PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Eli Barden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and EJ Tap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tap has chosen Pop Lock and Drop It as his entrance music. EJ Tap has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Eli Barden's chin.

Barden
vs
Tap

191 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

170 cm
27
180 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Powerful

White Gorilla Nutrition
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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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eli Barden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, EJ Tap!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Barden. Tap does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barden ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tap moves away.

Tap closes the distance and pushes Barden back into the cage.
Tap drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tap misses with a punch on the inside.
Barden wants to get back to striking at distance but Tap won't allow it.
Barden tries to break free but Tap pushes him back against the cage.
Barden wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tap has him pressed against the cage.
Barden stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Barden escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tap is looking to clinch.
Tap fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barden stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Barden wants it to stay on the feet.
Barden looks to score with a jab to the body but Tap is just out of range.
Tap misses with the combination.

Tap rushes Barden and presses him up against the cage.
Barden wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Tap gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Tap is keen to just control but Barden is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden is looking for a sweep. Tap is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barden keeping control of the position.
Tap thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Barden to regain full guard.

Barden kicks Tap off and gets to his feet.
Tap takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Barden throws a shot from downtown. Tap moves away and avoids it.

Tap shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Barden manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tap looking to sit in guard and control but Barden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Barden tries to stand but Tap is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tap has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Barden can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Barden works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Tap makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tap.
Barden wants to control from the top but Tap keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barden wanted to stand there but Tap had control of the position.
Barden preventing the sweep.

Tap throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tap keeping moving, preventing Barden from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barden falls off balance throwing a combination

and Tap decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Barden's guard.
Barden looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Tap puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Tap prevents Barden from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tap performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Tap not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tap throwing shots but Barden is blocking nicely.
Barden is trying to control but can't.
Barden tries to roll over but Tap keeps him under control.
Tap with the ground and pound but Barden uses the opportunity to regain guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

EJ Tap dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tap on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Barden misses with a hook. Tap ducked under it nicely.
Nice defenses there by Barden.
Eli Barden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tap wants to clinch.
Tap moves out of range of the leg kick from Barden.
Tap moves out of range as Barden strikes.
The fighters circling - Barden throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Barden tries a low kick but Tap avoids it.
Tap throws a series of punches but Barden avoids them all with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tap throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Barden was covering up waiting for the punch and Tap finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Tap looking to sit in guard and control but Barden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden controlling from the top position.

Tap working for a triangle but Barden defends it easily.
Tap working a defensive guard but Barden manages to pass into side control anyway.
Barden tries to stand but Tap is controlling his head.
Tap is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tap is looking to improve his position.

Barden stands up and beckons Tap to join him on the feet.
Barden looks to score with a jab to the body but Tap is just out of range.
Tap shoots for a double leg takedown but Barden sprawls well. He's pushed Tap's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tap doesn't manage to clinch there - Barden circles away.
Tap looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barden is fending him off so far but Tap persists. Nope, Barden circles away and we're back to standing.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Barden, as that shot connected.
Eli Barden is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tap tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barden swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tap fails with the takedown.
Eli Barden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of EJ Tap.
Tap tries to close the distance and clinch but Barden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Tap closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barden trying to control from the bottom.
Tap prevents Barden from standing back up.
Barden keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Barden works his way to full guard. Good work.

Tap has gone for a leg lock! Barden slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tap's guard.
Tap is breathing heavily.
Tap looking for a sweep. Not yet Tap, not yet.

Tap escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Barden gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tap is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
EJ Tap has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four 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.
Barden trying to control the position from guard on top but Tap is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barden is stalling in the full guard.

Tap is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Barden stays in close to Tap's body and controls the position.
Barden trying to control but Tap is working from the bottom.
Tap is looking to sweep but instead, Barden has passed into 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 Eli Barden will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Barden misses with a jab to the body

and Tap counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tap.
Tap trying to control the position from guard on top but Barden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barden wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tap accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Barden preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tap trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tap throwing strikes but missing.
Barden is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Tap in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Barden swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tap blocks the body kick.
Tap shoots in looking for a takedown. Barden tries to sprawl out of it but Tap keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barden manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Barden throws a low kick but Tap avoids it.
Barden throws a right hand that Tap ducks under and follows up with a left that Tap also avoids with ease.
Barden stuffs the takedown attempt from Tap. Tap gets slowly back to his feet.
Tap keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Barden.
No luck for Tap with that takedown attempt.
Eli Barden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of EJ Tap.
Tap shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barden but Barden pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Tap takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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.
Tap on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Barden misses with a hook.
Tap ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barden misses with an uppercut. Tap saw that one coming.
Barden throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A big left from Barden misses.
Tap moves out of range of the strikes.
A cross from Tap lands.
Tap shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barden but Barden pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Tap feints and as Barden raises his hands in defense, Tap changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tap thows a big elbow that misses.
Tap controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tap throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barden works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Barden will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tap stops Barden from standing up.
Tap wants to control from the top but Barden keeps moving.
Tap is looking to work some ground and pound but Barden has wrist control.
Tap scoring with punches to the head and body.
Tap is looking to work some ground and pound but Barden has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Barden looking to control.
Barden preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Tap has taken the fight to the clinch.
Barden is trying to force a seperation but Tap has the dominant position.
A frustrated look appears on Barden's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Barden wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tap has him pressed against the cage.
Tap is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barden pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A short right from Tap.

Barden breaks from the clinch.
Tap blocks a head kick by Barden.
Barden on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Barden is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tap.

Tap has managed to clinch.
Tap pushes Barden back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Barden breaks from the clinch.
Barden lands a two punch combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
EJ Tap comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tap has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... EJ Tap!