PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between K Barnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sherlock Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Barnett
vs
Holmes

175 cm
22
215 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp
Deadly Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, K Barnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sherlock Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Jorge Garcia and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barnett scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Barnett staying calm.
Barnett tries to score with some ground and pound. Holmes controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Barnett is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Holmes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Holmes is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Barnett is controlling him well.
An elbow from Barnett crashes against the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holmes wants to get back to his feet.
Holmes defending against the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barnett tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Barnett trying to control the position but Holmes is working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Barnett fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Holmes sprawls well initially but Barnett persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnett prevents Holmes from improving his position.
Barnett wants to control but Holmes is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnett throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Holmes kicks off Barnett and gets to his feet.
K Barnett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holmes looks gassed!
Barnett shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Holmes shoots in and drives through. Barnett sprawls well.
Holmes with a lazy takedown attempt

and Barnett counters with a takedown into side control.

Barnett is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Holmes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Holmes is looking to regain half guard here but Barnett keeps moving and retains side control.
Barnett has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Barnett trying to control the position but Holmes is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes tries to improve position but can't.
Barnett lands a decent elbow from side control.
Holmes struggling a bit here.
Sloppy strikes there by Barnett.
Barnett lands a few punches from side control.
Holmes is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Barnett asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Barnett thows a body shot but no joy.
Barnett doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Holmes counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Holmes.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Holmes is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Holmes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
K Barnett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes can't get the takedown.
Barnett has Holmes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Holmes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Holmes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Holmes letting Barnett take a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Barnett shoots in but no luck this time.
Barnett misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No joy there for Holmes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Holmes looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Holmes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Holmes wants to stand but Barnett is controlling his posture from full guard.
Barnett keeping moving, preventing Holmes from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes looking to sit in guard and control but Barnett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barnett tries to free his leg and advance position but Holmes is retaining full guard.

Holmes is working an open guard so Barnett takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Barnett forces Holmes back against the cage and clinches.

Barnett breaks the clinch.
Barnett has his takedown stuffed

and Holmes counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for K Barnett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holmes wants a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is trying to force a seperation but Barnett has the dominant position.
Barnett working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Holmes ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Holmes no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Holmes 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.

Holmes is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Holmes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Barnett pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barnett throws a sloppy head kick
and Holmes counters with a right hand to the body.
Barnett closes the distance but Holmes moves to the side
and Holmes counters with a series of strikes. Barnett will be more careful next time no doubt.

Holmes takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barnett lands a takedown into guard.
Barnett trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barnett accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Barnett throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barnett being controlled here momentarily.
Holmes striking from his own guard.
Barnett in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Barnett trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Barnett shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Barnett controlling the position easily from mount.
Barnett tries to control but Holmes wriggling away.
Holmes wants to hold on but Barnett pushes him away.
Holmes is squirming around, avoiding Barnett's attempts to control the action.
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 K Barnett will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Barnett.
Holmes throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Barnett fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Holmes avoids it really well and circles away.
K Barnett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barnett tries to clinch up but Holmes circles away and keeps his distance.
Holmes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Barnett counters with a takedown into side control.
Holmes taking a bit of punishment here - Barnett scoring with strikes.
A lull in the action here as Barnett stalls from top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barnett lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes is trying to improve his position.
Holmes sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Holmes wants to get back to full guard.
Barnett is trying to control the action in half guard but Holmes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Barnett thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Holmes's head.
Barnett seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Holmes does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Holmes 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.
Barnett looks for the body kick but Holmes saw that one coming.
Barnett shoots and misses

so Holmes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Holmes passes Barnett's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Holmes is looking to take a break and control but Barnett is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnett is looking to get back to is feet but Holmes passes into side control.
Holmes fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Holmes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barnett keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holmes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Barnett takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Holmes stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Holmes throws a sloppy head kick and Barnett moves out of range easily.
Barnett fails with the takedown
and Holmes counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for K Barnett. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.

Barnett scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Holmes is trying to get back to half guard.

Barnett stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Barnett tries for a takedown but Holmes circles away easily
and Holmes counters with a body kick that stops Barnett in his tracks momentarily.
Holmes takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Holmes is defended easily by Barnett.

Barnett shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Holmes napping and manages to drive through into side control!

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 K Barnett.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Barnett, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... K Barnett!