PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Avon Barksdale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gale Gold (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barksdale
vs
Gold

165 cm
22
145 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

172 cm
21
142 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Avon Barksdale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gale Gold!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Paulsen Ambrosius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barksdale swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Barksdale takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gold misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barksdale connects with a jab.
Gold checks a low kick from Barksdale.
And Gold responds with a good body kick, but Barksdale manages to step out the way in time.
Barksdale ducks under a wild hook from Gold.
Barksdale digs a good body shot into Gold's ribs.
Gold checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gold dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barksdale. That did some damage!
Barksdale has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gold throws a leg kick which misses Barksdale's front leg but catches the back leg as Barksdale tries to avoid it.
Barksdale looks to score with a jab to the body but Gold is just out of range.
Barksdale shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Gold blocks the body kick.
Gold lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Gold dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Barksdale looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gold looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Good leg kick by Gold there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
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!
Barksdale misses with a wild body shot.
Gold avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barksdale tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Barksdale misses with a body punch
and Gold counters with a body kick that stops Barksdale in his tracks momentarily.
Gold throws a chopping leg kick but Barksdale manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Gold lands a right hook to the body.
Gold jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barksdale is looking to wear down Gold with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Barksdale throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Avon Barksdale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gold lands an overhand right.
Gold scores with a punch to the head.
Nice takedown defense from Gold. No joy for Barksdale on that attempt.
Gold is looking to score with low kicks.
Gold throws a wild body kick that Barksdale sees coming a mile off.

Barksdale fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gold sprawls well initially but Barksdale persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barksdale is thwarting Gold's attempts to control the position.
Barksdale wants to take a breather but Gold is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gold avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barksdale.

Barksdale 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.

Barksdale is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gold defends it well.
Barksdale is trying to control the action in half guard but Gold is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Barksdale is working for a submission of some sort.
Gold is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gold keeps trying to improve his position.
Barksdale is keen to just control but Gold is a slippery customer.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gold is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gold really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barksdale. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Barksdale wants to pass to mount but Gold is defending the position.
Barksdale seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Barksdale looks to land a body kick but Gold moved away.
And Gold responds with a good body kick, but Barksdale manages to step out the way in time.
Barksdale chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gold can pounce on him.
Gold goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Barksdale avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Gold looks to land a body kick but Barksdale moved away.
Barksdale was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Gold uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Barksdale.
Gold throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Barksdale lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gold at a distance.
Barksdale scores with a jab to the head.
Nice body kick there by Gold.
Barksdale ducks under a wild hook from Gold.
Barksdale misses with a kick to the body.
Barksdale avoids the body shot from Gold.
Barksdale is looking to land body kicks.

Barksdale fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gold sprawls well initially but Barksdale persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Barksdale sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gold defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gale Gold will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barksdale throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Gold counters with a good low kick that Barksdale was not able to check.
Barksdale blocks a low kick nicely.
Gold avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gold looks to land a combination but Barksdale avoids it well.
Barksdale appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Gold thumps Barksdale with a low kick.
Barksdale blocks a low kick nicely.
Gold pivots, looking for a leg kick but Barksdale is out of range and Gold settles back down.
Gold throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barksdale stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Barksdale lunges at Gold with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gold's hand.
Barksdale throws a body punch but Gold moves out of range.
Barksdale fails with the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barksdale is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gold.
A decent looking cross lands there for Barksdale.
Barksdale throws a body shot but no joy.
Barksdale shoots in but no luck this time.
Barksdale takes one on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gold throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gold pivots, looking for a leg kick but Barksdale is out of range and Gold settles back down.
Barksdale is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gold appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Barksdale throws a looping overhand right but Gold ducks down to avoid it.
Barksdale is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Barksdale shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gold napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sloppy strikes there by Barksdale.
Gold is trying to control Barksdale's posture but Barksdale avoids it.
Barksdale landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gold seems a little lost for a moment, as Barksdale dominates the positioning.
Barksdale fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Gold is looking for a sweep.
Barksdale misses with the ground and pound.
Gold takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Gold is not content to let Barksdale control the position.
Barksdale scores with punches from side control.
Barksdale wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gold keeps working.
Barksdale working the head with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Barksdale is trying to get an arm triangle but Gold is defending well.
Gold tries to bench press Barksdale off him but Barksdale keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barksdale works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Barksdale is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gold is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Gold is looking to reverse the position.

Barksdale is trying to get an arm triangle but Gold is defending well.
Gold is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gold is not content to let Barksdale control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Barksdale thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Gold is trying to get back to half guard.
Barksdale misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Avon Barksdale dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Barksdale works the jab nicely.
Barksdale misses the shot to the body.
Barksdale connects with a body shot.
Gold tries to clinch
and Barksdale counters with a nice body shot.
Barksdale on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Nice straight punches there by Gold. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gold.
Barksdale cracks a nice hook into Gold's ribs.
Gold has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Gold will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gold is looking to slow Barksdale down with leg kicks.

Gold clinches up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Gold fails to land.
Gold misses with a punch on the inside.
Barksdale struggles to land a body shot inside as Gold controls his hands.
Gold wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gold swings wildly with an uppercut but Barksdale uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short uppercut from Gold.
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!
Barksdale working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barksdale has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gold blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gold.
Barksdale lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gold backwards.
Barksdale wants a takedown.
Barksdale has a couple of punches blocked by Gold.
Barksdale blocking some punches.
Gold lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barksdale.
Barksdale has Gold pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gold manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Gold breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gold lands with an uppercut that bounces Barksdale off the cage and back into range.
Barksdale lands with a thumping leg kick.
Barksdale fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gold.
No joy there for Barksdale, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gold scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Barksdale staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Barksdale misses with a hook. Gold ducked under it nicely.
Barksdale shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gold as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Avon Barksdale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barksdale with a jab.
Barksdale swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gold is trying to counter with his kicks.
A head kick misses from Barksdale.
Nice body kick from Gold.
Gold thuds his shin into the meat of Barksdale's side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barksdale looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gold is fending him off so far but Barksdale persists. Nope, Gold circles away and we're back to standing.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gold, as that shot connected.
Gold lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barksdale checks a low kick from Gold.
Barksdale tries to land a leg kick but Gold saw it coming and moves away.
Gold avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Both fighters circling a little - Gold finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gold scoring well with a low kick there.
Gold connects with a body shot that sends Barksdale's belly button to the back.
Barksdale tries to clinch but Gold is having none of it.
Barksdale on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Gold. Gold obviously looking to wear him down.
Barksdale shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Gale Gold seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gold lands with a hook. Barksdale tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gold connects with a right hand. Barksdale shakes it off.
Gold tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barksdale was well out of range. Poor timing from Gold.
Barksdale walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gold connects with an inside leg kick.
Barksdale throws a jab but it's blocked by Gold.
Barksdale darts in looking for a takedown but Gold gets double underhooks and turns Barksdale into the cage.
Barksdale darts in looking for a takedown but Gold gets double underhooks and turns Barksdale into the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Some bone on bone action there as Gold checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Barksdale looks for the body kick but Gold saw that one coming.
Gold does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Barksdale misses.
Barksdale shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gold as he avoids it easily.
Barksdale takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Barksdale throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gold lands a head shot.
Gold getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Barksdale is rocked!
A head kick misses from Gold.
Oh Barksdale is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A slow jab from Barksdale misses its intended target.
Gold connects with a jab, followed by a picture perfect straight right that sends Barksdale to the canvas, out cold! What a finish by Gold!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Gale Gold!
An out of breath Gale Gold thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.