PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fouad Barayev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jrock Mandela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barayev comes to the cage accompanied by MEDINE. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Barayev
vs
Mandela

190 cm
21
185 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
195 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Non-Stop Nutrition
XXX Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fouad Barayev!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jrock Mandela!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mandela darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mandela throwing shots but Barayev is blocking nicely.
Barayev is refusing to be controlled, as Mandela sits in half guard.
Barayev tries to roll over but Mandela keeps him under control.
Mandela not doing much here.
Barayev slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mandela with a nice head shot there.
Barayev keeping moving, preventing Mandela from controlling successfully.
Mandela looking to pass the guard.

Barayev is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Barayev trying to keep a closed guard but Mandela is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barayev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mandela passes Barayev's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Mandela performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Mandela lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mandela tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barayev knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Barayev is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mandela's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mandela's back!
Mandela controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Mandela tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Mandela is working to get back to half guard.

Barayev stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Barayev is breathing heavily.
Barayev doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Mandela counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Barayev!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandela controlling from the full mount.
Barayev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Barayev tries to hold on but Mandela pushes him away.
Mandela content just to control the position here.
Mandela is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Barayev is in real trouble.
Mandela has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mandela is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

Barayev defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Mandela's arms.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barayev is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Mandela looking to break Barayev's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Barayev remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Mandela will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Barayev manages to reverse the position and now he's in Mandela's guard. Nice work there by Barayev.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mandela pulls Barayev in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barayev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barayev wants to control from the top but Mandela keeps moving.
Barayev is pushing down on Mandela's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mandela is fighting to maintain full guard but Barayev has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mandela is looking to control Barayev's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mandela avoid being mounted?
Barayev trying to pass the guard but Mandela defending well.
Mandela preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Barayev passes the guard and advances to mount!

Barayev has hold of Mandela's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Mandela manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Barayev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mandela is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mandela is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barayev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Barayev cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Barayev stands up from mount. Strange move.

Barayev closes the distance and clinches.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Barayev just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mandela's brow.
Mandela prevents a takedown attempt there.
Barayev can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fouad Barayev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barayev tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mandela just stands there and leans against the cage.
Mandela is looking to break free of the clinch but Barayev has double underhooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mandela has Barayev pushed against the cage.
Barayev has Mandela pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Mandela manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Mandela works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Barayev manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Mandela is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jrock Mandela dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Barayev closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Barayev lands in his opponent's guard.
Barayev stands up over Mandela, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Barayev is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Barayev trying to control but Mandela is working from the bottom.
Barayev stopping the sweep attempt from Mandela.
Barayev trying to control but Mandela is working from the bottom.
Mandela can't keep his opponent in guard - Barayev advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mandela manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mandela bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Barayev's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mandela looking to sit in guard and control but Barayev gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandela is trying to keep Barayev in close.
Mandela keeping moving, preventing Barayev from controlling successfully.
Barayev wants to get up but he can't break Mandela's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Barayev wants to control from the top but Mandela keeps moving.
Jrock Mandela has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mandela throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Mandela looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barayev is one step ahead there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Barayev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Mandela counters with a takedown into side control.
Mandela scoring with punches from side control.
Barayev is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mandela off and has taken his back!

Mandela preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Barayev.

Barayev looking for the RNC.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barayev working for a choke but Mandela reverses nicely into Barayev 's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mandela's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Barayev keeping moving, preventing Mandela from controlling successfully.
Barayev manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mandela manages to get himself to full guard.
Mandela trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Barayev drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Barayev jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mandela is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Barayev looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barayev is looking to control Mandela's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barayev avoid being mounted?

Mandela is trying to work for a kimura but Barayev is defending well.
Barayev keeping control of the position.
Barayev is trying to maintain the position but Mandela is very close to passing his half guard.

Barayev looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Mandela seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Barayev is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:04 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Jrock Mandela!
Jrock Mandela is the new middleweight champion!