PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lawrence Barnett (ranked 4265 p4p, 2425 weight class) and Eli Vaughn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Lawrence Barnett has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Barnett
vs
Vaughn

188 cm
16
280
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
25
250
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Lawrence Barnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Eli Vaughn!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Michael Johnstone and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vaughn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Vaughn changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Vaughn drives through with a takedown into guard.
Barnett lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Vaughn controlling Barnett's posture.
Vaughn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barnett wants to get up but he can't break Vaughn's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Vaughn lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnett has momentary wrist control but Vaughn slips an elbow through the middle.
Barnett lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Vaughn managing to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Vaughn manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barnett manages to get himself to full guard.

Vaughn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barnett swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vaughn chips away with some ground and pound.
Vaughn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vaughn not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Barnett working a defensive guard here.
Vaughn is looking to work some ground and pound but Barnett has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnett utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Vaughn is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Barnett keeping moving, preventing Vaughn from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Barnett trying to keep a closed guard but Vaughn is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vaughn looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Barnett has Vaughn up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn tries to score a body lock takedown but Barnett shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Vaughn is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Vaughn is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barnett pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Lawrence Barnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eli Vaughn.
Vaughn changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Barnett fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Vaughn darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barnett punching from the bottom.
Vaughn trying to control the action but Barnett is working from the bottom.
Vaughn is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnett is not content to let Vaughn control the position.
Vaughn really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barnett. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Barnett looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Vaughn is looking to take a break and control but Barnett is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnett works his way to full guard. Good work.
Vaughn is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Vaughn pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barnett is keeping the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barnett has momentary wrist control but Vaughn slips an elbow through the middle.
Vaughn with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Vaughn throwing strikes from guard but Barnett blocks nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Vaughn avoids a kick to the body.

Barnett closes the distance and clinches.
Barnett comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Vaughn has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Barnett is trying to keep an underhook but Vaughn manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Barnett trying to control here.
Vaughn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barnett keeps working.
Vaughn scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Vaughn is keen to just control but Barnett is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eli Vaughn has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vaughn lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Vaughn content to control rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Vaughn trying to control from Barnett's half guard. Barnett has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Vaughn postures up and lands a big shot to Barnett's brow.
Barnett is trying to control the position but Vaughn postures up.
Vaughn with a nice head shot there.
Vaughn seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vaughn pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barnett is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Vaughn engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Vaughn has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vaughn lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Vaughn landing with the ground and pound.
Vaughn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barnett works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Vaughn got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barnett has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vaughn has managed to get both his arms back between Barnett's legs - danger averted.
Vaughn trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Barnett gets caught napping as Vaughn dives in and scores a takedown. Barnett manages to retain guard.

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

Vaughn is pulling down on Barnett's head. It's preventing any offense from Barnett, at least for the moment.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vaughn can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vaughn lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Barnett is trying to control the position but Vaughn postures up.
Barnett wants to stand and escape but Vaughn is having none of it.
Vaughn wants to control from the top but Barnett keeps moving.
Barnett looking to control.
Vaughn postures up in Barnett's guard and throws a big left but Barnett blocks it.
Barnett keeping full guard, as Vaughn tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn keeps trying to improve his position.
Vaughn throws a big elbow that misses.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Vaughn. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Vaughn not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Barnett keeping full guard, as Vaughn tries to pass.
Barnett being controlled here, momentarily.
Vaughn works over Barnett with some ground and pound from guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vaughn tries to free his leg and advance position but Barnett is retaining full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eli Vaughn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Vaughn stuffs the takedown.

Vaughn closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Barnett did well to prevent Vaughn getting side control.
Barnett slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Vaughn makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Barnett wants to stand up but Vaughn is controlling him.
Vaughn working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Barnett's head.
Vaughn trying to control but Barnett is working from the bottom.
Vaughn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnett is looking to stand up but Vaughn isn't so interested in that idea.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Vaughn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnett is trying to control the position but Vaughn postures up.
Barnett keeping moving, preventing Vaughn from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Vaughn bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Vaughn lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Vaughn is staying tight to Barnett's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Barnett is looking to regain half guard here but Vaughn keeps moving and retains side control.
Vaughn working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Barnett is working to avoid the ground and pound but Vaughn connects with a decent elbow.
Vaughn wants to take a breather but Barnett manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Vaughn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn working some strikes from top position.
Vaughn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vaughn throws a strike but Barnett rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Vaughn wants to sweep but no luck.
Barnett trying to control the position from guard on top but Vaughn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vaughn tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vaughn controlling Barnett's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn keeping moving, preventing Barnett from controlling successfully.
Vaughn has Barnett pulled in close to control his posture.
Barnett throwing strikes but missing.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Vaughn wants to sweep here but Barnett controlling him for the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Vaughn looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn trying to control from half guard but Barnett is working away.
Barnett is trying to stand.
Barnett gets full guard.
Vaughn looking to sit in guard and control but Barnett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Barnett wants to pass the guard but Vaughn is keeping the position.
Barnett stands and throws Vaughn's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vaughn struggling a bit here.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Eli Vaughn.
I've got Vaughn winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eli Vaughn!