PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Barris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jakob Kellerman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kellerman has chosen When Darkness Falls as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Barris
vs
Kellerman

171 cm
21
144 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
146 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Reaper Combatwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Barris!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jakob Kellerman!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barris dodges the punch combination from Kellerman.
Kellerman throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Kellerman misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barris takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Kellerman throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kellerman stuffs the takedown attempt from Barris. Barris gets slowly back to his feet.
Barris looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kellerman is fending him off so far but Barris persists. Nope, Kellerman circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barris stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kellerman gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Barris decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kellerman's guard.
Barris looking to pass the guard.
Barris pushing down on Kellerman's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Barris is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kellerman trying to control here.
Kellerman tries to roll over but Barris keeps him under control.
Kellerman trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barris is looking for a kimura here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Barris is looking for a kimura but Kellerman is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Barris to get the leverage.
Barris trying to pass the guard but Kellerman defending well.
Kellerman is looking to control Barris's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kellerman avoid being mounted?

Barris is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kellerman is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barris content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kellerman tries to roll over but Barris keeps him under control.
Kellerman wants to get back to his feet.

Barris seems to be looking for submissions.
Barris is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Kellerman is bucking up trying to escape but Barris cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Barris tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Barris working for a submission but Kellerman is keeping him at bay.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Barris cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Kellerman really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barris. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Barris avoids the attempt from Kellerman to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Poor strikes thrown by Barris there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Barris controlling the pace for now.
Kellerman tries to reverse the position but Barris maintains control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barris is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kellerman can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Barris has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kellerman's face.

Barris is working for a guillotine from mount but Kellerman frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Barris dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Barris shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kellerman but Kellerman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kellerman fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Barris is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horrible takedown by Barris or perhaps it was just good defense by Kellerman which made him look bad.
Barris comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kellerman throws out a leg kick but Barris moves out of range and Kellerman only half commits.
Barris lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Barris lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
John Barris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kellerman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kellerman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kellerman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Kellerman gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barris pushing down on Kellerman's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kellerman is looking to escape.

Barris is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kellerman doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Barris.
Kellerman is looking to improve his position.
Barris is looking to stall here but Kellerman recovers full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barris trying to control the position from guard on top but Kellerman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barris tries to free his leg and advance position but Kellerman is retaining full guard.

Barris thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Barris trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Barris wants to control from the top but Kellerman keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barris postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. John Barris wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A leg kick checked by Barris.
Kellerman throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Barris.
Kellerman throws a head kick that misses
and Kellerman takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Barris shoots in for a takedown but Kellerman shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Barris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kellerman fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Barris is out of range.
Barris will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Barris dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Barris closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kellerman circles away.
Barris fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kellerman throws a nice looking combination but Barris bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barris blocks a head kick by Kellerman.
Barris has a takedown stuffed.
Kellerman finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barris feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kellerman's calf.
Barris misses with an attempted mid kick.
Barris tries to close the distance and clinch but Kellerman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barris tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kellerman is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Barris pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Kellerman back to the cage. Barris follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A combination from Kellerman does no damage.
Barris tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kellerman swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Barris. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barris moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Kellerman misses with a wild combination.
Kellerman shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Barris thumps Kellerman with a low kick.
Barris moves out of range of the leg kick from Kellerman.
Barris misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barris scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Barris fails to land the takedown.
Kellerman misses with a two punch combination.
Barris throws a series of punches but Kellerman avoids them all with ease.
Kellerman lands with a slapping head kick.
Kellerman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barris dives in and grabs Kellerman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kellerman pushes down on Barris's head and hops out.
Barris tries to clinch up but Kellerman circles away and keeps his distance.
Barris takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Jakob Kellerman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barris connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Barris closes the distance and clinches up with Kellerman, looking for a takedown. Barris pushes Kellerman against the cage but Kellerman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Good leg kick by Kellerman there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Barris clearly takes that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kellerman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kellerman wants it to stay on the feet.
Barris closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kellerman circles away.
Barris thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kellerman if he has to take too many more of those.
Barris fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Barris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kellerman is looking to land body kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some bone on bone action there as Barris checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Barris shoots in for a takedown but Kellerman shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Kellerman tries a head kick but it misses.
Kellerman misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kellerman throws a low kick, looking for Barris's leg but Barris calmly moves out of range.
Kellerman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barris misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kellerman throws a leg kick
and Barris counters with a three punch combo that has Kellerman backing up. Kellerman nods at Barris to acknowledge the strikes.
Barris tries to close the distance and clinch but Kellerman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Barris shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Barris with the ground and pound from mount.
Kellerman tries to control the position but Barris now has his back.

Barris is cranking Kellerman's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Kellerman! He's tightened the choke and Kellerman is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). John Barris!
John Barris retains his featherweight title!