PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Clemente Marsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeek Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Marsh
vs
Barnes

218 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

210 cm
24
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Clemente Marsh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Zeek Barnes!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barnes clinches up against the cage.

Barnes breaks the clinch.
Marsh tries to close the distance and clinch but Barnes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Barnes has managed to clinch.

Barnes is fighting off a takedown attempt but Marsh is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Barnes to the mat. Barnes regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Barnes has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Marsh has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Marsh really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Marsh wants a takedown.

Barnes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barnes scores with a jab to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barnes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Zeek Barnes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barnes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Marsh tries to avoid it but Barnes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Marsh to the ground. Marsh escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Marsh wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Barnes shoots for a double leg takedown but Marsh sprawls well. He's pushed Barnes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Clemente Marsh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeek Barnes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barnes rushes Marsh and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Barnes successfully pulls guard.
Marsh scoring with some ground and pound.
Marsh loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Marsh got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barnes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Marsh has managed to get both his arms back between Barnes's legs - danger averted.
Marsh lands a couple of elbows.
Barnes is trying to keep Marsh in close.
Barnes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marsh.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marsh trying to stand up but can't free himself from Barnes's guard.
Barnes is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes wants to stand and escape but Marsh is having none of it.
Marsh is looking to stand up but Barnes won't let him.
Barnes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Barnes has his feet on Marsh's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Marsh fails with the takedown.
Marsh stuffs the takedown attempt from Barnes. Barnes gets slowly back to his feet.
A little feinted left hand from Marsh on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh slips a jab and a cross from Barnes.

Barnes rushes Marsh and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Marsh wants a takedown.
Barnes prevents a takedown attempt there.

Marsh breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marsh is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Barnes.
Marsh stuffs the takedown.
Marsh moves in looking to clinch but Barnes pushes him off.
Barnes changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Marsh tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsh takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Barnes fails with a takedown attempt.
Barnes misses with a body kick.
Marsh stuffs the takedown.
Marsh is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Barnes.
Barnes looks winded!
Barnes swinging wildly here.
A head kick by Barnes misses
and Marsh cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeek Barnes dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Marsh fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Barnes avoids it really well and circles away.
Barnes lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Barnes has managed to clinch.
A shot in the inside from Marsh.
Marsh tries to score a body lock takedown but Barnes shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Marsh wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clemente Marsh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marsh tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marsh successfully pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Marsh wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Barnes is now in half guard.
Barnes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Marsh trying to hold on to Barnes's head to control him but Barnes postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes throwing shots but Marsh is blocking nicely.
Barnes is taking a breather. Marsh says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Marsh trying to control but Barnes postures up.
Barnes prevents Marsh from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh wants to control but Barnes is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Marsh is defending well.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Marsh avoids the head kick by Barnes.
Marsh throws a big counter combination but Barnes scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Barnes lands a head kick!

Barnes clinches with his opponent.

Barnes gets control of Marsh's arms and successfully pulls guard. Barnes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Barnes has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Marsh can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Barnes looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes pulls Marsh in close to his closed guard and prevents Marsh from doing any damage or advancing position.
Barnes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Marsh throwing strikes from guard but Barnes blocks nicely.
Barnes is pulling down on Marsh's head to control his posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeek Barnes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Barnes just misses with a punch to the body.
Marsh is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Barnes.
Barnes dives in for a single leg takedown but Marsh sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Zeek Barnes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Marsh shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barnes shoots in looking for a takedown but Marsh manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Barnes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Barnes darts in looking for a takedown but Marsh gets double underhooks and turns Barnes into the cage.
Clemente Marsh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeek Barnes.

Barnes closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Barnes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barnes misses with a takedown attempt - Marsh sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Marsh is looking for a counter combo.

Barnes darts in and clinches Marsh up against the cage.
Barnes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marsh pulls guard effortlessly.
Marsh is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Marsh is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Barnes is defending against the submission attempts here by Marsh.
Barnes manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Marsh's guard.

Barnes wants to stand but Marsh has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Barnes is fighting to break Marsh's control of his arms but Marsh is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Marsh looking for a sweep. Not yet Marsh, not yet.
Barnes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Barnes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Marsh swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh controlling the position.
Barnes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Marsh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Barnes stands up and waves to Marsh to follow him.
Barnes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Marsh sprawls well. Marsh wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Barnes gets slowly back to his feet.
Barnes stuffs the takedown attempt from Marsh. Marsh gets slowly back to his feet.

Barnes takes the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes avoids a wild elbow strike from Marsh.
Marsh is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Barnes to keep the fight standing.

Barnes breaks from the clinch.
Barnes shoots in but no luck this time.
Marsh swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Barnes shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Marsh but Marsh pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Barnes moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zeek Barnes.
Well Barnes 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zeek Barnes!