Matt Brown and Bryan Barberena faced off in a Welterweight clash tonight (Sat., March 26, 2022) at UFC Columbus inside Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Brown started fast, pressuring and landing an early right hand. Barberena went to work on the lead leg, and he landed a combination over the top. Gorgeous foot sweep from Brown, and he landed heavy as Barberena scrambled back to his feet. Brown put him down hard with a body lock takedown into side control. Barberena worked back up and escaped to distance.
Barberena landed a couple punches, but Brown answered with a mean body kick. “Bam Bam” feinted and connected with a cross. Back in the clinch, Brown tripped his foe yet again and landed well on the get up. The two finished a high-paced round trading elbows in the clinch.
Ripping body kick began the round for Matt Brown. Barberena pressured, but he ate a pair of body kicks before getting taken down again. It took Barberena about a minute to work back up to his feet and into the clinch, but Brown landed a couple hard elbows from close quarters. Heavy elbow from Barberena stunned Brown and backed him off, but “The Immortal” answered with a spinning elbow and a takedown! Barberena moved to scramble, and Brown attacked a back triangle/armbar. Barberena escaped out the back door and started landing elbows from top position. Brown scrambled up quickly back into the clinch. and he looked real tired ... until a big right hand and right elbow landed! Barberena fired right back, and the two continued to answer one another with huge shots until the bell.
Brown began the third with pressure, backing Barberena into the fence. Despite the good positioning for Brown, both men landed hard. Over and over, the two traded simultaneous punches. Once more, Brown foot swept his opponent to the ground and landed a couple heavy shots on the way up.
Brown dragged his foe back down briefly. Barberena landed big on the break of the clinch, but Brown just kept pressuring. Brown runs through a double leg takedown, but Barberena scrambled back up right away and landing a good combination. Brown looked hurt, but he fired a big right hand back that jacked his opponent’s jaw. Heavy left hook from Brown hurt Barberena! The two were BRAWLING! A clinch briefly stalled the action, but the two went right back to trading with short time remaining. Barberena finished the fight huge, stunning Brown in the final 10 seconds of the fight.
This was one of those rare fights where the outcome doesn’t really matter. Barberena put on his best performance in years, while Brown is still insanely tough, conditioned, and powerful for a 41-year-old veteran. It was, quite simply, awesome.
Ultimately, the judges awarded Bryan Barberena the victory, likely on the strength of that finish.
Result: Bryan Barberena defeats Matt Brown via split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
For complete UFC Columbus: “Blaydes vs. Daukaus” results and play-by-play, click HERE!
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