PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Eric Barnes (ranked 1496 p4p, 1580 weight class) and Nick Barkley (ranked 215 p4p, 223 weight class). Barnes comes to the cage accompanied by Exterminate. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Barnes
vs
Barkley

180 cm
23
180
8 - 6 - 0

185 cm
24
180
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conquer
Conviction

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eric Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Barkley!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barkley moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've been hearing reports that Barnes has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Nice defenses there by Barnes.
Barkley pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnes feinted with a counter takedown.
Barkley throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Barkley darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A shot to the liver by Barkley. Beautiful body shot.
Barnes throws a solid leg kick but Barkley takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Barnes.
Barkley only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Barkley moves out of range of the leg kick from Barnes.
Nice uppercut lands for Barkley. That snapped Barnes's head back.

It looks like Eric Barnes has been cut.
Nice body punch from Barkley.
Barnes works over Barkley's head and body with a nice combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barnes takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Barkley looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnes is just out of range.
Barnes feinted with a counter takedown.
Barnes moves out of range of the body kick.
Barkley throws a looping overhand right but Barnes ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes misses with a wild combination.
Barkley is looking to score with low kicks.
Barnes throws the left hand but Barkley avoids the punch easily.
Barkley moves away from the strike by Barnes.
Barkley throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Barnes on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Barnes throws a hook but Barkley blocks it.
Barkley throws out a counter right but Barnes avoids it with no problem.
Barnes blocks a low kick nicely.
Barnes drops down looking for a counter takedown but Barkley sprawls and moves away.
Nick Barkley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barkley tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Barnes drops down looking for a counter takedown but Barkley sprawls and moves away.
Barnes moves into range and connects with a jab.
Barkley throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barkley misses with a double jab

and Barnes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barkley trying to control but Barnes postures up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnes stops Barkley from getting back to his feet.
Barnes tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barkley knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Barnes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Barnes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Barnes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Barkley does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Barnes looks to land a strike but Barkley avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Barkley not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Barkley is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Barnes is controlling him.
Barnes looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes throws a big right hand that misses.
Barkley is trying to keep Barnes in close.
Barkley looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Barnes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Barkley.
Barkley lands with a hook. Barnes tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Barnes lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Barnes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnes thows a leg kick but Barkley checks it
and Barkley counters with a leg kick.
Barkley throws out a leg kick but Barnes moves out of range and Barkley only half commits.
Barnes drops down looking for a counter takedown but Barkley sprawls and moves away.
Barnes throws the left hand but Barkley avoids the punch easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barkley buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Barkley blocks a head kick by Barnes.
Barkley lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barkley misses with a body shot.
Barnes feinted with a counter takedown.
The fighters circling - Barkley throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A nice leg kick lands there from Barkley.
Barnes avoids a kick to the body.
Barkley throws a leg kick but Barnes moved away.
A low kick lands for Barkley.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barnes checks the leg kick.
Barkley thows a left - swing and a miss!
Barkley just misses with a punch to the body.
A head kick by Barnes misses
and Barkley makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Barnes really felt that one!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Barkley dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eric Barnes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Barkley throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Barkley lands a really nice looking cross but Barnes seems unphased.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Barkley.
Barnes swinging wildly here.
Barnes misses with a two punch combination.
Barnes backing away here, and Barkley unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Barkley throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Barnes.
Barnes has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Nice body kick from Barkley.
Barnes throws out a leg kick but Barkley moves out of range and Barnes only half commits.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Barkley catches Barnes with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Barnes misses with a low kick.
Barnes throws a sloppy head kick and Barkley moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barkley lands a nice hook to Barnes's body. Barnes takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Barkley swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Barnes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Barkley.
Barkley throws a leg kick

and Barnes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Barkley's guard.
Barkley keeping moving, preventing Barnes from controlling successfully.
Barkley wants to sweep here but Barnes controlling him for the moment.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Barkley is keeping the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barnes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Barnes won't allow Barkley to get back to his feet.
Barkley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barnes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Barnes wants to control from the top but Barkley keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barnes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Barkley wants to get back to his feet but Barnes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Barkley lands a front kick.
Barkley lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barnes takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Barkley looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnes is just out of range.
Barnes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barkley misses with an attempted mid kick.
Barkley tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barnes was well out of range. Poor timing from Barkley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Barnes swinging wildly here.
Crunch! Barkley slams his shin into Barnes's torso.
Barkley lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Barnes tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Barkley is able to avoid easily.
Barkley lands a nice looking body kick.
A combination from Barnes does no damage.
Barkley with a nice calf kick.
Barkley dodges the punch combination from Barnes.
Barkley lands a jab to Barnes's midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barkley connects with a jab.
A shot to the liver by Barkley. Beautiful body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barnes doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Barnes thumps Barkley with a low kick.
Barnes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Barkley can pounce on him.
Barkley throws a looping overhand right but Barnes ducks down to avoid it.
Barkley has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barkley jabs at Barnes's body.
Barkley throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Barnes tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Barkley, as that shot connected.
Barkley looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Barkley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Eric Barnes's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Barkley lands a jab.
A jab from Barkley does it's job there.
Barnes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Barkley throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Barnes throws a quick inside leg kick.
Barkley lands with a kick to the ribs.
Barkley throws a lazy body kick

and Barnes counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Barkley!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barnes moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Barkley is looking to regain half guard here but Barnes keeps moving and retains side control.
Barkley is trying to control Barnes's posture but Barnes avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnes postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sloppy strikes there by Barnes.
Barnes is looking to take a break and control but Barkley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnes lands some shots froms side control.
Barnes scoring with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barkley takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Barnes working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes throws an elbow but Barkley slips to the side and avoids it well.
Barnes working away.
Barkley takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Barnes is looking to take a break and control but Barkley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnes is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Barkley is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Barnes in side control, throwing shots but Barkley defends.
Barnes is looking to take a break and control but Barkley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barkley is trying to control Barnes's posture but Barnes avoids it.
Barnes is working Barkley over with some ground and pound from side control.
Eric Barnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barnes working away.
Barnes is chipping away with strikes.
Barkley struggling a bit here.
Barnes working the head with strikes.
Barkley is trying to get back to half guard.
Barnes in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes wants to control but Barkley is keeping him busy.
Barkley on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Barkley is trying to get back to half guard.
Barnes taking a breather here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barkley is trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Barnes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Barkley 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Barkley!
A very excited looking Nick Barkley made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
The defeated Eric Barnes had this to say: 'I appreciate the opportunity. Wasn't my day but I'll be back'.