulter trying to control the position from guard on top but Barksdale is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barksdale can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Poulter controls the pace.
Barksdale might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Poulter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barksdale swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barksdale has control of Poulter's left arm, preventing Poulter from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Poulter dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Poulter takes the fight into the clinch.
Poulter landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Poulter trying to land knees to the body.
Poulter throws a knee to the head but misses.
Poulter with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Poulter with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Poulter tries a knee to the head but Barksdale blocks it.
Barksdale misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in the clinch, Barksdale scores with a nice short uppercut.
Poulter landing knees to the head.
Poulter tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Barksdale lands a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barksdale goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Barksdale wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Poulter has him pressed against the cage.
Barksdale is trying to pull guard but Poulter turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Poulter stalling.
Poulter prevents a body shot from Barksdale.
Poulter throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barksdale blocks it with crossed arms.
Barksdale throws a head punch that misses.
Barksdale tries to throw a body punch but Poulter avoids it by throwing Barksdale back against the cage.
Poulter has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A head punch on the inside from Poulter fails to land.
Barksdale fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Barksdale struggles to land a body shot inside as Poulter controls his hands.
Barksdale jumps guard but Poulter turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damien Barksdale. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulter blocks a body shot from Barksdale.
Barksdale scores with a nice hook to the head.
Poulter lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Poulter with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Barksdale lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Barksdale tries to throw a body punch but Poulter avoids it by throwing Barksdale back against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Barksdale tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Barksdale's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Poulter fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Barksdale looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Good standup being displayed there by Poulter as he connects with a hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Poulter takes a swing at Barksdale's ribcage but misses.
Barksdale tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Poulter defends well and Barksdale ends up having to push Poulter into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Barksdale keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Barksdale throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Barksdale closes this distance looking for a takedown but Poulter circles away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Poulter! But no joy.
Barksdale finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Poulter fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Poulter avoids a kick to the body.
Poulter keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Poulter throws a sloppy head kick and Barksdale moves out of range easily.
Barksdale avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Barksdale shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barksdale showed some decent athleticism there.

Poulter kicks Barksdale off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Poulter displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barksdale throws out the jab.
Barksdale fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Poulter checks it well.
Poulter throws a good cross that connects.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Barksdale tenderised Poulter's leg. Poulter is trying to keep his angry face on.

Poulter closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Poulter tries to land a knee to the head but Barksdale blocks with his arms.
Poulter prevents a body shot from Barksdale.
Poulter displaying some good clinch control by pressing Barksdale up against the cage.
Poulter using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barksdale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poulter lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Damien Barksdale has been cut.
Barksdale tries to pull guard but Poulter won't allow it.
Poulter lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barksdale backwards.
Barksdale misses with some punches.
Poulter lands with a left to the head.
Poulter throws a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Poulter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Damien Barksdale's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Barksdale misses with a body shot.
Barksdale lands a jab.
Good leg kick by Barksdale there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Barksdale misses with a low kick.

Poulter instigates a clinch.
A short right from Poulter.
Poulter scores a nice knee to the body.
Poulter with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Barksdale's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Poulter swings for the body but Barksdale moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Barksdale bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Poulter wants to get back to his feet but Barksdale is dominant here and he's now got Poulter's back!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Poulter trying to get back to his feet but Barksdale is in full control for now.
Barksdale missing with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulter covering up well and avoiding damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barksdale misses with a punch to the head.
Barksdale tries to keep control of the position but Poulter is staying busy.
Barksdale missing with punches from the back.
Damien Barksdale overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barksdale lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Poulter.
Will Barksdale go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Poulter defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Barksdale's arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale misses with an elbow to the head.
Poulter wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.
Poulter wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Barksdale.
Barksdale looking to control but Poulter is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barksdale 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.
Barksdale lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Poulter hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale wants to control but Poulter has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Barksdale seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Poulter does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Barksdale with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Barksdale is looking to advance position but Poulter won't allow it.
Barksdale thows a huge punch but Poulter dodges it nicely.
Poulter looks like he's trying to stand up.
Barksdale thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Barksdale trying to control from half guard but Poulter is working away.
Damien Barksdale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Poulter is in trouble now - Barksdale has advanced to mount!
Barksdale throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Barksdale connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barksdale thowing shots but they're missing.
Barksdale lands a heavy elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damien Barksdale showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Poulter has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Poulter!