PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lawerence Barnes (ranked 24124 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grdosije Dragojlo (ranked 5688 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Barnes
vs
Dragojlo

189 cm
20
193 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lawerence Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Grdosije Dragojlo!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dragojlo throws a jab when Barnes was well out of range.
Dragojlo scores with a body shot.
Barnes slips a jab and a cross from Dragojlo.
Barnes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Dragojlo changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Dragojlo wants to clinch.
Dragojlo moves out of range of the body kick from Barnes.
Dragojlo 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.

Dragojlo closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dragojlo controlling the action here for a moment.

Dragojlo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes is looking to clinch but Dragojlo is avoiding it.
Dragojlo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barnes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barnes keeps the fight on the outside.
Barnes throws a big counter combination but Dragojlo scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Dragojlo clinches up against the cage.
Dragojlo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dragojlo is pushing Barnes up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Dragojlo has Barnes pushed against the cage.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragojlo wants to control but Barnes passes easily into half guard.
Barnes throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Barnes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dragojlo's head.
Barnes lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Barnes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Barnes drops an elbow to the side of Dragojlo's head.
Barnes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dragojlo is pressing down on Barnes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Barnes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Dragojlo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Barnes can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dragojlo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Barnes throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes is in close to Dragojlo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Barnes chips away with some ground and pound.

Barnes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dragojlo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Barnes has managed to get both his arms back between Dragojlo's legs - danger averted.

Dragojlo isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Barnes stacks Dragojlo 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 Barnes!
Sloppy strikes there by Barnes.
Dragojlo is looking for a sweep.
Dragojlo taking a bit of punishment here - Barnes scoring with strikes.
Barnes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Barnes landing a few strikes.
Dragojlo defending against the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dragojlo managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Barnes.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes scores with punches from side control.
Dragojlo on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Barnes cracks Dragojlo with a big elbow.
Dragojlo is looking for a sweep.
Dragojlo looks winded!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dragojlo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dragojlo taking punishment in the form of punches.
Barnes sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Dragojlo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lawerence Barnes dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Barnes dodges the punch combination from Dragojlo.
Lawerence Barnes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barnes misses with a few strikes there.
Dragojlo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Barnes seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Barnes closes the distance and clinches.
Dragojlo tries to circle away but Barnes has him pinned against the cage.

Dragojlo pulls guard effortlessly.
Dragojlo pulls Barnes in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Barnes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes working some strikes from top position.
Dragojlo is striking but Barnes is not phased and passes to half guard.
Dragojlo tries to kick Barnes off but Barnes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Dragojlo is looking for a sweep. Barnes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dragojlo is trying to maintain the position but Barnes is very close to passing his half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Barnes lands a nice short elbow.
Dragojlo keeping control of the position.
Barnes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barnes looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Dragojlo has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Barnes is working away from the top position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nice strikes from Barnes there.

Barnes is working for a submission of some sort.
Barnes scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Barnes is trying to control. Dragojlo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Dragojlo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Dragojlo actively working from the bottom here.
Dragojlo is breathing heavily.
Dragojlo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dragojlo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Barnes.
Barnes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Dragojlo looking for submissions off his back.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's four 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.
Dragojlo gets full guard.
Barnes with a nice head shot there.
Barnes connects with a couple of short punches.
Barnes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Dragojlo is proving hard to escape from.

Dragojlo looking for subs off his back but Barnes has passed one foot through into half guard.

Barnes wants to work for an arm triangle but Dragojlo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lawerence Barnes dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Barnes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Barnes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dragojlo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nice sprawl there from Dragojlo as Barnes shoots in.
Dragojlo tries to clinch there but Barnes circles away.

Dragojlo drives through with a takedown into Barnes's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Dragojlo trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dragojlo distracts Barnes with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dragojlo trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barnes doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Dragojlo postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes wants to stand and escape but Dragojlo is having none of it.
Dragojlo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Barnes can't keep his opponent in guard - Dragojlo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Dragojlo works his way into side control.
Dragojlo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barnes tries to bench press Dragojlo off him but Dragojlo keeps the position.
Barnes has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Barnes is trying to control Dragojlo's posture but Dragojlo avoids it.
Barnes is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Barnes is not content to let Dragojlo control the position.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Barnes wants to get back to his feet but Dragojlo drags him back down.
Barnes struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dragojlo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Lawerence Barnes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barnes wants to control but Dragojlo postures up.
Barnes is looking for a sweep.
Dragojlo cracks Barnes with a big elbow.
Barnes is trying to control Dragojlo's posture but Dragojlo avoids it.

Dragojlo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Barnes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Barnes trying to control but Dragojlo flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Barnes staying busy and making it hard for Dragojlo to control.

Dragojlo is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Barnes knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Barnes for a finish.
Dragojlo wants to control but Barnes is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragojlo is landing with strikes from the back.
Dragojlo controlling well, preventing Barnes from escaping the position.
Barnes trying to control the action but Dragojlo just sinks the hooks in.
Dragojlo controls the action.
Barnes trying to control but not successfully.
Barnes is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Barnes is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dragojlo gets his hands free as Barnes looks to control.
Barnes is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Dragojlo is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Barnes just looking to survive in the bad position.
Barnes is trying to remain composed but Dragojlo is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Dragojlo tries to get the hooks in deep but Barnes pushed the leg off.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barnes wants to control his opponent's hands but Dragojlo gets his hands free.
Grdosije Dragojlo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lawerence Barnes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barnes covering up well and avoiding damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grdosije Dragojlo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barnes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

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