PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Douglass Barnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Li Yao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Douglass Barnett had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Barnett
vs
Yao

214 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Douglass Barnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Li Yao!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Ren Mimura and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yao darts in and clinches Barnett up against the cage.
Yao has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Barnett after a bit of a struggle.
Barnett jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Yao walks away with a smile on his face. Barnett gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Yao gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Yao stops a takedown attempt from Barnett.
Yao leaning his opponent against the cage.

Yao breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Yao throws a head kick that misses.
Yao has a takedown stuffed.
Barnett really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yao doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Barnett counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Douglass Barnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Li Yao.
Yao tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Barnett defends well and Yao ends up having to push Barnett into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Barnett throws a counter high kick but Yao was just alert enough to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yao fails with a takedown attempt.
Yao fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Barnett rushes Yao and presses him up against the cage.
Yao drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Barnett gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Yao avoiding damage as Barnett throws knees to the body.
Barnett pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Barnett is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Yao gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Barnett tries to land knees in the clinch but Yao avoids the damage to the body.
Barnett misses with an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnett throws an elbow that misses.
Yao trying to land knees to the body.
Barnett wants to take the fight to the mat but Yao manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Barnett fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Yao tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Barnett just stands there and leans against the cage.
Barnett doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Barnett is trying to pull guard but Yao has him pressed against the cage.

Yao pulls guard effortlessly.
Yao looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Yao wants to improve his position but instead Barnett has moved into half guard.
Yao trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yao might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Barnett haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Yao wants to improve his position but Barnett is controlling well.
Yao missing with punches from the bottom.
Yao is concentrating on defense, preventing Barnett from advancing position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's four 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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Barnett tries to clinch but Yao is having none of it.

Yao instigates a clinch.
Yao fails to pull guard.
Barnett gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Yao is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Yao is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barnett throws an elbow but it misses.
Yao avoids the elbow strike from Barnett, against the cage.
Barnett is pressed up against the cage. Yao has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Barnett down to the mat. Barnett avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Yao will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
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 Douglass Barnett will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Barnett is looking to clinch.

Barnett gets tackled into the cage by Yao. Yao maintains the clinch.
Barnett gets underhooks to prevent Yao's takedown attempt.
Barnett changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Yao fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Yao shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Barnett pinned against the cage. Barnett gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Barnett throws a quick counter head kick but Yao was just out of range.

Yao closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnett throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Yao breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnett doesn't manage to clinch there - Yao circles away.
Yao fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Barnett.
Barnett fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yao manages to avoid it.

Yao gets a clinch.
Yao is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barnett pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Douglass Barnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Li Yao.

Barnett drags the fight down to the ground.
Barnett is adopting a defensive guard.
Yao passes Barnett's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Yao prevents Barnett from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnett is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Yao's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Yao's back!
Barnett not allowing Yao to control his hands.
Yao is in bad spot here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnett gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
The referee is taking a good look at Yao as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Barnett!
Barnett punches Yao on the ear.

Yao is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.

Barnett gets in close and instigates a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Barnett throws an elbow but misses.
Yao gets underhooks to prevent Barnett's takedown attempt.
Barnett jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Yao walks away with a smile on his face. Barnett gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yao throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Yao throws a head kick that misses.
Douglass Barnett is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yao with a lazy takedown attempt
and Barnett counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Yao is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Yao clinches up with Barnett and pushes him back against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Barnett tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Yao just stands there and leans against the cage.
Barnett lands a shoulder strike.
Yao prevents a takedown attempt there.
Barnett stops a takedown attempt from Yao.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yao is pressed up against the cage. Barnett has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Yao down to the mat. Yao avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yao checks a leg kick.
Yao throws a sloppy head kick and Barnett moves out of range easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Douglass Barnett will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Yao misses with a head kick.

Yao clinches up with Barnett and pushes him back against the cage.
Barnett is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Yao gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Barnett has Yao pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Yao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Barnett is trying to drag Yao to the mat but Yao just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Douglass Barnett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barnett looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Yao fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Barnett tries to break the clinch but Yao is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnett jumps guard but Yao turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Yao is pressed up against the cage. Barnett has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Yao down to the mat. Yao avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Yao closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barnett missing with knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnett is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Yao gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Barnett is pressed up against the cage. Yao has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Barnett down to the mat. Barnett avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Barnett tries to keep at a distance but Yao has taken the fight into the clinch.
Yao avoiding damage as Barnett throws knees to the body.
Yao holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Yao with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Yao on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Barnett misses with a hook to the ribs.
Barnett tries to score a body lock takedown but Yao shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Barnett pushes off an throws an elbow but Yao leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Barnett is looking to break free of the clinch but Yao has double underhooks.

Yao jumps guard.
Yao pulls Barnett in close to his closed guard and prevents Barnett from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yao is continuing to stall.
Douglass Barnett overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barnett working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Yao looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Barnett stands up from Yao's guard - Barnett perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yao circles away from the clinch attempt.

Yao rushes Barnett and presses him up against the cage.
Yao prevents a body shot from Barnett.
Barnett throws an elbow but it misses.
Barnett is looking to break free of the clinch but Yao has double underhooks.
Barnett tries to pull guard but Yao forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Yao landing knees to the head.

It looks like Douglass Barnett has been cut.
Yao stalling the fight.
Barnett tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Yao landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Yao pulls guard successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yao is pulling down on Barnett's head. It's preventing any offense from Barnett, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yao trying to control the position.
Yao pulls Barnett in to control the position.
Barnett stopping the sweep attempt from Yao.
Barnett throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yao 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.
Li Yao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Douglass Barnett is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barnett wants to get up but he can't break Yao's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
Li Yao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barnett has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Douglass Barnett!