PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Barnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raphael Davis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Raphael Davis was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Barnett
vs
Davis

180 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
212 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Barnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Raphael Davis!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Phil Schofield and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnett wants to clinch up but Davis keeps it at a distance.
Davis dives in and grabs Barnett's left leg, looking for a takedown. Barnett pushes down on Davis's head and hops out.
Davis closes the distance and clinches up with Barnett, looking for a takedown. Davis pushes Barnett against the cage but Barnett circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Barnett, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Davis shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Davis showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Barnett wants to control but Davis passes into side.
Barnett tries to bench press Davis off him but Davis keeps the position.
Barnett wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Davis working away.
Barnett is pushing Davis's head away, looking to escape. Davis manages to hold on to the position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnett tries to improve position but can't.
Barnett manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Davis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Barnett is just content to waste time from the top position. Davis takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Davis wants to stand up but Barnett is controlling him.
Barnett working some strikes from top position.
Barnett pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Davis is keeping the position for now.
Barnett wants to control from the top but Davis keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnett wants to stand and escape but instead Davis has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Davis trying to control the position from guard on top but Barnett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Davis won't allow Barnett to sweep him here.
Davis postures up.
Davis trying to control but Barnett is working from the bottom.
Barnett is trying to keep Davis in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Davis shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davis wants to control from the top but Barnett keeps moving.

Barnett working for submissions but it's allowed Davis to get to half guard.
Barnett is trying to control but can't.

Davis is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Barnett defends it well.
Davis is thwarting Barnett's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnett gets full guard.
Barnett controlling Davis's posture.

Davis stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Davis looking to score a takedown here. Barnett is defending well but Davis drives through and ends up in Barnett's guard.
Davis is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barnett working a defensive guard here.
Barnett 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Raphael Davis will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Barnett pushes Davis up against the cage in a clinch.
Barnett tries to pull guard but Davis won't allow it.

Barnett manages to break the clinch.
Davis tries to clinch but Barnett is having none of it.
Barnett with a poor takedown

and Davis holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Davis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Barnett tries to pull guard but Davis won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Barnett. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Davis closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Davis lands in his opponent's guard.
Barnett is controlling Davis's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis passes Barnett's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Barnett trying to control but Davis postures up.
Barnett is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Davis is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Davis wants to take a breather but Barnett is having none of it.
Davis not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnett trying to control here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Davis passes into side control, despite Barnett's attempt to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davis wants to control but Barnett is keeping him busy.
Barnett tries to escape but Davis is in control.
Davis working away.
Davis wants to control but Barnett is keeping him busy.
Davis wants to take a breather but Barnett manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Davis.
Barnett is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davis trying to control but Barnett is working from the bottom.
Davis preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Barnett gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Davis counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Davis is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Davis seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnett is looking for a sweep. Davis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Davis tries to pass to full mount but Barnett defends it.
It looks like Davis is going to stand back up.
Raphael Davis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Davis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barnett's head.

Barnett looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barnett slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raphael Davis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Barnett shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barnett closes the distance and clinches up with Davis, looking for a takedown. Barnett pushes Davis against the cage but Davis circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Barnett shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Davis pinned against the cage. Davis gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Barnett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barnett shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Davis sprawls well. Davis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Barnett gets slowly back to his feet.
Mark Barnett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Davis throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Barnett was covering up waiting for the punch and Davis finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barnett wants to stand but Davis is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Davis stands and steps away. Barnett gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Barnett gets tackled into the cage by Davis. Davis maintains the clinch.
Barnett has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Davis after a bit of a struggle.
Davis blocks an elbow strike.

Davis pulls guard.
Davis wants to sweep but no luck.
Davis is looking to stand up but Barnett isn't so interested in that idea.
Davis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barnett is one step ahead there.
Davis has control of Barnett's left arm, preventing Barnett from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davis is trying to control the position but Barnett postures up.
Davis bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Barnett's guard.

Barnett kicks Davis off and gets to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Davis decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Barnett trying to hold on to Davis's head to control him but Davis postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnett slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Barnett has control of Davis's left arm, preventing Davis from doing any damage.
Davis controlling from the top position.
Davis tries to stand but Barnett is controlling from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnett is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mark Barnett wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Davis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Davis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barnett but Barnett pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Barnett looks to land a combination but Davis avoids it well.
Barnett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Davis shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Davis performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raphael Davis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Davis 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raphael Davis!