PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ronnie Barnhardt (ranked 2937 p4p, 2553 weight class) and Ben Stone (ranked 379 p4p, 330 weight class). Barnhardt comes to the cage accompanied by James Brown, living in America . Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Barnhardt
vs
Stone

182 cm
22
191
5 - 7 - 0

188 cm
22
190
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Hot Spunk

Hardcore Nutrition 160Q $100 w/ Proof

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 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ronnie Barnhardt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Stone!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Eddie Farnsworth and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnhardt throws a quick inside leg kick.
Barnhardt throws a head kick that misses
and Stone counters with a straight right hand.
Left hook, right uppercut from Stone.
Stone just misses with a punch to the body.
Stone checks the leg kick nicely there.
Barnhardt 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.

Stone looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Stone scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Barnhardt trying to hold on to Stone's head to control him but Stone postures up.
Barnhardt desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Stone not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnhardt has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Stone is working away from the top position though.
Stone wants to free his trapped foot but Barnhardt is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Barnhardt is positioning himself well to prevent Stone advancing to mount.

Stone seems to be working for a kimura but Barnhardt defends the submission attempt.

That's two 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.
Barnhardt is trying to get back to full guard.
Stone seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Stone wants to work for an arm triangle but Barnhardt is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Stone takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnhardt throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Barnhardt thuds his right hand into Stone's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

It looks like Ben Stone has been cut.
Barnhardt misses with a hook

and Stone counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Barnhardt!

Stone tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Stone is looking to take a break and control but Barnhardt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnhardt is trying to control Stone's posture but Stone avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone has control of an arm but Barnhardt manages to advance to Stone's back!
Stone can't escape the position.
Barnhardt has good solid back control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone manages to reverse the position and now he's in Barnhardt's guard. Nice work there by Stone.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Stone dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ben Stone's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Stone takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Barnhardt lands with a good body shot.
Barnhardt finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Stone tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Barnhardt takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
No joy there for Stone, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barnhardt misses with a low kick.
Barnhardt misses with a straight right.
Stone with the counter takedown but Barnhardt avoids it easily.
Barnhardt takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnhardt misses the shot to the body.
Barnhardt connects with a jab.
Barnhardt scores with a nice body kick.
Barnhardt tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnhardt throws a lazy uppercut

so Stone counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Stone looking to sit in guard and control but Barnhardt gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Barnhardt has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Barnhardt content to stall in guard here.
Ben Stone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barnhardt wants to control from the top but Stone keeps moving.
Barnhardt is really struggling to control Stone but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone wants to sweep but no luck.
Barnhardt engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Barnhardt has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Stone is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnhardt trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Stone has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barnhardt won't allow Stone to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Barnhardt.
Barnhardt throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Stone counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Barnhardt!

Stone goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Barnhardt has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Stone but great work by Barnhardt.
Stone tries to buck Barnhardt off but Barnhardt is having none of it.
Stone regains half guard.
Stone is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barnhardt trying to control from half guard but Stone is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone trying to control but Barnhardt postures up.
Stone wants to get back to full guard.
Stone trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Barnhardt manages to pass to mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barnhardt can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Stone is looking to escape.
Stone working to try and regain half 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 Ronnie Barnhardt will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ben Stone's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Stone takes a swing at Barnhardt's ribcage but misses.
Stone tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Barnhardt swivels and escapes.
Barnhardt throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Barnhardt stalks Stone and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Stone's face. Stone staggers backwards, shaken.
Barnhardt stalks Stone and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Stone's face. Stone staggers backwards, shaken.
Barnhardt misses with a head kick.
Stone steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Barnhardt. That one must have hurt.
Barnhardt throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Barnhardt throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Stone chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Barnhardt can pounce on him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barnhardt lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Stone backs up against the cage.
Barnhardt misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stone.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Stone lands with a straight right. Barnhardt didn't see that one coming.
A big left from Barnhardt misses.
Stone with the counter takedown but Barnhardt avoids it easily.
Barnhardt throws a sloppy head kick and Stone moves out of range easily.
Stone misses with a two punch combination.
Barnhardt throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ronnie Barnhardt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stone lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Barnhardt falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stone counters with a straight right hand.
Good shot there by Barnhardt.
Sloppy strikes from Barnhardt. Those never looked like landing.
Barnhardt walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone misses the shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barnhardt throws a shot from downtown. Stone moves away and avoids it.
Stone changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A good leg kick by Barnhardt.
Barnhardt misses with a hook. Stone ducked under it nicely.
Stone scores with a jab to the body.
Ronnie Barnhardt is winning the standup battle so far.
Barnhardt throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Stone.
Barnhardt leaves Stone with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As Stone looks to move away, Barnhardt throws a big counter combo but Stone just gets out of the way.
Barnhardt clobbers Stone with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Stone gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone is looking to take a break and control but Barnhardt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnhardt prevents Stone from moving into mount.
Barnhardt regains half guard there - taking advantage of Stone's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Barnhardt won't allow Stone to pass to mount.
Barnhardt keeping hold of Stone's head, controlling as best he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stone wants to take a breather but Barnhardt is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stone avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Stone takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Barnhardt. Stone does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stone looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Barnhardt scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronnie Barnhardt showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Barnhardt has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronnie Barnhardt!
Ronnie Barnhardt gave a mention to Hot Spunk in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).