PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Merritt Barlow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim Grim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Barlow might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Intro - DMX. Merritt Barlow has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Barlow
vs
Grim

190 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Likes musicals

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Merritt Barlow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jim Grim!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Winston Howard and Darius Henderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Grim scores with a takedown into Barlow's guard.
Barlow looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Grim missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Grim cracks Barlow with a solid left hand.
Grim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barlow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grim must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Grim postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grim seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grim postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Grim shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Barlow pinned against the cage. Barlow gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Grim has taken the fight to the clinch.
Grim keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barlow's efforts to push away.
Barlow tries to land knees in the clinch but Grim avoids the damage to the body.

Grim tightens his grip and picks Barlow up, before dumping him to the ground. Barlow manages to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barlow wants to sweep here but Grim controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Grim throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barlow works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Grim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barlow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Grim's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Barlow trying to keep a closed guard but Grim is proving a slippery customer.
Grim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barlow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Grim lands a couple of decent looking shots.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Barlow gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barlow looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Grim throwing strikes but missing.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Barlow has momentary wrist control but Grim slips an elbow through the middle.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Grim's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Grim lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Grim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barlow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Grim's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

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.
Grim postures up in Barlow's guard and throws a big left but Barlow blocks it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Barlow gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Grim with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Grim wants to control from the top but Barlow keeps moving.
Barlow avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Grim prevents Barlow from getting back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Grim stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barlow swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grim won't allow Barlow to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Grim dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Grim throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Barlow was covering up waiting for the punch and Grim finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Barlow working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Grim.
Grim lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Grim really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barlow. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Grim wants to pass the guard but Barlow is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grim cracks Barlow with a solid left hand.
Grim trying to control but Barlow is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Grim shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Grim showed some decent athleticism there.
Barlow wants to get back to full guard.
Grim working Barlow over with strikes.
Grim missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Barlow is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Grim scores with a couple of nice shots.
Barlow is refusing to be controlled, as Grim sits in half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Grim connects with a nice short shot to Barlow's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grim is trying to control. Barlow wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Grim slips a nice elbow through Barlow's hands, connecting with Barlow's forehead.
Grim landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Jim Grim has got the better of the ground game so far.
Grim wants to control but Barlow is keeping him busy.
Grim blocks the strikes from Barlow.

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

Barlow gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Grim has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barlow can't keep his opponent in guard - Grim advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Grim working Barlow over with strikes.
Grim is trying to control. Barlow wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barlow trying to control here.
Grim winds up and cracks Barlow with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Barlow has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Grim is working away from the top position though.
Grim seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Grim is trying to control the action in half guard but Barlow is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Grim is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Grim wants to pass to mount but Barlow is defending the position.
Grim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barlow keeps working.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Grim tries for a takedown but Barlow sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Grim throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Barlow tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Grim is in Barlow's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Grim accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Grim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barlow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Grim throws a strike but Barlow rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Grim wants to stand up but Barlow is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Grim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Grim drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Grim wants to control but Barlow is keeping him busy.
Barlow is trying to control Grim's posture but Grim avoids it.
Grim working the ground and pound.
Grim looks up at the clock and then as Barlow takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Grim smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grim trying to control the position but Barlow is working away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Grim is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grim working the ground and pound.
Grim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barlow keeps working.
Grim 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.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Barlow on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Barlow is not content to let Grim control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two 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.

Grim shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Grim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barlow keeps working.
Grim prevents Barlow from improving his position.
Barlow has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Grim is working away from the top position though.
Barlow is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barlow trying to control here.
Grim working the head and body with strikes.
Grim wants to control but Barlow is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Grim bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Barlow is trying to get back to half guard.
Grim scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grim advances to mount.
Barlow is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barlow is squirming around, avoiding Grim's attempts to control the action.
Barlow is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Merritt Barlow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jim Grim is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Grim lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jim Grim comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Grim 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jim Grim!
Jim Grim tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.