PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Matt Damon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shoenfield Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Shoenfield Barnes enters the cage!

Damon
vs
Barnes

185 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Matt Damon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shoenfield Barnes!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Francis DeMontford and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damon fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Barnes with a nice cross.

Damon gets caught flat footed, as Barnes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Barnes engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Damon looking to control.
Damon really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Damon looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Damon trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Barnes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Damon, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Damon tries to sprawl but Barnes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Barnes is taking a breather. Damon says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Barnes is pressing down on Damon's thigh, looking to free his foot. Damon is holding on for now.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barnes working the head and body with strikes.
Barnes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
It looks like Barnes might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damon trying to control from the bottom.
Barnes trying to pass the guard but Damon defending well.
Damon is trying to maintain the position but Barnes is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Damon gets caught napping as Barnes dives in and scores a takedown. Damon manages to retain guard.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Damon is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Damon is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Barnes presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Barnes breaks the clinch.
Damon tries to clinch there but Barnes circles away.
Barnes raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Damon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Barnes has a takedown stuffed.
It looked like Damon was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Damon fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damon shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barnes as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Damon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Damon is breathing heavily.
Damon misses with a takedown attempt - Barnes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barnes should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Barnes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Damon is being controlled here.
Barnes is continuing to stall.

Barnes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barnes staying calm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shoenfield Barnes dominated 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.

Barnes turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
No luck for Barnes with that takedown attempt.

Barnes has closed the distance and engaged Damon in a clinch.

Barnes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice takedown defense from Barnes. No joy for Damon on that attempt.

Barnes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Barnes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
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.
Shoenfield Barnes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barnes trying to control the action but Damon is working from the bottom.
Barnes stalling.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Damon is looking for a sweep. Barnes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.

Barnes looking to score a takedown here. Damon is defending well but Barnes drives through and ends up in Damon's guard.
Barnes slips nicely into half guard.
Barnes content to control rather than advance.
Barnes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Damon defending well though.
Barnes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The adventures of Barnes the control monster continue. Boring.
Barnes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Damon wants to improve his position but Barnes is controlling well.
Damon tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Damon wants to clinch.

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.
Barnes fails with an attempt to clinch.

Barnes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Barnes stalling.
Barnes is trying to control the action in half guard but Damon is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Well, if Barnes is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shoenfield Barnes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Barnes throws the kick towards the body but Damon avoids it.
Damon shoots in for a takedown but Barnes shows good takedown defense.
Damon shoots in for a takedown but Barnes shows good takedown defense.
Damon is looking to clinch but Barnes is avoiding it.
Barnes throws a predictable looking body shot
and Damon counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Barnes shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Barnes is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Damon!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damon taking shots to the head.
Barnes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Damon tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Barnes lands a couple of good shots and Damon has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Damon is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Can Damon hold on?! Barnes is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Barnes is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Let's hope that Barnes has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Damon trying to control the position but Barnes manages to sink in the hooks.

Barnes is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Barnes slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barnes working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Barnes slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Barnes scores with punches from the back.
Damon is covering up but some of the strikes from Barnes are getting through and doing damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes is landing with strikes. Damon can't take much more of this.

Barnes is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Damon trying to control the hands but Barnes breaks the grip.
Barnes really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Damon.

Barnes is looking for a choke. Damon gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Damon manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shoenfield Barnes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Barnes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shoenfield Barnes!