PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Barbosa (ranked 1223 p4p, 79 weight class) and Damen Mayer (ranked 805 p4p, 56 weight class). Damen Mayer struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Marcelo Barbosa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Barbosa
vs
Mayer

165 cm
26
137 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

170 cm
31
150 lbs
19 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Damen Mayer!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa misses with a hook to the body

and Mayer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mayer.
Mayer wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
Mayer in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mayer wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.

Barbosa escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mayer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Barbosa looking for subs off his back but Mayer has passed one foot through into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa tries to get to full guard but Mayer has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mayer is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Barbosa looking for submissions off his back.
Mayer trying to pass the guard but Barbosa defending well.

Barbosa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Mayer is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Barbosa is trying to get back to full guard.

Mayer is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Barbosa defends it well.

Mayer is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Barbosa works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barbosa escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mayer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Barbosa keeping full guard, as Mayer tries to pass.
Barbosa pulls Mayer in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Barbosa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mayer passes into half guard.

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.

Barbosa is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mayer pulls his head out easily.
Mayer works his way into full mount!

Mayer jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Barbosa manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Barbosa tries to buck Mayer off but Mayer is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mayer passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Barbosa!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damen Mayer dominated that round.
That's time! Barbosa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Barbosa tries to close the distance and clinch but Mayer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mayer slips under a jab from Barbosa.
Mayer takes a swing at Barbosa's ribcage but misses.

Mayer drives through with a takedown into guard.

Barbosa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Barbosa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mayer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Barbosa keeping full guard, as Mayer tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barbosa is on top in guard.

Barbosa sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mayer's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mayer is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barbosa is trying to control. Mayer wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Barbosa wants to free his trapped foot but Mayer is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Barbosa is thwarting Mayer's attempts to control the position.
Mayer wants to improve his position but Barbosa is controlling well.
Barbosa is looking to take a break and control but Mayer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Barbosa seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mayer keeping control of the position.
Damen Mayer has got the better of the ground game so far.

Barbosa is working for a kimura but Mayer is defending it quite comfortably.

Mayer has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Barbosa escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Barbosa!

Barbosa tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Barbosa has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Mayer is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mayer keeps working.
Mayer is looking for a sweep.
Barbosa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mayer keeps working.

Barbosa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mayer has escaped the position, nice work there.
Mayer is looking for a sweep.
Mayer sneaks back into half guard.
Mayer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Mayer moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Barbosa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mayer is keeping the position for now.
Barbosa postures up.
Barbosa controls from within his opponent's guard.

Mayer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Mayer is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Barbosa defends well.
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 Marcelo Barbosa 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. This is the final round!

Barbosa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Barbosa gets a clinch.
I was talking to Barbosa's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Mayer jumps guard but Barbosa stands there with Mayer around his waist. Mayer gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Barbosa misses with a short punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Barbosa.
Mayer tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Barbosa just stands there and leans against the cage.
Mayer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Barbosa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mayer to keep the fight standing.
Mayer has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Barbosa avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Marcelo Barbosa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damen Mayer.

Barbosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barbosa leaves Mayer with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Barbosa.
Barbosa misses the jab.
Mayer throws a hook to the side of Barbosa's head but Barbosa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Barbosa drops down looking for a counter takedown but Mayer sprawls and moves away.
Mayer throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Barbosa scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Mayer tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barbosa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barbosa looks to land a combination. Mayer sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Mayer misses with a wild body shot.

Mayer closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Barbosa did well to prevent Mayer getting side control.
Barbosa moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mayer wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.

Barbosa throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Mayer escapes and throws Barbosa's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa sneaks back into half guard.

Mayer moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Barbosa.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mayer staying calm.
Barbosa is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mayer goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Barbosa has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Mayer but great work by Barbosa.
Mayer tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Barbosa is trying to get an arm triangle but Mayer is defending well.

Barbosa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Mayer tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mayer is not content to let Barbosa control the position.
Mayer is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Barbosa off and has taken his back!
Barbosa trying to control the hands but Mayer breaks the grip.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mayer trying to control.
Even with his hooks in, Mayer manages to miss with strikes from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marcelo Barbosa.
I think Barbosa 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!