PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jenji Ueda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rock Barden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ueda comes to the cage accompanied by Requiem for a Dream. Rock Barden will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ueda
vs
Barden

172 cm
34
161 lbs
17 - 10 - 1

176 cm
21
163 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Experienced

STEEL PENN'S 160 OF STEEL $50

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 17 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Jenji Ueda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rock Barden!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barden keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ueda looks to land a left hand but Barden moved out of range nicely.
Ueda misses with a body kick.
Ueda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ueda closes the distance but Barden moves to the side
and Barden counters with a series of strikes. Ueda will be more careful next time no doubt.
Barden moves out of range of the body kick.
Ueda takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Barden scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A thudding body kick lands there by Barden!
Barden scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Barden keeps the fight on the outside.
Ueda closes the distance looking to clinch
and Barden counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Barden scores with a spinning back kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ueda connects with a high kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ueda shoots in and drives through. Barden sprawls well.
Ueda is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Barden is looking to slow Ueda down with leg kicks.
Barden misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barden tries to bum rush Ueda with a series of wild strikes but Ueda uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ueda blocks a head kick by Barden.
Barden displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ueda throws out the jab.
Barden scores with a shot to the body.
Barden throws a series of punches but Ueda avoids them all with ease.
Barden ducks under a wild hook from Ueda.
Barden lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barden thuds his right hand into Ueda's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Ueda pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barden throws the kick towards the body but Ueda avoids it.
Barden tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Ueda is able to avoid easily.
Barden misses with a head kick.
Ueda fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barden swings for the body but Ueda moves out of range.
Barden misses with the combination.
Nice takedown defense from Barden. No joy for Ueda on that attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barden slaps away a takedown attempt from Ueda, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jenji Ueda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ueda moves out of range as Barden strikes.
Ueda on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ueda avoids the body shot from Barden.
Ueda tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barden swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barden throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ueda moves into the clinch.
Ueda has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Barden avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ueda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Barden breaks from the clinch.
Ueda shoots for a double leg takedown but Barden sprawls well. He's pushed Ueda's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Barden avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barden lands with a nice body punch.
Ueda blocks the body kick.
Barden scores with a three punch combo!
Ueda shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ueda wants to clinch.
Barden cracks Ueda with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ueda moves away from the strike by Barden.
Ueda moves into range and connects with a jab.
Barden lands the left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good standup being displayed there by Barden as he connects with a hook.
Ueda fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barden throws a lazy head kick
and Ueda counters with a straight right hand.
Ueda throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ueda doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Barden misses with a head kick.
Ueda moves out of range as Barden throws a body kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A telegraphed right hand from Ueda misses the target.
A slapping body kick lands there for Ueda.
Barden jabs at Ueda's body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ueda doesn't manage to clinch there - Barden circles away.
Ueda lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ueda looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
No joy there for Barden, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barden tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rock Barden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ueda instigates a clinch.
Ueda has a couple of punches blocked by Barden.
Ueda creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A frustrated look appears on Barden's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ueda using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barden has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ueda takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ueda looking to throw knees to the head but Barden is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ueda is trying to maintain a safe position but Barden gets an underhook and turns Ueda into the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ueda takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ueda misses with the head strike.
Ueda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ueda misses with an elbow over the top.
Ueda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ueda misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Barden.

Barden breaks the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ueda. Barden does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ueda takes a swing at Barden's ribcage but misses.
Ueda moves in looking to clinch but Barden pushes him off.
Rock Barden is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barden scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Ueda misses.
Barden ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ueda tries for a takedown but Barden sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ueda throws a leg kick but Barden sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Barden throws a sloppy head kick and Ueda moves out of range easily.

Ueda has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ueda keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barden's efforts to push away.
Ueda is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Barden is keeping busy.
Ueda misses with a punch to the body.
Ueda tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Barden avoids it.
Ueda using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barden has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barden breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A nice combination there by Barden.
Barden throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Barden looks to score with a jab to the body but Ueda is just out of range.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Ueda. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Ueda moves out of range of the body kick.
Jenji Ueda is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barden keeps the fight on the outside.
Barden stuns Ueda with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Barden thows a left - swing and a miss!

Ueda shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ueda showed some decent athleticism there.
Ueda working over Barden with some ground and pound. Barden looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ueda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ueda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barden's head.
Ueda has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ueda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ueda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Barden pushes Ueda off looking to stand but Ueda dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barden won't allow Ueda to pass to mount.
Ueda working Barden over with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jenji Ueda dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ueda tries to clinch but Barden is having none of it.
Barden just misses with a punch to the body.
Ueda tries to close the distance and clinch but Barden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ueda fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barden ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ueda scores with a leg kick.
Ueda throws out a leg kick but Barden moves out of range and Ueda only half commits.
Barden throws a jab but it's blocked by Ueda.
Barden scores with a nice body kick.
Barden throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barden lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ueda will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Barden misses with a leg kick
and Ueda counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Ueda closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ueda lands in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden wants to stand and escape but Ueda is having none of it.
Ueda wants to control from the top but Barden keeps moving.
Barden wants to get back to his feet but Ueda is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Jenji Ueda wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
No luck for Ueda with that takedown attempt.
Barden is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Ueda rather than just go for the knockout.
Ueda avoids the head kick by Barden.
Ueda throws a head kick that misses
and Barden counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Ueda throws a leg kick but Barden sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Barden misses with a looping left.
Ueda throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ueda fails with a takedown attempt.
Ueda tries to land a leg kick but Barden saw it coming and moves away.
Ueda misses the jab.
Ueda wants to clinch up but Barden keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ueda tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A left and a right from Barden both land. Nice combination.
Ueda takes one to the chin there.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ueda tries to land knees in the clinch but Barden avoids the damage to the body.
Ueda tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jenji Ueda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barden managing to block the knees to the body from Ueda.
Barden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ueda is looking to control Barden's arms but Barden gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ueda has his back to the cage.
Ueda is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Barden is defending well for now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ueda keeps control of Barden as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ueda trying to land knees to the body.
Barden is looking to break free of the clinch but Ueda has double underhooks.
Ueda can't find room to land a body shot as Barden controls the action.
Ueda missing with knees to the body.
Barden blocks a body shot from Ueda.
Ueda is trying to stall.
Barden prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barden is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Barden blocks the elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jenji Ueda showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ueda has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jenji Ueda!
Jenji Ueda thanked the fans post fight for their support.