PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Simon Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Barker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Taylor
vs
Barker

185 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Simon Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bob Barker!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor looks to land a combination but Barker avoids it well.
Barker throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Taylor's waist but Barker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Barker off to one side.
Barker keeps the fight on the outside.
Barker checks the leg kick.
Simon Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor misses with a takedown

and Barker counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Barker controls the pace.
Taylor can't keep his opponent in guard - Barker advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Barker stops Taylor from getting back to his feet.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Barker seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
I looks like Barker might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Barker is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Barker performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Barker moves into full mount! Taylor won't be happy about that!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barker looking to control and managing it successfully.
Barker looking to finish Taylor with some ground and pound. This is bad for Taylor!
Barker controlling from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Bob Barker just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taylor stalks Barker and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Barker's face. Barker staggers backwards, shaken.

Barker looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barker advances position into side control!
Barker just content to control the position.
Barker wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taylor keeps working.
Taylor sneaks back into half guard.
Barker is taking a breather. Taylor 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.
Barker trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Barker controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor is trying to get back to full guard.
Taylor is working hard here to advance position.
Barker is controlling the pace.

Despite being in the dominant position, Bob Barker just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Taylor looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Barker dominated that round.
That's time! Taylor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

The fighters circling - Taylor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taylor tries to clinch but Barker moves away

and Barker counters with a takedown into side control.
Barker happy to just control the position for now.
Taylor tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Barker lands some shots froms side control.
Taylor tries to buck Barker off but Barker is having none of it.
Barker lands a nice forearm strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barker scoring with punches from side control.
Taylor looks to move to half guard but instead Barker has passed into mount! Damn!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor can't escape the position.
Barker controlling the pace for now.
Taylor slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Taylor tries to get to full guard but Barker has control of the leg.
Barker prevents Taylor from standing back up.

Taylor looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Barker content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Taylor trying to control but Barker postures up.
Taylor tries to get to full guard but Barker has control of the leg.

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.

Taylor is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Barker pulls his head out easily.
Barker not doing much here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Barker tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Taylor swivels and escapes.
Taylor fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barker manages to avoid it.
Taylor wants to clinch but Barker slips to the side

and Barker counters by moving into the clinch.

Taylor manages to pull guard.
Taylor looking to control.

Taylor working for a triangle but Barker defends it easily.
Barker stays in close to Taylor's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taylor working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Barker doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Barker manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Barker in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barker trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Barker's guard.
Barker keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.
Taylor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Barker is keeping the position.

Taylor drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Barker manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Taylor has Barker in his guard.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Barker controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barker won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Barker is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Barker manages to pass to side control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Barker lands a nice short elbow.
Taylor throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Barker perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Taylor looking for subs from the bottom but Barker mounts him!
Barker controlling from mount.
Taylor working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Barker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Taylor lands a jab to the nose.
Taylor cracks Barker with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Taylor misses with a takedown

and Barker counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Barker wants a takedown but no success here.

Taylor jumps into guard, dragging Barker to the mat.
Barker trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.

Taylor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Taylor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Barker lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to sweep but no luck.
Bob Barker has got the better of the ground game so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Taylor tries to clinch up.

Barker moves into the clinch successfully.
Taylor using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barker has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Taylor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barker pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Taylor softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Taylor gets underhooks to prevent Barker's takedown attempt.
Barker drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Simon Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bob Barker.
Taylor can't get the takedown.
Taylor has Barker pushed against the cage.
Barker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Barker tries for a takedown but Taylor manages to get underhooks.

Taylor pulls Barker into guard.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Barker from controlling successfully.
Barker pushing down on Taylor's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to improve his position.
Barker looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Taylor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barker looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet.
Barker controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taylor looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Barker performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Barker uses his free foot to push down on Taylor's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Taylor.
Taylor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barker controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Taylor tries to lock up and control but Barker gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Barker looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Barker with good strikes from the mount here!
Barker controlling the position easily from mount.
Taylor is looking to improve his position but Barker isn't that keen on the idea.
Barker looking to control and managing it successfully.
Simon Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barker tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bob Barker.
I've got Barker 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:30

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