PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Baries (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kook Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Baries might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to T.N.T.- AC/DC. Kook Connor is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Baries
vs
Connor

181 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
196 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Elite Golden Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Baries!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kook Connor!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Eliza Hachem and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Connor wants to clinch.
Baries moves away from the strike by Connor.
Kook Connor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Connor throws a series of punches but Baries moves out of range.
Connor tries a head kick but it misses.
Baries throws a head kick that misses.
Baries turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Baries throws a wild body kick that Connor sees coming a mile off.
Baries throws a nice outside leg kick.
Connor tries to clinch up.
Connor throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick by Connor misses

and Baries counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Connor just leaning against Baries, taking a breather.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Baries as Connor tries to tie him up.
Connor with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Baries with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Baries wants to stall.
Baries tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Connor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Connor tries to keep at a distance but Baries has taken the fight into the clinch.
Connor wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baries misses with a knee strike.
Connor looking to stall.
Baries tries to stall but Connor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Baries lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Connor backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Connor keeps control of Baries as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Connor crunches a lovely knee into Baries's ribcage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Connor looks gassed!
Baries tries to stall but Connor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Baries tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Connor lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Baries is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Connor is defending well for now.
Baries misses with a knee strike.
Connor tries to circle away but Baries has him pinned against the cage.

Connor breaks the clinch.

Connor clinches.
Connor wants to get back to striking at distance but Baries won't allow it.
Connor lands a nice uppercut.
Connor trying to control the position but instead, Baries has worked for underhooks and has pushed Connor into the cage.
Baries has had enough of the clinch but Connor keeps him there for the moment.
Connor misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baries stalling in the clinch but Connor improves position.
Connor looking to throw knees to the head but Baries is blocking nicely.
Baries tries to circle away but Connor has him pinned against the cage.
Baries tries a knee to the head but Connor blocks it.
Baries wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Connor has him pressed against the cage.
Baries blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Baries misses with a knee strike.
Connor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Baries using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Connor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Baries is trying to maintain a safe position but Connor gets an underhook and turns Baries into the cage.
Connor lands a left hand that snaps the head of Baries backwards.
Connor is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Baries looking to slow down the pace here.
Connor works on Baries's body with a couple of short punches.
Connor trying to stall but Baries improves his position.
Baries is trying to maintain a safe position but Connor gets an underhook and turns Baries into the cage.
Baries tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Baries using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Connor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baries is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Connor is defending well for now.
Connor is stalling here.
Connor scores with a shot to the side of Baries's head.
Baries tries to stall but Connor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Connor putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Baries in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Baries tries to stall but Connor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Connor tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Baries avoids it.
Connor misses with a knee strike.
Baries working Connor over with knees to the body.
Connor tries a knee to the head but Baries blocks it.
Baries lands a knee to the body.
Connor lands an elbow just above Baries 's eye.
Baries is trying to stall.
A right hook to the body lands for Connor.
Baries misses with a punch to the body.
Connor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but Baries blocks with his arms.
Connor keeps control of Baries as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

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.
Connor lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Connor breaks from the clinch.
Baries fails with an attempt to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Connor.
Baries connects with a high kick.
Connor scores with a leg kick.
Connor throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Connor circles away from the clinch attempt.
Connor misses with a double jab
and Baries counters with a nice low kick that buckles Connor's knee momentarily.
A head kick by Connor misses
and Baries counters with a good low kick that Connor was not able to check.
Baries doesn't manage to clinch there - Connor circles away.
Connor tries to clinch up
and Baries counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Connor takes a head kick and keeps coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Connor lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Connor takes the fight into the clinch.
Baries tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Baries with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Baries wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Connor has him pressed against the cage.
Baries is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Connor is defending well for now.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Baries is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Connor is defending well for now.
Connor works on Baries's body with a couple of short punches.
The referee calls for Connor to work.
Baries is trying to break the clinch but Connor has him pressed against the cage.
Baries tries to land knees in the clinch but Connor avoids the damage to the body.
Baries wants to get back to striking at distance but Connor won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baries stalling in the clinch but Connor improves position.
Connor is pushing Baries up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Connor with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Connor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Connor tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Baries counters with a nice low kick that buckles Connor's knee momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Connor drives through and clinches with Baries against the cage.
Connor leaning his opponent against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Connor with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Baries blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Baries with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Baries tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Connor manages to break the clinch.
Baries darts in trying to clinch

and Connor counters by moving into the clinch.
Baries with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Connor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Baries lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Connor has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Connor and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Baries tries to clinch but Connor is having none of it.
Connor tries to close the distance and clinch but Baries swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Some wild striking there from Baries.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Connor has managed to clinch.
Connor lands a shot to the body.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but Baries blocks with his arms.
Baries tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Connor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Baries tries to clinch but Connor moves out of range.
Baries throws a series of punches but Connor avoids them all with ease.

Connor gets a clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Baries.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but Baries blocks with his arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Connor lands a knee to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Connor.
Connor throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baries blocks it with crossed arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Baries with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Baries lands a body punch.
Connor is struggling to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Baries fails to land.
Connor just leaning against Baries, taking a breather.
Baries keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Connor's efforts to push away.
Connor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A bit of stalling here from Connor.
Connor using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Baries has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Connor tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Baries avoids it.
Baries wants to stall.
Baries tries to work over Connor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Connor crunches a lovely knee into Baries's ribcage.
Baries looking to throw knees to the head but Connor is blocking nicely.
Connor scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Baries using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Connor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Connor scores a nice knee to the body.
Baries tries a knee to the head but Connor blocks it.
Connor is trying to stall.
Connor throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baries blocks it with crossed arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Connor tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Baries's elbow.
Baries with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Connor with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Connor lands a knee to the body.
Baries looking to throw knees to the head but Connor is blocking nicely.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Connor avoiding damage as Baries throws knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Baries.
Connor using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Baries has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Connor pressing his opponent against the cage.
Baries lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Baries.
Connor putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Baries in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Connor tries to circle away but Baries has him pinned against the cage.
Baries with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Connor breaks the clinch.
Connor closes the distance but Baries moves to the side

and Baries moves into the clinch.
Connor scores with a knee to the head.
A short body shot lands from Baries as the two fighters clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kook Connor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Baries misses with a head kick.
Connor tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Connor tries to clinch but Baries moves out of range.
Connor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baries is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A head kick by Connor misses
and Baries counters with a nice body kick.
Baries tries to close the distance and clinch but Connor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Baries throws a head kick that misses.
Baries misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Connor tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Baries counters with a nice body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baries wants to clinch but Connor slips to the side

and Connor counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Connor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Baries throws a head kick that Connor semi-blocks.
Connor throws a head kick that misses

and Baries moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor scores a nice knee to the body.
Baries misses with a knee to the head.
Connor working Baries over with knees to the body.
Connor misses with a knee to the head.
Baries tries to land a knee to the head but Connor blocks with his arms.
Connor is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Connor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Baries using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Connor avoiding damage as Baries throws knees to the body.
Connor with a knee to the head.
Connor is looking to control Baries's arms but Baries gets an underhook and turns him. Now Connor has his back to the cage.
Baries wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A frustrated look appears on Baries's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Connor throws a knee to the head but misses.
Baries landing knees to the body.
Connor lands a nice shot to the body.
Connor using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Baries has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Connor missing with knees to the body.
Connor misses with an elbow over the top.
Connor tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Connor landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

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.
Baries looking to slow down the pace here.
The referee is keeping an eye on Connor - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Connor lands a body punch.
Baries with a knee to the head.
Baries missing with knees to the body.
Baries tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Connor avoids it.
Baries is trying to break free.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Connor as Baries tries to tie him up.
Connor lands a nice knee to the body.
Connor working Baries over with knees to the body.
Baries taking a breather.
Connor unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Connor lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A knee to the head by Baries.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Connor.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Connor as Baries tries to tie him up.
Connor tries to land a knee to the head but Baries blocks with his arms.

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

Connor gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Connor - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Baries takes a knee to the side of the body.
Baries has a couple of punches blocked by Connor.
Connor has Baries pressed against the cage, preventing Baries from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Connor works on Baries's body with a couple of short punches.
Baries stalling in the clinch but Connor improves position.

Connor breaks from the clinch.
Baries looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Baries swats away the attempt to clinch by Connor.
Connor throws a lazy head kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Baries tries a head kick but it misses.
Connor throws a head kick that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Connor throws a head kick that misses
and Baries counters with a head kick.
Connor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Connor drives through and clinches with Baries against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Baries fails to land.
A knee to the head by Baries.

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.
Baries trying to control the position but instead, Connor has worked for underhooks and has pushed Baries into the cage.

Connor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Connor closes the distance and clinches.
Connor managing to block the knees to the body from Baries.
Baries is looking to control Connor's arms but Connor gets an underhook and turns him. Now Baries has his back to the cage.
Connor slows down the pace here.
Connor looking to throw knees to the head but Baries is blocking nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Connor goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Connor wants to stall.
Baries is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Connor is keeping busy.
Baries using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Connor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kook Connor.
I think Connor 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kook Connor!