PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aleks Nik (ranked 1082 p4p, 1201 weight class) and Derrick Barnes (ranked 140 p4p, 158 weight class). Barnes is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: We Want The Funk. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Nik
vs
Barnes

178 cm
31
171
11 - 9 - 1

180 cm
30
178
24 - 17 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Fast

Shadow Realm Apparel
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aleks Nik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derrick Barnes !
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Aafke Stam and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes slips a straight right by Nik.
Barnes is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Nik pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnes misses with a wild combination.
Nik scores with a nice strike.
We've been hearing reports that Nik has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Nik slips a straight right by Barnes .
Barnes takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A combination from Barnes does no damage.
Barnes has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Nik just misses with a punch to the body.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nik.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Nik finds it's way round the side to connect with Barnes 's head.
Barnes 's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Nik connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Barnes scrambles back to his feet.

Barnes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barnes showed some decent athleticism there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barnes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nik manages to get to full guard.
Nik trying to control the position here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barnes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nik manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barnes manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes looking for a sweep. Not yet Barnes , not yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barnes is on top in guard.

Barnes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nik has Barnes pulled in close to control his posture.
Barnes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nik is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Nik working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barnes .
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barnes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nik manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barnes manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nik preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes controls Nik momentarily but Nik frees himself.
Barnes is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Nik postures up and lands a big shot to Barnes 's brow.
Barnes trying to keep a closed guard but Nik is proving a slippery customer.
Nik wants to pass the guard but Barnes is keeping the position.
Barnes has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Nik has passed into side control.
Nik is looking to take a break and control but Barnes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nik wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes is not content to let Nik control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nik lands a nice forearm strike.
Barnes takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Nik cracks Barnes with a big right hand but Barnes just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Nik lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Barnes struggling a bit here.
Barnes is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Nik working the ground and pound.
Nik cracks Barnes with a big elbow.
Nik wants to control but Barnes is keeping him busy.
Nik working the ground and pound from side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aleks Nik dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Barnes shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A little feinted left hand from Nik on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Nik is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barnes can do to turn this around?
Barnes throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nik counters with a stiff right hand.
Nik throws a body punch but Barnes moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Barnes .

Nik fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Barnes sprawls well initially but Nik persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nik working Barnes over with strikes.
Barnes is looking to improve his position.
Barnes is still trying to improve position.
Nik seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in half guard, Nik seems content to control.
Nik tries to pass to full mount but Barnes defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes regains full guard. Nicely done.
Nik preventing the sweep.
Nik not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nik keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Barnes 's head.
Nik preventing the sweep.
Nik looking to pass the guard.
Nik chips away with some ground and pound.
Barnes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nik is one step ahead there.
Nik looking to pass the guard.
Nik stands up over Barnes , holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Nik won't allow Barnes to sweep him here.
Nik is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nik connects with a couple of short punches.
Barnes looking for a sweep. Not yet Barnes , not yet.

Nik got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barnes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nik has managed to get both his arms back between Barnes 's legs - danger averted.
Nik wants to control from the top but Barnes keeps moving.
Nik with a nice head shot there.
Nik working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Nik wants to control from the top but Barnes keeps moving.
Nik tries to free his leg and advance position but Barnes is retaining full guard.
Nik trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Barnes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nik.
Nik is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nik content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nik trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nik cracks Barnes with a solid left hand.
Nik lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Nik postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nik content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nik works over Barnes with some ground and pound from guard.
Nik trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barnes is controlling Nik's posture.
Barnes controls Nik momentarily but Nik frees himself.
Barnes 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.
Nik content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes is trying to keep Nik in close.
Nik trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nik wants to control from the top but Barnes keeps moving.
Nik wants to pass the guard but Barnes is keeping the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barnes is on top in guard.

Barnes preventing the sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barnes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Barnes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nik trying to keep a closed guard but Barnes is proving a slippery customer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aleks Nik dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nik lands with a shot to the body.
Nik misses with a wild body shot.
The fighters circling - Nik throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nik comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Nik throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Barnes looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Nik on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Barnes tries to clinch but Nik is having none of it.
Barnes misses with a wild body shot.
Nik was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nice sprawl there from Nik as Barnes shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes dives in for a single leg takedown but Nik sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Aleks Nik is winning the standup battle so far.
A jab lands there for Nik.
Barnes misses with a low kick as Nik jumps back.
Nik keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes misses with a low kick.
Nik throws a jab but it's blocked by Barnes .
Barnes throws out a counter right but Nik avoids it with no problem.
Barnes looks to land a right hand but Nik moved out of range.
Nik throws a big shot that misses.
Nik misses with a wild body shot.
Barnes drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Nik defends it well.
Barnes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nik.
Nik misses with a looping left.
Barnes feints the counter takedown.
Derrick Barnes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice defenses there by Nik.
Barnes throws a low kick but Nik avoids it.
A jab from Barnes does it's job there.
Nik thuds his right hand into Barnes 's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nik works Barnes 's body with a nice hook.
Barnes moves out of range of the strikes.
Nik swings for the body but Barnes moves out of range.
Aleks Nik is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes misses with a left hand
and Nik connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nik drops his hands momentarily and Barnes takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Barnes throws a nice head kick!
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!
Nik misses with a straight left.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nik.
Nik lands a nice shot that snaps Barnes 's head back.
Nik lands a jab-cross combination.
Nik misses with a hook
and Barnes counters with a low kick, right behind Nik 's knee.
Barnes walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Nik checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Barnes throws a solid leg kick but Nik takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Barnes .
Nik throws the left hand but Barnes avoids the punch easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Nik.
Jab, jab by Nik - just one landing.
Nik fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barnes manages to avoid it.
Nik throws a sloppy body shot
and Barnes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The fighters circling - Barnes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Nik closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Barnes 's guard.
Derrick Barnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nik lands a couple of elbows.
Barnes striking from the bottom here.
Barnes 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.
Nik is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Aleks Nik overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nik trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes trying to keep a closed guard but Nik is proving a slippery customer.
Nik makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Nik lands a couple of digs.
Nik lands a couple of digs.
Barnes looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Nik puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barnes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nik perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Nik trying to control the action but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Nik looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Barnes with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Barnes is looking for a sweep. Nik is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Barnes is pressing down on Nik's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Nik won't allow Barnes to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleks Nik showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nik has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleks Nik!
A very excited looking Aleks Nik 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.