PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gary Barlow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Paris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paris has chosen Document One - Clap as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Elijah Paris was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Barlow
vs
Paris

190 cm
24
195 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

170 cm
28
199 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gary Barlow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Elijah Paris!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Skip Squint and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barlow shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Barlow was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Paris tries to lock up and control but Barlow gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Barlow looking to control but Paris is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Paris wants to hold on but Barlow pushes him away.
Barlow misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

Paris defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Barlow.
Paris wants to hold on but Barlow pushes him away.
Barlow landing shots from mount.
Paris is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Barlow looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barlow trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Barlow sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Paris tries to lock up and control but Barlow gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paris really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Paris tries to hold on but Barlow pushes him away.
Barlow tries to control but Paris wriggling away.
Barlow punishing his opponent with strikes.
Paris is trying to escape the mount.
Barlow can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Paris is looking to escape.
Paris regains half guard.
Barlow is looking to take a break and control but Paris is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Paris is looking to escape.

Paris is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barlow pulls his head out easily.

Paris looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paris tries to roll over but Barlow keeps him under control.

Barlow is looking for a kimura but Paris is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Barlow to get the leverage.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Paris kicks off Barlow and gets to his feet.

Barlow looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Paris!
Paris looks gassed!

Barlow has hold of Paris's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Paris manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Paris is trying to escape the mount.
Paris gets back to half guard.
Barlow wants to control but Paris is keeping him busy.

Barlow is trying to work for a kimura but Paris is defending well.

Barlow is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barlow is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Paris has managed to free his arm - good work.

Paris is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barlow pulls his head out easily.
Paris has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Barlow is working away from the top position though.

Barlow is looking for a kimura here.

Barlow looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Paris is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barlow will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barlow is trying to control the action in half guard but Paris is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Barlow is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Barlow thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Barlow is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Paris defends it well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Paris is looking to improve his position.
Barlow has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Barlow shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Paris manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Barlow avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gary Barlow overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Paris manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Paris avoids the attempt from Barlow to control.
Barlow tries to reverse the position but Paris maintains control.
Paris trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Barlow sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Barlow tries to roll over but Paris keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barlow trying to hold on to Paris's head to control him but Paris postures up.
Barlow is trying to get back to full guard.

Paris is looking for a kimura but Barlow is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Paris to get the leverage.

Paris seems to be working for a kimura but Barlow defends the submission attempt.
Barlow tries to roll over but Paris keeps him under control.

Paris is looking for a kimura but Barlow is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Paris to get the leverage.

Paris seems to be working for a kimura but Barlow defends the submission attempt.
Barlow throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Paris manages to pass to side control.
Barlow sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Barlow wants to sweep but Paris has passed to side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barlow defending against the ground and pound.

Paris working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Paris wants to control but Barlow is keeping him busy.
Paris is breathing heavily.
Paris throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Barlow wants to control but Paris postures up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barlow manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Barlow works his way to full guard. Good work.
Paris postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Paris got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barlow has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Paris has managed to get both his arms back between Barlow's legs - danger averted.
Paris throwing strikes but missing.
Barlow trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barlow is on top in guard.
Barlow trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Barlow trying to control the position from guard on top but Paris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barlow advances position into side control!
Paris is not content to let Barlow control the position.
Paris wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Barlow lands a few punches from side control.
Paris sneaks back into half guard.
Barlow is just content to waste time from the top position. Paris takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Paris looking for a sweep. Not yet Paris, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barlow throwing strikes but missing.
Paris is trying to control the position but Barlow postures up.
Barlow trying to control but Paris is working from the bottom.
Paris wants to get back to his feet but Barlow is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Barlow wants to pass the guard but Paris is keeping the position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Paris keeping moving, preventing Barlow from controlling successfully.
Paris keeping full guard, as Barlow tries to pass.
Paris wants to sweep but no luck.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Paris is looking to stand up but Barlow isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Paris throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Barlow was covering up waiting for the punch and Paris finishes the takedown easily into guard.
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 Gary Barlow will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Barlow bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Barlow thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Paris prevents Barlow from moving into mount.
Barlow is working hard here to advance position.
Paris tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Paris is pushing Barlow's head away, looking to escape. Barlow manages to hold on to the position though.
Paris tries to bench press Barlow off him but Barlow keeps the position.
Paris wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Barlow tries to advance to mount but Paris denies him.
Paris takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paris is looking for a sweep.

Barlow is trying to get an arm triangle but Paris is defending well.
Paris takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Paris is not content to let Barlow control the position.

Barlow looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Barlow wants to control but Paris is keeping him busy.
Barlow prevents Paris from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barlow working the head and body with strikes.
Barlow working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Barlow tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Barlow has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Barlow sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Paris is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Paris prevents Barlow from improving position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paris tries to improve position but can't.
Paris is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Barlow thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Barlow tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Barlow has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paris explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Barlow shoots in and gets a takedown into Paris's guard.
Gary Barlow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barlow is looking to advance position but Paris has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Barlow tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Barlow is squirming around, avoiding Paris's attempts to control the action.
Paris is landing with some decent strikes but Barlow is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Paris content just to control the position here.
Barlow wants to control but Paris is having none of it.
Paris breaks from Barlow's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Paris connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Barlow slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Barlow is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Barlow actively working from the bottom here.

Paris is looking for a kimura but Barlow is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Paris to get the leverage.

Paris is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Barlow sees it coming and defends easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barlow is looking for a sweep. Paris is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Paris moves nicely into side control.
Elijah Paris has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barlow is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gary Barlow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Barlow has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gary Barlow!