PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Oakley Bark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Twister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bark's entrance music is RUN DMC its like that. A fine choice. Oakley Bark has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bark
vs
Twister

190 cm
45
199 lbs
46 - 25 - 0

188 cm
37
195 lbs
20 - 21 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 46 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Oakley Bark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Twister!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Bruno Hogan and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Twister walks into a stiff left hand from Bark.
Good exchange - Twister coming out on top.
Oakley Bark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bark lands a nice looking body shot.
Bark misses with a takedown attempt - Twister sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Twister gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bark counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bark shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Twister as he avoids it easily.
Bark lands with a kick to the temple. Twister shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bark looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Oakley Bark. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bark walks into a stiff left hand from Twister.
Bark throws a right and a left that both miss.
Twister swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Bark fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Twister looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bark throws a looping overhand right but Twister ducks down to avoid it.
Bark walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Twister throws a looping overhand right but Bark ducks down to avoid it.
Bark misses with a body shot
and Bark takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bark looks to land a combination but Twister avoids it well.
As Bark backs off Twister throws a huge counter combo but Bark manages to avoid it all.
Twister staying out of range there.
Bark throws a series of punches but Twister avoids them all with ease.
Twister ducks under a wild hook from Bark.
Bark tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Twister defends well and Bark ends up having to push Twister into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Bark fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Twister is out of range.
Bark tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Twister was well out of range. Poor timing from Bark.
Bark throws a head kick but Twister moves out of range.
Twister is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Twister will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bark on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bark fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bark misses with a takedown attempt
and Twister counters with a stiff right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bark takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Twister's corner calls for a 1-2. Twister obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Twister looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bark is fending him off so far but Twister persists. Nope, Bark circles away and we're back to standing.
Twister throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bark's waist but Bark gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Twister off to one side.
Bark tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Twister was well out of range. Poor timing from Bark.
Twister closes the distance and clinches up with Bark, looking for a takedown. Twister pushes Bark against the cage but Bark circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Bark on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Bark scoring well with a low kick there.
Bark shoots in for a takedown but Twister shows good takedown defense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bark throws a front kick aimed at Twister's knee but Twister avoids it well.
Bark cracks Twister with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Twister blocks a head kick by Bark.
It seemed like Twister was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Bark shoots in but Twister avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Twister throws out a counter right but Bark avoids it with no problem.
Bark just misses with a punch to the body.
Bark throws a series of punches but Twister moves out of range.
Bark fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Twister fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Bark on the side of the head.
A left and a right from Twister both land. Nice combination.
Twister avoids the head kick by Bark.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Twister fails with the takedown.
Bark throws a body punch but Twister moves out of range.
Bark catches Twister with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Twister feints and as Bark raises his hands in defense, Twister changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bark pulls Twister in to control the position.
Bark is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bark controls Twister momentarily but Twister frees himself.
Twister trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Twister trying to control but Bark is working from the bottom.
Twister stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bark swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tony Twister will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bark shoots in and gets a takedown into Twister's guard.
Bark works over Twister with some ground and pound from guard.
Twister bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bark's guard.

Twister wants to control from the top but Bark keeps moving.

Bark pushes Twister off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bark takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bark throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bark misses with a straight left.
As Bark backs off Twister throws a huge counter combo but Bark manages to avoid it all.
Bark tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Twister swivels and escapes.
Oakley Bark is winning the standup battle so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Twister cracks Bark with a good jab.

Bark shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Twister's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Twister looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bark is looking to work some ground and pound but Twister has wrist control.
Twister wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Twister is trying to control the position but Bark postures up.
Bark has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bark postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Twister keeping moving, preventing Bark from controlling successfully.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bark won't allow Twister to sweep him here.
Oakley Bark overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Twister is controlling Bark's posture.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bark accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Twister is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Bark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Bark drops back, looking for a kneebar! Twister looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Twister looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Twister!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Twister trying to control the action but Bark is working from the bottom.

Twister is trying to get an arm triangle but Bark is defending well.
Bark manages to get back to half guard.

Twister is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bark sees it coming and defends easily.
Bark desperately trying to maintain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bark tries to roll over but Twister keeps him under control.
Bark wants to control but Twister is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bark manages to get to full guard.
Bark keeping full guard, as Twister tries to pass.
Twister is still trying to improve position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bark is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bark with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Twister tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Twister working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bark.
Twister is trying to keep Bark in close.
Twister keeping full guard, as Bark tries to pass.
Bark is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Twister preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Twister avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bark is in close to Twister's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Twister working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bark.
Twister is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oakley Bark dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Twister closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Bark is trying to get back to full guard.
Twister trying to control the action but Bark is working from the bottom.
Bark keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Twister trying to work for an americana but Bark has managed to regain full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Twister postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Twister forces his way into half guard.
Bark tries to kick Twister off but Twister keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bark is refusing to be controlled, as Twister sits in half guard.
Bark has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Twister is working away from the top position though.

Twister is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bark wants to get back to his feet.
Bark controlling the position well.

Twister seems to be working for a kimura but Bark defends the submission attempt.

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.
Bark controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Twister manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bark on his heels. He'll look to pass Bark's guard now, I'm sure.
Bark wants to sweep but no luck.
Twister wants to pass the guard but Bark is keeping the position.

Twister is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Bark is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Bark has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bark wants to control from the top but Twister keeps moving.
Twister pulls Bark in to control the position.
Bark scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Twister utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bark with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bark trying to control the position from guard on top but Twister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bark is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Twister is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Bark is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Bark pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Twister is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Twister is pulling down on Bark's head. It's preventing any offense from Bark, at least for the moment.
Twister wants to sweep here but Bark controlling him for the moment.
Bark throwing strikes from guard but Twister blocks nicely.
Bark trying to control the position from guard on top but Twister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Twister takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Twister might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Twister displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bark.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Twister comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Twister 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tony Twister!
An out of breath Tony Twister thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
The defeated Oakley Bark had this to say: 'Shit happens'.