PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Washe Lay (ranked 5891 p4p, 508 weight class) and Zaine Barr (ranked 10213 p4p, 645 weight class). Zaine Barr has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lay
vs
Barr

165 cm
21
148 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

166 cm
25
155 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Very quick

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Washe Lay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zaine Barr!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barr shoots in for a double leg but Lay sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
As Barr looks to move away, Lay throws a big counter combo but Barr just gets out of the way.
Lay stalks Barr and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Barr's face. Barr staggers backwards, shaken.
Barr has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Barr shoots and misses
and Lay counters with a big head kick but Barr shrugs it off.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Barr.
Washe Lay has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaine Barr.

Lay drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Barr is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Barr is trying to keep Lay in close.
Lay has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Barr is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barr has his hands on Lay's head, controlling the position.
Barr not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Barr is pulling down on Lay's head to control his posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Barr throws a poor cross that misses
and Lay counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lay closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barr circles away.
Lay lands a right hook to the body.

Lay manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Barr on his heels. He'll look to pass Barr's guard now, I'm sure.
Barr is pulling down on Lay's head to control his posture.
Lay preventing the sweep.
Lay knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Barr on the ground.

Lay got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barr has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lay has managed to get both his arms back between Barr's legs - danger averted.
Barr is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Barr is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lay is looking to stand up but Barr won't let him.
Lay has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Lay avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lay trying to stand up but can't free himself from Barr's guard.
Lay postures up.
Lay wants to stand but Barr has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lay preventing the sweep.

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.
Lay would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Barr managing to control the position.
Barr looking for a sweep. Not yet Barr, not yet.
Lay looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Barr trying to keep a closed guard but Lay is proving a slippery customer.
Lay trying to stand up but can't free himself from Barr's guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Lay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Washe Lay 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.

Lay looks to land a combination. Barr sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Barr misses with a takedown attempt - Lay sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barr misses with a lunging right hand
and Lay counters with a body kick that stops Barr in his tracks momentarily.
Lay fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Barr avoids it really well and circles away.
Good leg kick by Lay there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barr shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lay defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barr shoots and misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Washe Lay has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaine Barr.
Barr takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Barr is breathing heavily.

Lay shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Barr's guard.
Barr is controlling Lay's posture.
Lay tries to stand but Barr is controlling from the bottom.
Barr manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lay manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Barr is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barr stopping the sweep attempt from Lay.
Barr in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Barr throwing strikes from guard but Lay blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barr throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lay works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Lay looking for a guillotine here but Barr defends easily.
Barr works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Barr passes to side control.
Barr working the head and body with strikes.
Lay gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Lay wants to control but Barr is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barr is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Barr frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Barr controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lay takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Washe Lay will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lay has closed the distance and engaged Barr in a clinch.
Lay scores a nice knee to the body.
Come on Lay - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nice body punch from Lay.
Lay prevents the takedown attempt.
Lay landing some nice looking knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lay utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Barr is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barr looking for a takedown.
Washe Lay has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaine Barr.
Barr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lay gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Lay gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Lay connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barr's face.
Lay prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lay scores with a knee to the head.
Lay unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Barr has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lay is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Lay connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barr's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lay lands with a left to the head.
Lay manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Lay crunches a lovely knee into Barr's ribcage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lay using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Lay stops a takedown attempt from Barr.
Barr drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barr is working for takedown but Lay is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lay working Barr over with knees to the body.
Lay connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barr's face.
Lay with a knee to the head.
Lay lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Barr is trying to drag Lay to the mat but Lay just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Barr wants a takedown.
Lay using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Lay.
Lay lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Washe Lay has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Barr drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lay cracks Barr with a nice body shot.
Barr takes a shot to the head.
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!
Lay landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Lay.
Zaine Barr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Washe Lay is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barr misses with the head strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Washe Lay showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lay, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:26
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Washe Lay!
Washe Lay was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.