PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Preston Barksdale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Cutler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Barksdale
vs
Cutler

187 cm
23
191 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

181 cm
23
186 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Team S.W.A.T.

JOKER FIGHTGEAR

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Preston Barksdale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Cutler!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Dean Styles and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barksdale blocks a head kick by Cutler.
Cutler misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Barksdale checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cutler throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Barksdale shoots in but no luck this time.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Barksdale checks a leg kick.
Cutler shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Barksdale checks a leg kick.
Horrible takedown by Barksdale or perhaps it was just good defense by Cutler which made him look bad.
Cutler throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Cutler throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Barksdale throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cutler's waist but Cutler gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Barksdale off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Preston Barksdale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barksdale misses with a takedown attempt - Cutler sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Barksdale closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Barksdale lands in his opponent's guard.
Barksdale wants to control from the top but Cutler keeps moving.
Cutler really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barksdale. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Barksdale pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cutler is keeping the position for now.
Barksdale won't allow Cutler to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cutler is trying to keep Barksdale in close.
Barksdale tries to free his leg and advance position but Cutler is retaining full guard.
Cutler wants to stand but Barksdale is controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barksdale shoots in but no luck this time.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Barksdale tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cutler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cutler misses with a low kick as Barksdale jumps back.
Cutler tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale moved away.
Cutler tries a head kick but it misses.
Cutler pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cutler 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 Barksdale has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Barksdale and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Barksdale tries to close the distance and clinch but Cutler swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barksdale shoots in and drives through. Cutler sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Barksdale misses with a body shot.
Barksdale misses with a takedown attempt - Cutler sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barksdale is breathing heavily.
Barksdale pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
David Cutler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cutler does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Barksdale avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Cutler throws a low kick but Barksdale avoids it.
Cutler chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Cutler feints and then cracks Barksdale's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Barksdale down.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Barksdale wants to break free but Cutler has control.
Cutler tries to land a knee to the head but Barksdale blocks with his arms.
Barksdale wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cutler landing knees to the head.
Cutler with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Barksdale takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cutler misses with a knee to the head.
Barksdale tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cutler just stands there and leans against the cage.
Cutler unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barksdale lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Barksdale is trying to break free.
Barksdale takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cutler using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barksdale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cutler tries to land a knee to the head but Barksdale blocks with his arms.
Cutler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Barksdale.
A knee to the head by Cutler.
Barksdale is working for takedown but Cutler is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cutler connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barksdale's face.
Cutler trying to land knees to the body.
Barksdale blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Barksdale holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cutler crunches a lovely knee into Barksdale's ribcage.
Cutler missing with knees to the body.

Barksdale wants the takedown. Cutler is fighting it off but Barksdale persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Cutler's guard against the cage.
Barksdale trying to control but Cutler is working from the bottom.
Cutler wants to sweep here but Barksdale controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cutler wants to stand but Barksdale is controlling the position.
Barksdale works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Cutler is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barksdale controlling the pace.
Cutler tries to kick Barksdale off in order to stand up. Barksdale Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Barksdale passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Cutler!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barksdale controlling the pace for now.
Barksdale lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Preston Barksdale will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barksdale checks the leg kick nicely there.
Barksdale shoots in for a double leg but Cutler sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cutler. That's going to slow Barksdale down.
Cutler swats away the attempt to clinch by Barksdale.
Cutler does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cutler fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Barksdale checks it well.
Barksdale takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cutler throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cutler throws a chopping leg kick but Barksdale manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Barksdale misses with a wild combination.
Cutler throws out a leg kick but Barksdale moves out of range and Cutler only half commits.
Barksdale checks a low kick from Cutler.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barksdale will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barksdale checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cutler looks to score with a jab to the body but Barksdale is just out of range.
Cutler throws a head kick but Barksdale moves out of range.
Cutler connects with a solid leg kick.
A clash of legs there as Barksdale blocks the low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cutler walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Barksdale checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Cutler misses with a leg kick.
Barksdale looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cutler is fending him off so far but Barksdale persists. Nope, Cutler circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cutler motions for Barksdale to come forward. Cutler throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cutler throws a head kick but Barksdale moves out of range.
Barksdale has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Preston Barksdale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cutler looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cutler throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Cutler is looking to chop away at Barksdale's legs.
Cutler buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cutler misses with a low kick.
Barksdale scores with a one two! Cutler had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Barksdale misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barksdale checks a leg kick.
Barksdale blocks a low kick nicely.
Cutler misses with a kick to the body.
Cutler does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Nice shot by Barksdale.
A leg kick checked by Barksdale.
Barksdale keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cutler misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale looks for a takedown but Cutler sprawls well.
Cutler fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Barksdale checks it well.
Barksdale moves out of range of the leg kick from Cutler.
Cutler throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Barksdale checks a low kick from Cutler.
Barksdale shoots in for a double leg but Cutler sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Barksdale takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Barksdale closes the distance and clinches up with Cutler, looking for a takedown. Barksdale pushes Cutler against the cage but Cutler circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A good leg kick by Cutler.
Cutler misses with a low kick.
Barksdale takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cutler throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cutler thows a body shot but no joy.
A clash of legs there as Barksdale blocks the low kick.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale moved away.
Cutler tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cutler lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Barksdale shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cutler looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cutler throws a low kick but it's checked well by Barksdale.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Barksdale
and Cutler counters with a nice leg kick.
Cutler throws a front kick aimed at Barksdale's knee but Barksdale avoids it well.
A leg kick checked by Barksdale.
Cutler is looking to chop away at Barksdale's legs.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale moved away.
Barksdale avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cutler.
Barksdale shoots in but Cutler avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cutler throws a body punch but Barksdale moves out of range.
Good work by Barksdale as he checks the leg kick.
Cutler walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Barksdale checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Barksdale checks a leg kick.
Cutler throws a solid leg kick but Barksdale takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Cutler.
Barksdale checks a leg kick.
Barksdale tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cutler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cutler throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barksdale stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cutler is looking to score with low kicks.
Cutler misses with a low kick.
Cutler throws and low kick but Barksdale moves out of range easily.
A bone on bone clash there as Barksdale blocks the leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cutler tries to land a front kick but Barksdale steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Barksdale closes the distance and clinches up with Cutler, looking for a takedown. Barksdale pushes Cutler against the cage but Cutler circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cutler misses with a hook to the body
and Barksdale counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Barksdale checks a leg kick nicely.
Cutler keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cutler walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Barksdale checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale moved away.
Cutler throws a low kick, looking for Barksdale's leg but Barksdale calmly moves out of range.
Cutler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barksdale shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cutler pinned against the cage. Cutler gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
An inside leg kick from Cutler misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Cutler.
Barksdale is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cutler fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Barksdale.
Cutler throws a head kick but Barksdale moves out of range.
Barksdale blocks a low kick nicely.
Cutler is looking to score with low kicks.
Cutler walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Barksdale checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Barksdale tries to clinch but Cutler moves out of range.
A leg kick checked by Barksdale.
Cutler throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Cutler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Cutler scores with a leg kick.
Cutler thows a body shot but no joy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Barksdale.
Barksdale moves out of range of the leg kick from Cutler.
Cutler keeps the fight on the outside.
Barksdale fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A head kick misses from Cutler.
Barksdale tries to clinch but Cutler moves out of range.
Cutler buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cutler is looking to score with low kicks.
Cutler throws a leg kick that misses.
Barksdale misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cutler stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Preston Barksdale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cutler throws a chopping leg kick but Barksdale manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Cutler is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Barksdale rather than just go for the knockout.
Cutler is looking to land body kicks.
Cutler is looking to chop away at Barksdale's legs.
Cutler throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Barksdale blocks a head kick by Cutler.
Cutler chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barksdale checks a low kick from Cutler.
Cutler throws out a leg kick but Barksdale moves out of range and Cutler only half commits.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barksdale keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cutler throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cutler fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Barksdale.
Cutler fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Barksdale checks it well.
Cutler swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Cutler wants to land a leg kick but Barksdale is out of range.
Cutler fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Barksdale blocks a low kick nicely.
Cutler throws a solid leg kick but Barksdale takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Cutler.
Cutler throws and low kick but Barksdale moves out of range easily.
Barksdale misses with a head kick.
A low kick from Cutler is predictable there

so Barksdale counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cutler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Barksdale is controlling him.

Cutler scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Cutler tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice body kick from Cutler.
Cutler throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale throws a leg kick but Cutler sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Cutler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barksdale.
Cutler works Barksdale's body with a nice hook.
A leg kick checked by Barksdale.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knees in the clinch landing for Cutler.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cutler using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barksdale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cutler lands a nice knee to the body.
Cutler tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cutler scores a nice knee to the body.
Cutler missing with knees to the body.
Barksdale tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Barksdale blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Barksdale pulls Cutler into guard.

Cutler stands up from Barksdale's guard - Cutler perhaps looking for a knockout.
Barksdale shoots in for a takedown but Cutler shows good takedown defense.
Barksdale shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cutler pinned against the cage. Cutler gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Barksdale checks a leg kick.
Cutler tries to work over Barksdale's front leg with a kick but Barksdale checks it.

Barksdale shoots in and bounces Cutler off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cutler controls Barksdale momentarily but Barksdale frees himself.
Barksdale throws a big right hand that misses.
Barksdale chips away with some ground and pound.
Barksdale postures up.
Barksdale trying to control the position from guard on top but Cutler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cutler wants to stand up but Barksdale is controlling him.
Barksdale not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barksdale decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cutler, up you get!
David Cutler seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cutler pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Barksdale shoots in for a takedown but Cutler shows good takedown defense.
A bone on bone clash there as Barksdale blocks the leg kick.
A clash of legs there as Barksdale blocks the low kick.
Cutler swats away the attempt to clinch by Barksdale.
Cutler throws a leg kick but Barksdale sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Barksdale misses with a wild combination.
Cutler moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Preston Barksdale is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barksdale fails with a takedown attempt.
Cutler tries to land a leg kick but Barksdale saw it coming and moves away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to David Cutler.
I think Cutler 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Cutler!