PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Javier Alejara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Barrios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodrigo Barrios is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Alejara
vs
Barrios

180 cm
22
144 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Alejara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Barrios!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Paulo Santos and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alejara has Barrios up against the cage in a clinch.
Barrios takes a knee to the side of the body.
Barrios is trying to break free.
Barrios tries to pull guard but Alejara holds him up against the cage and eventually Barrios drops back down to his feet.
Barrios takes an elbow to the temple.

Alejara breaks from the clinch.
Barrios throws a nice outside leg kick.

Alejara moves into the clinch successfully.
A frustrated look appears on Barrios's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Alejara tries a knee to the head but Barrios blocks it.
Barrios is trying to force a seperation but Alejara has the dominant position.
Alejara looking to throw knees to the head but Barrios is blocking nicely.
Alejara lands a good knee to the midsection. Barrios won't want to take too many of those.
Alejara prevents the takedown attempt.

Alejara breaks from the clinch.

Alejara changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Barrios looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Barrios looks gassed!
Alejara misses with the ground and pound.

Alejara tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Alejara has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Alejara decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barrios tries to clinch but Alejara moves out of range.
Alejara wants to clinch

and Barrios counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Alejara trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Alejara 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.
Barrios trying to stand up but can't free himself from Alejara's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alejara is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Alejara throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Barrios avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barrios trying to control but Alejara is working from the bottom.
Alejara wants to stand up but Barrios is controlling him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barrios connects with a solid leg kick.

Alejara has closed the distance and engaged Barrios in a clinch.

Barrios turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Barrios manages to end up in side control.
Alejara tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Alejara sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alejara wants to control but Barrios is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Alejara manages to get to full guard.
Barrios looking to pass the guard.
Alejara looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alejara controls Barrios momentarily but Barrios frees himself.
Barrios really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Alejara. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Alejara is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Barrios is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Alejara will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

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.
Alejara working a defensive guard here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Alejara slaps away a takedown attempt from Barrios, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Javier Alejara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Barrios.
Barrios misses with a head kick.
Alejara tries to clinch
and Barrios makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Barrios tries to keep at a distance but Alejara has taken the fight into the clinch.
Alejara tries to land a knee to the head but Barrios blocks with his arms.

Alejara manages to break the clinch.
Barrios rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Alejara moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alejara looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alejara lands with a kick to the temple. Barrios shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Alejara misses with a head kick.
Alejara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Alejara dominated that round.
That's time! Alejara's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Alejara swats away the attempt to clinch by Barrios.
Alejara swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Barrios counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Alejara's guard now.

Barrios stands and steps away. Alejara gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Alejara gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Alejara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Alejara has taken the fight to the clinch.

Alejara has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Barrios regains guard immediately.
Alejara working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Barrios's head.
Alejara would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Alejara wants to pass the guard but Barrios is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alejara postures up in Barrios's guard and throws a big left but Barrios blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barrios scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Alejara clinches but Barrios breaks the clinch
and Barrios counters with a left and a right that stings Alejara.
Alejara misses with a head kick.
Barrios shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Alejara defends it nicely.
Barrios misses with the combination.
Alejara tries to clinch but Barrios is having none of it.
Barrios circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barrios tries to clinch there but Alejara circles away.
Alejara clinches but Barrios breaks the clinch
and Barrios counters with a nice uppercut.
Alejara goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Alejara clinches up against the cage.
Alejara is trying to drag Barrios to the mat but Barrios just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Barrios tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Alejara decides to pull guard.

Alejara has an active guard here but Barrios has managed to pass into half guard.
Barrios is pressing down on Alejara's thigh, looking to free his foot. Alejara is holding on for now.
Barrios trying to control from half guard but Alejara is working away.
Alejara missing with punches from the bottom.

Alejara actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alejara tries to get to full guard but Barrios has control of the leg.
Barrios moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Alejara.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barrios lands a nice forearm strike.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Alejara tries to clinch up
and Barrios counters with a stiff right hand.
Alejara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alejara tries to clinch but Barrios moves away
and Barrios makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's four 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.
Alejara tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barrios counters with an inside leg kick.

Alejara takes the fight into the clinch.

Alejara manages to pull guard.

Barrios got a little sloppy there for a moment and Alejara has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Barrios has managed to get both his arms back between Alejara's legs - danger averted.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Alejara holds on and takes a little breather.
Barrios preventing the sweep.
Barrios trying to control the position from guard on top but Alejara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Alejara is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rodrigo Barrios will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Alejara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barrios paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alejara closes the distance and clinches up with Barrios, looking for a takedown. Alejara pushes Barrios against the cage but Barrios circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Alejara moves in looking to clinch but Barrios pushes him off.
Barrios lands a two punch combo.
Alejara looks to clinch
and Barrios counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Alejara darts in and clinches Barrios up against the cage.
Barrios lands an uppercut.
Barrios blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Alejara prevents Barrios from breaking the clinch.
Alejara putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Barrios in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Barrios tries to break free but Alejara pushes him back against the cage.
Barrios drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Alejara lands a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Alejara breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barrios is looking to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Alejara really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Alejara breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alejara is looking to clinch.
Barrios wants to clinch but Alejara slips to the side

and Alejara holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Alejara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Alejara has taken the fight to the clinch.

Alejara escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Barrios tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Alejara moves into the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Alejara.

Alejara breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barrios scores with a leg kick.
Barrios swats away the attempt to clinch by Alejara.
Alejara leaves Barrios with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alejara will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Alejara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barrios swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Alejara pushes Barrios up against the cage in a clinch.
Barrios wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Barrios wants a takedown but no success here.
Javier Alejara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Barrios.
Knees to the body from Alejara.
Alejara lands an elbow inside.
Nice elbow from Alejara.
Barrios drops down looking for an ankle pick but Alejara pulls his leg out and moves away.
Alejara shoots in for a takedown but Barrios shows good takedown defense.
Alejara tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Barrios counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alejara connects with a knee to the head.

Alejara decides to pull guard.
Alejara is controlling Barrios's posture.
Barrios looking to sit in guard and control but Alejara gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Barrios is working an open guard so Alejara takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Alejara darts in trying to clinch
and Barrios counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Barrios wants to clinch.
Barrios swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Alejara has taken the fight to the clinch.

Alejara breaks the clinch.
Barrios lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Alejara throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Alejara tries to close the distance and clinch but Barrios swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barrios fails with the takedown.
Barrios tries to clinch up.
Alejara looks to land a combination but Barrios avoids it well.
Alejara tries to clinch up.
Alejara is looking to clinch but Barrios is avoiding it.
Barrios fails with an attempt to clinch.
Javier Alejara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barrios doesn't manage to clinch there - Alejara circles away.
Alejara defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Barrios.
Barrios throws a leg kick but Alejara sees it coming and moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Javier Alejara showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Alejara 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Javier Alejara!