PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jermaine Barksdale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Twain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barksdale comes to the cage accompanied by Ain't No Sunshine- DMX. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Barksdale
vs
Twain

190 cm
34
211 lbs
22 - 6 - 0

184 cm
27
212 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KnockOut

SP Ultimate Nutrition
GREEN!160

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 22 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jermaine Barksdale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mark Twain!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Nard Betker and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Twain slips a straight right by Barksdale.
Barksdale throws a big shot that misses.
Twain ducks under a wild hook from Barksdale.
Twain looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Twain takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A bone on bone clash there as Barksdale blocks the leg kick.
Twain rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Barksdale counters with a solid body kick.
Twain throws a push kick but Barksdale slaps the foot to one side.
We've been told by Barksdale's head coaches at Roosters Coop that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Twain with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Twain throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Barksdale ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Twain moves away.
Barksdale just misses with a punch to the body.
Twain misses with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barksdale misses with a right hand
and Twain counters with a nice low kick that buckles Barksdale's knee momentarily.
Barksdale looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Twain sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Barksdale clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Twain misses with a punch to the body.
Barksdale can't find room to land a body shot as Twain controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barksdale lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Twain misses with a short punch on the inside.
Twain blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Twain tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Barksdale's elbow.
Barksdale fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Barksdale tries to throw a body punch but Twain avoids it by throwing Barksdale back against the cage.
Twain tries a body shot but Barksdale blocks it.

Barksdale has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Twain is trying to keep an underhook but Barksdale manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Barksdale not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barksdale missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Barksdale thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Twain's head.
Twain wants to control but Barksdale is keeping busy.
Barksdale throws a strike but Twain avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Twain controls Barksdale momentarily but Barksdale frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barksdale postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Twain avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Barksdale throwing strikes from guard but Twain blocks nicely.
Barksdale missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Barksdale stands up over Twain, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Barksdale looking to pass the guard.
Barksdale postures up.
Barksdale scoring with punches to the head and body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Twain trying to control the position here.

Twain is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Barksdale passes Twain's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Twain is looking for a sweep. Barksdale is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Barksdale trying to control the action but Twain is working from the bottom.
Twain wants to get back to full guard.
Twain moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Twain trying to control the position.
Barksdale throws a big right hand that misses.
Twain keeping moving, preventing Barksdale from controlling successfully.
Barksdale trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Twain working a defensive guard here.
Twain is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Twain avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Twain keeping moving, preventing Barksdale from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Barksdale fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Twain manages to avoid it.
Twain feints a counter leg kick.
Barksdale takes a swing at Twain's ribcage but misses.
Barksdale's jab looks to have found its range, popping Twain under the eye.
Barksdale checks a low kick from Twain.
Twain ducks under a wild hook from Barksdale.
Twain has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Barksdale.
A slow jab from Barksdale misses its intended target.
Twain feints a counter leg kick.
Barksdale on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Twain. Twain obviously looking to wear him down.
Twain tries to land a front kick but Barksdale steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Jermaine Barksdale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Twain blocks a head kick by Barksdale.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jermaine Barksdale dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Barksdale blocks a head kick by Twain.
Twain takes one on the button.
Barksdale misses with a head kick.
Twain works the jab nicely.
Jermaine Barksdale is winning the standup battle so far.
Twain tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barksdale was well out of range. Poor timing from Twain.
A head kick misses from Barksdale.
Twain now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Barksdale lands with a nice body kick.
Barksdale throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Twain fakes the leg kick and cracks Barksdale in the body.
Barksdale on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Twain dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Twain 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.
Twain swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Twain cracks Barksdale with a right hand to the side of the head.
Twain misses with a looping right.
Barksdale misses with a hook. Twain ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Twain scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Barksdale checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Barksdale misses with a lunging right hand
and Twain counters with a nice uppercut.
Twain takes one to the side of the head.
Barksdale shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Barksdale throws a body shot but no joy.
Twain counters with a body kick.
Twain misses the shot to the body.
Barksdale swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Barksdale wants to clinch.
A decent looking cross lands there for Barksdale.
Twain uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Barksdale, right into the meat.
Twain misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Twain throws a hook but Barksdale avoids it easily.
Twain tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Twain chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Barksdale can pounce on him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Twain.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barksdale scores with a hook to the body. Twain takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Barksdale shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Twain napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Twain takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

It looks like Mark Twain has been cut.
Jermaine Barksdale overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Twain defending against the ground and pound.
Twain is looking for a sweep.
Twain managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Barksdale.
Barksdale working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
You can see the frustration on Twain's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Twain tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barksdale wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Twain can't do much from the bottom here.
Twain is trying to improve his position.
Twain can't do much from the bottom here.
Barksdale grinds an elbow into Twain's temple.
Barksdale scores with a couple of short elbows.

That has opened up Mark Twain's cut even more.
Twain dodges the ground and pound from Barksdale.
Twain is trying to control Barksdale's posture but Barksdale avoids it.
Barksdale lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Mark Twain's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Mark Twain's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Jermaine Barksdale!
A very excited looking Jermaine Barksdale made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.