PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Wilkinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and bernardo barrera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wilkinson comes to the cage accompanied by Unknown Soldier - Breaking Benjamin. bernardo barrera will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Wilkinson
vs
barrera

195 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

200 cm
19
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Wilkinson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, bernardo barrera!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Skip Squint and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wilkinson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Wilkinson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused barrera some visible discomfort.
barrera can't do much from the bottom here.
Wilkinson 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.
Wilkinson wants to control but barrera is keeping him busy.
Wilkinson is breathing heavily.
barrera is trying to control Wilkinson's posture but Wilkinson avoids it.
barrera is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
barrera is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkinson is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down barrera's shoulder. That is not cool.
barrera is looking for a sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
barrera tries for a takedown but Wilkinson circles away easily

and Wilkinson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
barrera looking for a sweep. Not yet barrera, not yet.
Wilkinson won't allow barrera to get back to his feet.
barrera controls Wilkinson momentarily but Wilkinson frees himself.

Wilkinson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Wilkinson stopping the sweep attempt from barrera.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson wants to control from the top but barrera keeps moving.
barrera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
barrera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
barrera throws a right and a left that both miss.
barrera shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Steve Wilkinson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of bernardo barrera.
barrera with a poor takedown

and Wilkinson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wilkinson controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Wilkinson stands up from half guard.
barrera clinches but Wilkinson breaks the clinch

and Wilkinson counters by moving into the clinch.
barrera tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson prevents barrera from breaking the clinch.
barrera struggles to land a body shot inside as Wilkinson controls his hands.

Wilkinson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wilkinson shoots in looking for a takedown. barrera tries to sprawl out of it but Wilkinson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. barrera manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
barrera shoots in looking for a takedown. Wilkinson tries to sprawl out of it but barrera keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Wilkinson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Wilkinson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
barrera wants to control but Wilkinson passes into side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Wilkinson dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

barrera doesn't manage to clinch there - Wilkinson circles away.
barrera shoots and misses

and Wilkinson counters with a takedown into side control.
Wilkinson working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
barrera tries to bench press Wilkinson off him but Wilkinson keeps the position.

Wilkinson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but barrera is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
barrera manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Wilkinson kicks off barrera and gets to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkinson has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Wilkinson there as he acknowledges the shot.

Wilkinson tries to keep at a distance but barrera has taken the fight into the clinch.
barrera wants to break the clinch but can't.
barrera is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
barrera is trying to drag Wilkinson to the mat but Wilkinson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
barrera pushes off an throws an elbow but Wilkinson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Wilkinson is working for takedown but barrera is calmly controlling the position for now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Wilkinson is working for takedown but barrera is calmly controlling the position for now.
Wilkinson is trying to stall.
barrera prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Wilkinson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.

barrera jumps into guard, dragging Wilkinson to the mat.
barrera controls Wilkinson momentarily but Wilkinson frees himself.
barrera working a defensive guard but Wilkinson passes into half guard.
barrera is trying to control but Wilkinson passes into side control!
barrera takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
barrera looks to move to half guard but instead Wilkinson has passed into mount! Damn!
Wilkinson scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Wilkinson is standing up, even though he is in mount.
barrera shoots for a takedown but Wilkinson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Steve Wilkinson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Wilkinson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
barrera drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Wilkinson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
barrera tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wilkinson breaks the clinch.
barrera with a lazy takedown attempt

and Wilkinson counters with a nice double leg into side control. barrera won't be happy with that.
Wilkinson controlling the position.
Wilkinson scores with punches from side control.
Wilkinson is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt barrera will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
You can see the frustration on barrera's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Wilkinson dominated that second round.
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!

Wilkinson gets the takedown into side control.
barrera wants to control but Wilkinson postures up.
barrera sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
barrera is looking to improve his position.
Steve Wilkinson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Wilkinson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and barrera defends it well.
barrera tries to roll over but Wilkinson keeps him under control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkinson wants to pass the guard but barrera is defending well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
barrera fails with the takedown

and Wilkinson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in barrera's guard now.
barrera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

barrera working for submissions but it's allowed Wilkinson to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson moves into full mount! barrera won't be happy about that!

Wilkinson has hold of barrera's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and barrera manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
barrera is bucking up trying to escape but Wilkinson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson thowing shots but they're missing.
barrera tries to improve his position but instead Wilkinson has taken his back!
barrera rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
barrera wants to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Wilkinson in particular looking to stall.
Wilkinson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed barrera's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
barrera moves into full guard.
Wilkinson working some strikes from top position.
barrera trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
barrera working a defensive guard but Wilkinson passes into half guard.
Wilkinson controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Wilkinson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Wilkinson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:26
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Wilkinson!