PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Barnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gaius Julius Caesar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Caesar has chosen Warriors of the World as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Josh Barnett is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Barnett
vs
Julius Caesar

191 cm
34
284 lbs
25 - 13 - 0

200 cm
38
290 lbs
24 - 14 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Barnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Gaius Julius Caesar !
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Ben Hemmingworth and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Caesar moves to clinch but Barnett breaks away

and Barnett counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Caesar !
Caesar wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Barnett wants to lay and pray for a moment but Caesar keeps working.

Barnett looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Barnett is looking to take a break and control but Caesar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caesar regains half guard, as Barnett was trying to land strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnett thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Caesar 's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barnett is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Caesar defends it well.
Barnett throwing shots but Caesar is blocking nicely.
Caesar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barnett.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnett stops Caesar from getting back to his feet.

Barnett is looking for a kimura here.

Barnett is looking for a kimura but Caesar is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Barnett to get the leverage.

Barnett is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Barnett is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Caesar doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Barnett.

That's two 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.
Caesar is trying to stand back up but Barnett is controlling him

Caesar has one foot on Barnett's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Caesar misses with a double jab.

Caesar has Barnett up against the cage in a clinch.
Caesar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Caesar lands with a short shot to the head.
Caesar 's coach down at Island Warriors -13 ELITE Coaches was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Caesar 's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Caesar working aggressively here.
I was talking to Barnett's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnett tries to score a body lock takedown but Caesar shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Caesar working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

It looks like Josh Barnett has been cut.
Barnett blocking some punches.
Caesar scores with a nice hook to the head.
Caesar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Caesar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Barnett blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Caesar working aggressively here.
Caesar throws a head punch that misses.
Caesar fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A hook to the body from Caesar .
Caesar lands a right hand.
Barnett takes a shot to the head.
Caesar working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Caesar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Caesar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Caesar fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Barnett pulls guard successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Caesar is in close to Barnett's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Caesar avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Caesar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Caesar scoring with punches to the head and body.

Barnett looking for a guillotine here but Caesar defends easily.

Barnett escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Caesar gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Barnett had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Caesar defends it easily.

Caesar gets to his feet. Barnett looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaius Julius Caesar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Josh Barnett's cut.
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.

Caesar moves into the clinch.
Barnett blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Caesar throws a punch but it's blocked by Barnett.
Caesar misses with a body punch.
Barnett blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Caesar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barnett.
Barnett goes for a takedown attempt but Caesar pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Caesar tries to clinch up

and Barnett counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnett won't allow Caesar to get back to his feet.
Barnett working some strikes from top position.
Caesar keeping moving, preventing Barnett from controlling successfully.
Caesar is looking to stand up but Barnett isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnett with a flurry of punches that miss.
Caesar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Barnett stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Caesar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Caesar wants to stand but Barnett is controlling the position.

Caesar is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Barnett presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Barnett changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Caesar fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Caesar tries to close the distance and clinch but Barnett swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Caesar tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barnett paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barnett tries to counter with a takedown but Caesar is quick to defend against it.
Caesar tries to clinch but Barnett moves out of range.
Barnett circles away from the clinch attempt

and Barnett counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barnett is looking for a kimura here.
Barnett is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Caesar reverses the position - he's now on top in Barnett's guard.
Barnett controls Caesar momentarily but Caesar frees himself.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Barnett looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Barnett is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caesar content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Barnett working a defensive guard here.
Barnett has momentary wrist control but Caesar slips an elbow through the middle.
Caesar throws a big right hand that misses.

Barnett working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Caesar doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Caesar manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Barnett working a defensive guard here.
Caesar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Caesar stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Gaius Julius Caesar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Caesar looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnett is just out of range.
Barnett swats away the attempt to clinch by Caesar .
Barnett appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Gaius Julius Caesar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Caesar has Barnett up against the cage in a clinch.
Barnett blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Caesar misses with a short punch on the inside.
Caesar throws a head punch that misses.
Caesar scores with a shot to the side of Barnett's head.
Barnett blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Barnett blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Caesar fails to land.
Caesar working aggressively here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barnett.
Caesar lands with a right to the head.
Caesar lands a body shot.
Barnett drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaius Julius Caesar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Josh Barnett's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Caesar doesn't manage to clinch there - Barnett circles away.

Caesar closes the distance and pushes Barnett back into the cage.
Caesar working aggressively here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Caesar .
Caesar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Caesar stops a takedown attempt from Barnett.
Barnett blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Caesar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Barnett blocking some punches.
Caesar misses with a punch on the inside.
Caesar prevents the takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Barnett to work.
Caesar prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Josh Barnett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Caesar stops a takedown attempt from Barnett.
Caesar lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caesar scores with a shot to the side of Barnett's head.
Caesar working aggressively here.
Caesar swings wildly with an uppercut but Barnett uses good head movement to avoid it.
Caesar tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short left from Caesar .
Caesar working aggressively here.
Caesar misses with a short punch on the inside.
Caesar lands with a right to the head.
Caesar gets through Barnett's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Caesar gets underhooks to prevent Barnett's takedown attempt.
Barnett is looking for a takedown.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barnett.
Barnett can't get the takedown.
Caesar working aggressively here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Caesar .
Barnett blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Caesar on the inside.
Caesar throws a big uppercut that drops Barnett! More strikes from Caesar and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Barnett lies dazed against the cage as Caesar celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:12 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gaius Julius Caesar !
Gaius Julius Caesar seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.