PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brad Ortega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Barker (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.

Ortega
vs
Barker

182 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
19
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 Hilo, Brad Ortega!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Paul Barker!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ortega tries to clinch up but Barker circles away and keeps his distance.

Ortega drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Barker is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Ortega looking to sit in guard and control but Barker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Barker is looking to stand up but Ortega won't let him.
Ortega looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barker is one step ahead there.
Ortega is trying to control the position but Barker postures up.
Ortega lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Barker!
Ortega controlling the pace for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Ortega there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ortega stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

Ortega shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ortega is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortega stops Barker from getting back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Ortega seems content to control.
Ortega trying to control the action but Barker is working from the bottom.
Barker is trying to get back to full guard.
Ortega wants to free his trapped foot but Barker is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortega works his way into full mount!
Barker tries to reverse the position but Ortega maintains control.
Ortega unloading with bombs!
Barker is working to get back to 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.

Ortega is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Ortega is breathing heavily.
Barker fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ortega avoids it really well and circles away.
Ortega takes a swing at Barker's ribcage but misses.
Ortega misses with a series of wild punches.
Ortega throws a head kick but Barker moves out of range.
Ortega misses with a takedown

so Barker counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Ortega dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barker shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Barker is working for a submission of some sort.
Ortega is looking to improve his position.
Barker trying to control the action but Ortega is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barker is stalling here. Ortega is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Barker seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ortega has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Barker regains half guard.

Ortega is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ortega thows a huge punch but Barker dodges it nicely.
Barker wants to control the action here but instead Ortega manages to pass to full mount!
Ortega looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two 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.
Barker is trying desperately to improve position.
Ortega misses with some ground and pound and Barker recovers position to half guard.
Still in half guard, Ortega seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barker trying to control here.
Barker regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ortega trying to control the position from guard on top but Barker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ortega has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Barker is pulling down on Ortega's head. It's preventing any offense from Ortega, at least for the moment.
Ortega pushing down on Barker's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

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.
Barker is trying to stand up here but Ortega is controlling him well.
Barker tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ortega tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Ortega has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Barker works to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ortega looking to sit in guard and control but Barker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Barker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Barker shoots in and bounces Ortega off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Barker stops Ortega from standing up.
Ortega looking to control but Barker passes into half guard.
Barker is trying to control the action in half guard but Ortega is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
It looks like Barker is going to stand back up.
Ortega is not content to let Barker control the position.
Paul Barker has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortega tries to roll over but Barker keeps him under control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barker lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ortega trying to control here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ortega slaps away a takedown attempt from Barker, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ortega throws and low kick but Barker moves out of range easily.
Ortega fails with the takedown

and Barker counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ortega's guard now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barker stopping the sweep attempt from Ortega.
Ortega will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Barker trying to control but Ortega is working from the bottom.
Ortega controls Barker momentarily but Barker frees himself.
Barker wants to pass the guard but Ortega is keeping the position.
Ortega controls Barker momentarily but Barker frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortega looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Barker puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ortega is looking to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barker tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ortega paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barker fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ortega with a poor takedown
and Barker counters with a good low kick that Ortega was not able to check.
Ortega misses with a takedown attempt
and Barker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brad Ortega. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barker swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Ortega counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ortega tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barker knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barker keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ortega wants to stand up but Barker has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Ortega trying to control the action but Barker is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Barker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barker 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Barker!