PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dave Barrera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barrera's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Deadlock - Bloodpact. Randy Rhodes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Barrera
vs
Rhodes

200 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
22
148 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dave Barrera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Randy Rhodes!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barrera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barrera takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Barrera misses with a head kick.
Barrera on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Rhodes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barrera looks for a takedown but Rhodes sprawls well.
Rhodes takes a swing at Barrera's ribcage but misses.
Barrera shoots for a double leg takedown but Rhodes sprawls well. He's pushed Barrera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Rhodes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barrera, pushing him back against the cage.
Barrera wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rhodes tries for a takedown but Barrera manages to get underhooks.
Rhodes's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Barrera drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Barrera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rhodes has Barrera pushed against the cage.
Barrera wants to break free but Rhodes has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barrera is working for takedown but Rhodes is calmly controlling the position for now.
Barrera prevents the takedown attempt.

Rhodes pulls guard.
Barrera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rhodes is keeping the position for now.
Barrera has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Barrera is breathing heavily.
Barrera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rhodes is looking to stand back up but Barrera counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Rhodes.
Rhodes is pressing down on Barrera's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Barrera avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rhodes trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Barrera trying to control the position from guard on top but Rhodes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barrera has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rhodes is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rhodes is on top in guard.

Barrera has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rhodes off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Barrera takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Dave Barrera has been cut.
Rhodes fails with the takedown
letting Barrera counter with a right hand.
Rhodes throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rhodes fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Barrera.
Rhodes fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barrera blocks a head kick by Rhodes.
Barrera misses with a kick to the body
letting Rhodes counter with a right hand.
A nice combination there by Rhodes.

Rhodes looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Barrera missing with punches from the bottom.
Barrera is pressing down on Rhodes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rhodes is looking to stand up but Barrera won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes wants to control from the top but Barrera keeps moving.
Rhodes passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Barrera explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Barrera throws a left and a right that both miss

and Rhodes counters with a shoot takedown. Barrera fights it but they end up in guard.
Barrera will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rhodes stays in close to Barrera's body and controls the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rhodes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rhodes wants to control from the top but Barrera keeps moving.
Rhodes landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Rhodes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Barrera's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

No joy there for Barrera, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rhodes tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barrera counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rhodes is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rhodes shoots in looking for a takedown. Barrera tries to sprawl out of it but Rhodes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barrera manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barrera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barrera misses with a double jab

and Rhodes counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Barrera!
Rhodes tries to control but Barrera wriggling away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rhodes controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rhodes scoring with strikes but Barrera is staying in there.
Rhodes postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Barrera looks a forlorn figure.
Barrera looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Barrera holding both Rhodes 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Barrera prevents Rhodes from getting a body triangle.
Rhodes lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Rhodes. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Rhodes throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Barrera!
Barrera turns into Rhodes and is now in his guard.
Rhodes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Barrera!
Rhodes has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Barrera's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barrera in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Barrera tries to improve his position but instead Rhodes has taken his back!
Rhodes is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Barrera up.
Rhodes has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Barrera.
Barrera breaks Rhodes's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Barrera slips nicely into half guard.
Rhodes is trying to control but can't.
Rhodes looks like he's trying to stand up.
Randy Rhodes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rhodes is pressing down on Barrera's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Barrera throwing strikes from guard but Rhodes blocks nicely.

Rhodes is looking for a triangle but Barrera pushes his legs off easily.
Rhodes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barrera.

Barrera has gone for a leg lock! Rhodes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Barrera's guard.

Rhodes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Rhodes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dave Barrera's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Barrera misses with a double jab.
Rhodes goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rhodes throws a head kick that Barrera semi-blocks.
Barrera lands with an overhand left.
Barrera keeps the fight on the outside.
Barrera lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rhodes backs up against the cage.
Some wild striking there from Barrera.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Barrera as he avoids it easily.
Rhodes throws a head kick but Barrera moves out of range.

Rhodes rushes Barrera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Rhodes gets control of Barrera's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rhodes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Rhodes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Barrera advances position into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes gets back to half guard.
Rhodes striking from the bottom.
Barrera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rhodes's head.

Rhodes has one foot on Barrera's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Barrera. No joy for Rhodes on that attempt.
Rhodes misses with a takedown attempt - Barrera sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dave Barrera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Rhodes.
Rhodes tries to close the distance and clinch but Barrera swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rhodes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Barrera counters with a left and a right that stings Rhodes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barrera misses with a combination
letting Rhodes counter with a right hand.

Barrera closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rhodes to the mat! Rhodes manages to get full guard.
Barrera wants to stand but Rhodes is controlling his posture from full guard.
Barrera really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Barrera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rhodes controls Barrera momentarily but Barrera frees himself.
Barrera trying to control the position from guard on top but Rhodes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barrera drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rhodes manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Barrera has Rhodes in his guard.
Rhodes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barrera wants to stand up but Rhodes is controlling him.
Barrera wants to get back to his feet but Rhodes passes into half guard.
Rhodes passes to full mount!
Rhodes breaks from Barrera's wrist control and lands an elbow.

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.
Barrera is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rhodes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Barrera is looking to escape.
Barrera is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rhodes avoids the attempt from Barrera to control.
Dave Barrera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Randy Rhodes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rhodes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Randy Rhodes.
Well Rhodes 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy Rhodes!