PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Spencer Paige (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Barford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Paige
vs
Barford

160 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

198 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Spencer Paige!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dan Barford!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barford is looking to clinch but Paige is avoiding it.
Barford tries to clinch but Paige is having none of it.
Barford tries to clinch up but Paige circles away and keeps his distance.
Barford tries to close the distance and clinch up but Paige swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Paige paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Barford drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Paige looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

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

Barford escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barford fails with an attempt to clinch.
Paige has a takedown stuffed.

Barford moves into the clinch.
Paige is trying to drag Barford to the mat but Barford just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Barford landing knees to the head.
Barford connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paige's face.
Paige is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Spencer Paige. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barford landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Paige is breathing heavily.
Come on Barford - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Paige's efforts to push away.
Barford just leaning against Paige, taking a breather.
A knee to the head by Barford.
Barford lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Paige is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barford pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Paige takes a knee right on the jaw!
Barford scores with a knee to the head.
Paige is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Barford gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Barford scores with a knee to the head.
Barford lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Barford landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Paige changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Barford fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Barford closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barford manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Barford lands a nice elbow.
Barford landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Come on Barford - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barford connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paige's face.
The referee calls for Barford to work.
Barford is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Barford lands a knee to the head.
Barford lands a nice elbow.
Barford scores with a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Barford obliges.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Paige tries for a takedown but Barford manages to get underhooks.
Barford with a knee to the head.
Paige has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Barford is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Barford connects with a knee to the head.
Paige wants a takedown but no success here.
Barford landing knees to the head.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Paige has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Barford is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Barford lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Paige tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Barford smiles and moves away.
Paige circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Barford tries to clinch up but Paige circles away and keeps his distance.
Barford tries to close the distance and clinch but Paige swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barford moves in looking to clinch but Paige pushes him off.
Paige swats away the attempt to clinch by Barford.
Barford tries to clinch there but Paige circles away.
Barford wants to clinch up but Paige keeps it at a distance.
Barford tries to clinch up.
Paige circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barford tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Paige swivels and escapes.
Barford is looking to clinch but Paige is avoiding it.
Paige circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some wild striking there from Paige.
Barford tries to clinch but Paige is having none of it.
Barford fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Barford dominated that round.
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.

Barford tries to clinch up but Paige circles away and keeps his distance.
Barford tries to clinch up.
Paige fails to land the takedown.
Barford wants to clinch up but Paige keeps it at a distance.

Paige shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Barford blocking the ground and pound attempt from Paige.

Barford has one foot on Paige's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barford closes the distance and clinches up with Paige, looking for a takedown. Barford pushes Paige against the cage but Paige circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Dan Barford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barford tries to clinch but Paige is having none of it.

Barford darts in and clinches Paige up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barford lands an elbow inside that Paige shrugs off.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Barford landing knees to the body.
Barford lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Paige jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Barford walks away with a smile on his face. Paige gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Barford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Paige paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barford wants to clinch up but Paige keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barford looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Barford moves into the clinch.
Paige takes a knee right on the jaw!
Paige digs a right hand into Barford's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Barford's gas tank.
Barford pressing his opponent against the cage.
Barford wants to stall.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Paige is trying to drag Barford to the mat but Barford just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Spencer Paige. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Paige goes for a takedown attempt but Barford pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Barford tries to close the distance and clinch but Paige swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Barford gets a clinch.
Barford lands an elbow that stopped Paige in his tracks for a moment.
Barford with a knee to the head.
Barford lands an elbow just above Paige 's eye.
A frustrated look appears on Paige's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Barford trying to control the position but instead, Paige has worked for underhooks and has pushed Barford into the cage.
Barford scores with a knee to the head.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Barford landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Barford manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Barford connects with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Barford.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Barford. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Barford scores with a knee to the head.
Barford connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paige's face.
Barford controlling the action here for a moment.
Paige trying to land knees to the body.
Barford'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.
Paige takes a knee right on the jaw!
Barford manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Barford with a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Barford.
Barford lands a knee to the head.
Barford leaning his opponent against the cage.
Barford wants to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Dan Barford.
Barford fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Paige avoids it really well and circles away.
Paige circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barford tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barford looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barford moves in looking to clinch but Paige pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barford looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barford tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barford tries to close the distance and clinch but Paige swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Barford closes the distance and pushes Paige back into the cage.
Barford lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Barford working Paige over with knees to the body.
Barford lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Barford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Paige circles away from the clinch attempt.
Paige tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barford paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barford tries to clinch
enabling Paige to counter with a crisp jab.
Paige misses with a double jab.
Barford tries to clinch but Paige moves away

and Paige moves into the clinch.
Barford scores a nice knee to the body.
Paige tries for a takedown but Barford manages to get underhooks.
Paige takes an elbow to the forehead.
Barford landing knees to the head.
Barford with a knee to the head.
Paige takes an elbow to the forehead.
Barford connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paige's face.
Barford connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paige's face.
Barford lands a knee to the head.
Barford is struggling to control the position.
Barford with a knee to the head.
Barford gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Paige.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barford lands an elbow inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Barford takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Barford is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Barford content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Barford scores with a knee to the head.
Paige is working for takedown but Barford is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Spencer Paige. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barford crunches a lovely knee into Paige's ribcage.
Barford lands an elbow inside.
Paige jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Barford walks away with a smile on his face. Paige gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Barford wants to clinch
and Paige counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Barford scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Barford has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Barford darts in trying to clinch
and Paige counters with a three punch combo that has Barford backing up. Barford nods at Paige to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barford tries to clinch up

and Paige counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Barford!
Paige looking to control but Barford is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barford wants to try and get back to his feet.

Paige goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Barford turns into him and now he's in Paige's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Paige throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paige is looking for a triangle here but Barford uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Paige is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Barford decides to stand back up. Barford steps back and let's Paige get back to his feet.

Barford moves into the clinch.
A knee to the head by Barford.
Barford lands a knee to the head.
Barford avoiding damage.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Barford taking a breather.
Barford connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paige's face.
Barford dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Paige tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Barford lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Spencer Paige has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dan Barford is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barford with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Barford crunches a lovely knee into Paige's ribcage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Barford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Barford winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Barford!