PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Barril (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Curtis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Barril
vs
Curtis

180 cm
21
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcos Barril!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Curtis!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Curtis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Curtis takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Barril tries for a takedown but Curtis circles away easily

and Curtis counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Barril on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Barril tries to get out of the position.
Barril is not content to let Curtis control the position.
Curtis working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Barril tries to get to full guard but Curtis has control of the leg.
Curtis with the ground and pound but Barril uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Curtis has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barril is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Curtis working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Curtis stands up and waves to Barril to follow him.
Curtis closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barril circles away.
Curtis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barril paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barril will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barril looks to land a combination. Curtis sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Curtis has a takedown stuffed.
Marcos Barril has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Curtis.
Curtis fails with a takedown attempt.
Matt Curtis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barril misses with a wild combination.
A left lands for Barril.
Barril stuffs the takedown.
Curtis looks gassed!
Curtis takes a jab right on the kisser.
Danga de danga de dang - Barril scores with a four punch combination!
Curtis motions for Barril to come forward. Curtis throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Some wild striking there from Barril.
Barril scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barril gets a clinch.

Barril manages to break the clinch.
Curtis shoots in for a double leg but Barril sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Curtis changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Barril tries to avoid it but Curtis manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Barril to the ground. Barril escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Barril closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barril stops a takedown attempt from Curtis.
Curtis wants a takedown.

Barril's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Curtis takes a kick to the side of the head.
Barril cracks a nice hook into Curtis's ribs.
Barril goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Barril scores with a one two! Curtis had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Curtis takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Barril moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Barril has Curtis up against the cage in a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Barril's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barril throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Curtis stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Barril throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Curtis clinches but Barril breaks the clinch
and Barril counters with a one-two to the body.
Barril lands with a nice combination. Curtis backs away looking to recover.
Barril lands a two punch combo.
Barril throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Curtis.
Curtis throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barril's waist but Barril gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Curtis off to one side.

Barril clinches.
Curtis being controlled against the cage.
Curtis trying to stall but Barril improves his position.

Barril breaks the clinch.

Curtis tries to keep at a distance but Barril has taken the fight into the clinch.
Barril lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Curtis has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Barril is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Barril breaks the clinch.
Barril is working the combinations to good effect here.
Curtis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barril.
Curtis keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Curtis clinches but Barril breaks the clinch

and Barril holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Curtis is trying to trip Barril. He has hold of a leg but Barril is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Curtis persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Curtis cracks Barril with a solid left hand.
Barril is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Curtis trying to control but Barril is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Curtis with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcos Barril dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Curtis feints and as Barril raises his hands in defense, Curtis changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Barril wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Curtis manages to pass to side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Curtis trying to control the action but Barril is working from the bottom.
Curtis looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Curtis is working for a submission of some sort.
Barril knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Curtis on the ground.
Barril tries to get to full guard but Curtis has control of the leg.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barril is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Curtis's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Curtis's back!
Curtis rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Curtis makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Curtis.

Barril avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Curtis scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barril clinches up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Curtis.
Curtis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Curtis drops down looking for an ankle pick but Barril pulls his leg out and moves away.
Barril misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Curtis tries to clinch but Barril moves away
and Barril counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Barril will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Curtis shoots in and drives through. Barril sprawls well.
Marcos Barril has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Curtis.
Curtis tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Barril swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curtis fails with a takedown attempt.
Curtis misses with a takedown attempt - Barril sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Barril gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Curtis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Curtis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Barril looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Curtis is putting a hurting on Barril here, landing some big shots from side control.

Curtis wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Barril, who protects the arm well.
Barril wants to get back to his feet.
Barril taking a bit of punishment here - Curtis scoring with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barril tries to escape but Curtis is in control.
Curtis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barril keeps working.
Barril tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Curtis wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Curtis is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Barril will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Curtis shoots for a takedown but Barril saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Curtis shoots for a double leg takedown but Barril sprawls well. He's pushed Curtis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Curtis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Barril throws a series of punches but Curtis moves out of range.
Barril is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Curtis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Curtis slips a jab and a cross from Barril.
Curtis tries for a takedown but Barril sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Curtis tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Barril swivels and escapes.
Barril fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Barril misses with a double jab.
A nice combination there by Barril.
Barril will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Curtis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Marcos Barril has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Curtis.

Barril fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Curtis, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Curtis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Barril fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Barril lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Curtis wants to clinch
enabling Barril to counter with a crisp jab.
Horrible takedown by Curtis or perhaps it was just good defense by Barril which made him look bad.
Curtis avoids the head kick by Barril.
Curtis fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Barril as Curtis shoots in.
Barril lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Curtis drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Curtis stands up and waves to Barril to follow him.
Curtis tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barril counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barril closes the distance and clinches.

Barril is fighting off a takedown attempt but Curtis is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Barril to the mat. Barril regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Barril wants to stand and escape but Curtis is having none of it.
Curtis postures up and lands a big shot to Barril's brow.
Curtis trying to control the position from guard on top but Barril is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barril wants to stand but Curtis is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barril wants to control the position but Curtis says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Barril is looking for a sweep. Curtis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Barril is looking to get back to is feet but Curtis passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barril takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Curtis lands a nice forearm strike.
Curtis working the ground and pound.

Curtis has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Curtis closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Curtis lands in his opponent's guard.
Barril keeping full guard, as Curtis tries to pass.
Barril wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Curtis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Curtis prevents Barril from getting back to his feet.
Barril is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Barril is wriggling around but Curtis manages to pass to half guard.
Curtis wants to control but Barril is keeping him busy.
Barril wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Curtis throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barril's waist but Barril gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Curtis off to one side.
Barril stuffs the takedown attempt from Curtis. Curtis gets slowly back to his feet.
Barril throws a nice looking combination but Curtis bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Curtis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Curtis 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Curtis!