PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Samuel Kraken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hoppsan Barley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kraken comes to the cage accompanied by Stayin' Alive. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kraken
vs
Barley

178 cm
24
160 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

176 cm
22
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Samuel Kraken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hoppsan Barley!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, William Gold and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barley misses with a takedown attempt - Kraken sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barley checks a leg kick.
Nice body punch from Barley.
Kraken fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Barley checks it well.
Barley thows a body shot but no joy.
Barley misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Barley fails with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Barley misses the target.

Kraken rushes Barley and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Kraken breaks from the clinch.

Kraken fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barley, pushing him back against the cage.
Kraken goes for a takedown attempt but Barley pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Barley shoots in and drives through. Kraken sprawls well.
Samuel Kraken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hoppsan Barley.

Barley shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kraken is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Barley.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraken is squirming around, avoiding Barley's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barley avoids the attempt from Kraken to control.
Kraken working to try and regain half guard.
Kraken wants to hold on but Barley pushes him away.
Barley controlling his opponent.
Kraken really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

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.
Kraken wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Barley.
Barley fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Barley working the ground and pound effectively.
Barley controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraken keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Barley tries to control but Kraken wriggling away.
Barley avoids the attempt from Kraken to control.
Kraken keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kraken wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Barley.
Kraken tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Barley looking to finish Kraken with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kraken!
Barley tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Barley has control of Kraken's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kraken regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Barley working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hoppsan Barley dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Barley jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barley lands a nice shot that snaps Kraken's head back.

Kraken gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Barley lands a knee to the body.
Barley wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kraken tries to circle away but Barley has him pinned against the cage.
Barley prevents Kraken from breaking the clinch.
Kraken on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Barley keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kraken's efforts to push away.
Barley has Kraken pressed against the cage, preventing Kraken from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kraken avoiding damage as Barley throws knees to the body.

Kraken escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kraken misses with a head kick.
Kraken lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Barley tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kraken is looking to score with low kicks.
Samuel Kraken is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kraken throws a combination that misses

and Barley holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Barley can't get the takedown.

Barley breaks from the clinch.
Kraken throws a leg kick that misses.
Barley shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kraken as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraken fails with a takedown attempt.
A cross from Barley lands.
Kraken uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Barley.
Kraken is looking to score with low kicks.
Kraken jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Kraken displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barley throws out the jab.

Barley rushes Kraken and presses him up against the cage.

Barley gets control of Kraken's arms and successfully pulls guard. Barley will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Barley keeping full guard, as Kraken tries to pass.
Kraken throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barley has his foot on Kraken's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kraken works his way back into a safe position though.
Kraken has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Barley is controlling Kraken's posture.
Kraken slips nicely into half guard.
Barley is staying active underneath Kraken, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Barley keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Barley blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kraken.
Barley is looking to control Kraken's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barley avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barley makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Barley.
Kraken stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barley swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kraken throws a low kick, looking for Barley's leg but Barley calmly moves out of range.
Barley tries to work over Kraken's front leg with a kick but Kraken checks it.
Barley blocks a low kick nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kraken shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barley as he jumps to the side.
Kraken scores with a hook to the body. Barley takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Barley scores with a decent looking hook.
No luck for Barley with that takedown attempt.
Samuel Kraken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hoppsan Barley.
Kraken throws a head kick but Barley moves out of range.
Barley throws a right and a left that Kraken avoids nicely.

Barley has Kraken up against the cage in a clinch.
Barley looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Barley breaks from the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Barley.
Barley lands a nice shot that snaps Kraken's head back.
Kraken looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Barley throws a body punch but Kraken moves out of range.
Kraken misses with the combination.
Kraken will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kraken wants to land a leg kick but Barley is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hoppsan Barley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Barley misses with a hook.
Barley throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Kraken shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Barley napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Kraken looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Barley is avoiding damage well.
Barley can't do much from the bottom here.

Kraken goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Barley has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Kraken but great work by Barley.
Kraken avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Barley.
Kraken is looking for a sweep.

Barley is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Kraken looks calm but he's in trouble here. Barley gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Kraken is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Barley lets go of the hold and Kraken can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Hoppsan Barley!