PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ben Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and john barker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Harper is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Harper
vs
barker

191 cm
23
193 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
195 lbs
0 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, john barker!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper shoots for a takedown but barker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
barker shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Harper defends it nicely.
barker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Harper fails to land with a series of punches.
barker shoots in looking for a takedown. Harper tries to sprawl out of it but barker keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Harper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ben Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of john barker.
Harper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
barker lands with a nice combination. Harper backs away looking to recover.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
barker tries a head kick but it misses.
barker connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
barker blocks a jab.
Harper fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
barker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harper as he avoids it easily.
Harper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but barker circles away quickly and effectively.
Harper misses with a two punch combination.
Harper misses with a straight left.
Harper throws a right and a left that barker avoids nicely.

Harper darts in and clinches barker up against the cage.

Harper pulls barker into guard.
Harper avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
barker trying to control but Harper is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Harper has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes barker off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Harper throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
barker lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harper circles away quickly and effectively.
Ben Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
barker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper misses with a head kick.
Harper throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
barker dives in and grabs Harper's left leg, looking for a takedown. Harper pushes down on barker's head and hops out.

Harper drives through and clinches with barker against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
barker is trying to break free.
Harper prevents a takedown attempt there.
barker looks gassed!
barker tries to pull guard but Harper holds him up against the cage and eventually barker drops back down to his feet.
The referee is keeping an eye on Harper - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Harper prevents the takedown attempt.
barker has Harper pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Harper manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Harper pushes barker back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short uppercut from Harper.

Harper manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Harper is on top in guard.
Harper not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
barker has momentary wrist control but Harper slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
barker wants to stand and escape but Harper is having none of it.
barker can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Harper controls the pace.
Harper scoring with some ground and pound.
Harper is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Harper content to stall in guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Harper dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Harper lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
barker tries to clinch but Harper is having none of it.
barker scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Harper scoring well with a low kick there.
No joy there for Harper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Harper lands a slapping body shot.
Some wild striking there from Harper.
Harper stuffs the takedown attempt from barker. barker gets slowly back to his feet.
Harper misses with a jab, cross combination.
barker shoots for a takedown but Harper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nice jab there from Harper.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper misses with a takedown attempt - barker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
barker fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Harper throws a right hand that barker ducks under and follows up with a left that barker also avoids with ease.
barker throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Harper scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Harper closes the distance and clinches.

Harper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harper digs a good body shot into barker's ribs.
barker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Harper is fending him off so far but barker persists. Nope, Harper circles away and we're back to standing.
Ben Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of john barker.
Harper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
barker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Harper is fending him off so far but barker persists. Nope, Harper circles away and we're back to standing.
barker is trying hard to land a takedown here. Harper sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper dives in and grabs barker's left leg, looking for a takedown. barker pushes down on Harper's head and hops out.
barker shoots in and drives through. Harper sprawls well.
barker connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
barker shoots in but no luck this time.

Harper gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Harper.
barker looking to slow down the pace here.
Harper just leaning against barker, taking a breather.

Harper manages to break the clinch.
barker has a takedown stuffed.

Harper gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper scores with a hook to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Harper jumps guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Harper is on top in guard.
Harper is stalling in the full guard.
barker working a defensive guard here.
barker might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Harper kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

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.
Harper lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Harper slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Harper pushes down on barker's leg and manages to get into half guard.
barker tries to get to full guard but Harper has control of the leg.
Harper controlling the action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
barker flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Harper dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

barker misses with a double jab

and Harper counters by moving into the clinch.
barker is trying to maintain a safe position but Harper gets an underhook and turns barker into the cage.
Harper works on barker's body with a couple of short punches.

Harper breaks from the clinch.
Harper scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Harper lands a jab to barker's midsection.
Harper misses with a jab, cross combination.
barker is trying desperately to land a takedown but Harper is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for barker.
Harper shoots in and drives through. barker sprawls well.
Nice takedown defense from Harper. No joy for barker on that attempt.
barker on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ben Harper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harper leaves barker with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
barker looks to clinch

and Harper counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in barker's guard now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
barker is trying to control the position but Harper postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper won't allow barker to get back to his feet.
Harper looking to pass the guard.
barker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Harper pushing down on barker's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Harper is taking a breather. barker says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
barker is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two 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.
Harper takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
barker is looking to improve his position.
Harper takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
barker trying to control from the bottom.

barker is pushing off trying to get to his feet. Harper has hold of the leg though and he's dropped back for a heel hook… has he got it?? YES! barker is tapping! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Heel Hook). Ben Harper!