PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Huey Stokes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dylan Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dylan Barnes has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Stokes
vs
Barnes

181 cm
19
177 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

180 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Huey Stokes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dylan Barnes!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barnes moves into range and clinches up with Stokes.
Stokes jumps guard but Barnes turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Barnes can't find room to land a body shot as Stokes controls the action.
Stokes is working for takedown but Barnes is calmly controlling the position for now.

Barnes gets control of Stokes's arms and successfully pulls guard. Barnes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Barnes isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Stokes stacks Barnes on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Stokes!
Stokes controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes is not content to let Stokes control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Stokes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Barnes, who protects the arm well.
Barnes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stokes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stokes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stokes working away.
Stokes is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Barnes will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

Stokes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Stokes closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Barnes quickly recovers to half guard.

Barnes kicks Stokes off and gets back to his feet.

Barnes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barnes drags the fight down to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stokes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stokes won't allow Barnes to sweep him here.
Stokes is stalling in the full guard.

Barnes has his foot on Stokes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Stokes works his way back into a safe position though.
Stokes trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stokes stands up from Barnes's guard - Stokes perhaps looking for a knockout.
Stokes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Barnes sprawls well. Barnes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Stokes gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Huey Stokes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stokes gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Barnes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Barnes looks winded!
Barnes throws a strike but Stokes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stokes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barnes controlling the position.
Barnes controls Stokes momentarily but Stokes frees himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stokes drops back looking for a leg! Barnes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Barnes manages to kick Stokes off! Stokes jumps back into Barnes's guard.
Stokes postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dylan Barnes dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barnes changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Stokes dives in for a single leg takedown but Barnes sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Dylan Barnes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Barnes rushes Stokes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Barnes tries to break the clinch but Stokes is controlling the position.
Stokes dodges an elbow strike from Barnes.
Stokes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barnes's efforts to push away.
Stokes is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Barnes to keep the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stokes tries for a takedown but Barnes manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Huey Stokes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stokes tries for a takedown but Barnes manages to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stokes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Barnes wants to break the clinch but can't.

Barnes drags the fight down to the ground.

Barnes scrambles and gets back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Stokes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Barnes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Stokes can't find room to land a body shot as Barnes controls the action.

Stokes gets control of Barnes's arms and successfully pulls guard. Stokes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stokes trying to strike off his back.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Stokes is keeping the position.
Barnes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Barnes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Barnes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stokes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barnes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stokes is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Stokes is keeping the position.
Barnes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Stokes is working an open guard so Barnes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Barnes gets a clinch.
Stokes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Barnes has clasped his hands together around Stokes's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Barnes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Barnes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Barnes gets a double leg takedown into Stokes's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Barnes is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Stokes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Stokes has escaped and now he's on top!

Stokes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Barnes, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dylan Barnes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Barnes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Barnes has Stokes pushed against the cage.
Stokes lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Stokes tries to score a body lock takedown but Barnes shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Stokes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Barnes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Barnes has Stokes pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Barnes pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Stokes tumbling to the mat - Barnes dives into Stokes's guard.
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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stokes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barnes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Barnes trying to control but Stokes is working from the bottom.
Barnes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Stokes is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Barnes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Barnes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Barnes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barnes showed some decent athleticism there.
Barnes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Barnes is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Barnes decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stokes.
Barnes is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Huey Stokes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Barnes throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Stokes tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Barnes is in Stokes's guard.
Barnes postures up in Stokes's guard and throws a big left but Stokes blocks it.

Barnes gets to his feet. Stokes looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Barnes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stokes.
Stokes is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Barnes lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Stokes has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Stokes and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Stokes tries to counter by clinching up but Barnes breaks away and moves out of range.

Barnes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Stokes's guard.

Stokes pushes Barnes off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes doesn't manage to clinch there - Stokes circles away.
As Barnes tries to get set, Stokes tries to push him back and clinch up but Barnes manages to avoid the attempt.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Barnes drives through with a takedown into guard.

Stokes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Barnes trying to move into half guard but instead Stokes has managed to sweep!

Stokes trying to control but Barnes is working from the bottom.
Stokes sitting in guard here, content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dylan 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

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