This is the UFC on Versus 6 live blog for Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s UFC Live card from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
The fight, according to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, is the biggest height discrepancy in UFC history. Struve (21-5, 5-3 UFC) is the UFC’s tallest fighter at 6-foot-11. Barry (6-3, 3-3 UFC) is 5-11. Both fighters are coming off knockout losses. Struve was stopped by a Travis Browne Superman punch at UFC 130 in May. Barry fell victim to Cheick Kongo’s already legendary come-from-behind knockout at UFC on Versus 4 in June, moments after it appeared Barry had Kongo out on his feet with the fight about to be stopped.
A loss for either will be the first losing streak of his career.
Round 1: It’s the tallest heavyweight in the UFC, Struve (6-11), against the shortest, Barry (5-11). The size difference has been comical to both fighters leading up to the bout. But comedy goes out the window now. Tentative start for both. Barry eats the first body kick, then throws a straight kick. Inside leg kick from Barry lands. Then another. Straight left from Struve finds a home, but it’s Barry coming forward. He throws a left, then another inside leg kick, then another left hand. Outside leg kick from Barry now, and he checks a high kick from Struve in exchange. Referee Dan Miragliotta tells the two big guys to show something. A short flurry has not much there for either fighter, but a Barry right looks good right after. Then another inside leg kick. Strive misses a left hook. Barry comes with another inside leg kick, then tries to push through a couple left jabs. Struve works a couple body kicks, and Barry answers with one of his own. Big knee from Struve just misses, and that may be his best bet given the size advantage he has. Struve throws a kick to the knee, then one to the body. Barry then ducks under a right. Another inside leg kick from Barry is good, but it doesn’t seem to be doing a lot of damage. The crowd is slightly restless. Left straight kick from Struve is answered with another inside leg kick from Barry. Struve throws a big kick that lands toward the end of the round. And that might curry favor with some judges in a close round. But we’re giving the first round to Barry, just barely, 10-9, for coming forward more and throwing with a little more consistency.
Round 2: Dan Miragliotta tells the two they have to “step it up.” So let’s see what happens. Inside leg kick from Struve is answered by a nice uppercut from Barry – and I mean seriously, UPPERcut. He had to in order to reach. Big left head kick from Barry gets to Struve’s right shoulder shortly after. Then an outside leg kick from Barry. Combo to the head, then a kick to the outer leg by Barry, and Struve answers with a nice kick of his own. We trade soft leg kicks with about 2 minutes left. Struve briefly tries to tie Barry up in a clinch, but Barry pushes out of it, wary of the potential for Struve’s knees. Struve throws a kne, and Barry answers with a left. Struve ties him up and tries for a guillotine. Barry is in side control and in a choke. He gets out, but Struve gets a triangle. It’s deep. Barry amazingly picks Struve up with the triangle still on, and drops a massive slam. But Struve still has it, and Barry has to tap. It’s the first two-fight skid of Barry’s career.
Result: Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry, submission (triangle choke), 3:22 Round 2
“I’ve been working on my kickboxing and my reach. I’m thrilled with the result. But give it up for Pat. He’s one of the coolest dudes in MMA,” Struve tells Joe Rogan after the fight.
This is the UFC on Versus 6 live blog for Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s UFC Live card from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
The fight, according to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, is the biggest height discrepancy in UFC history. Struve (21-5, 5-3 UFC) is the UFC’s tallest fighter at 6-foot-11. Barry (6-3, 3-3 UFC) is 5-11. Both fighters are coming off knockout losses. Struve was stopped by a Travis Browne Superman punch at UFC 130 in May. Barry fell victim to Cheick Kongo’s already legendary come-from-behind knockout at UFC on Versus 4 in June, moments after it appeared Barry had Kongo out on his feet with the fight about to be stopped.
A loss for either will be the first losing streak of his career.
Round 1: It’s the tallest heavyweight in the UFC, Struve (6-11), against the shortest, Barry (5-11). The size difference has been comical to both fighters leading up to the bout. But comedy goes out the window now. Tentative start for both. Barry eats the first body kick, then throws a straight kick. Inside leg kick from Barry lands. Then another. Straight left from Struve finds a home, but it’s Barry coming forward. He throws a left, then another inside leg kick, then another left hand. Outside leg kick from Barry now, and he checks a high kick from Struve in exchange. Referee Dan Miragliotta tells the two big guys to show something. A short flurry has not much there for either fighter, but a Barry right looks good right after. Then another inside leg kick. Strive misses a left hook. Barry comes with another inside leg kick, then tries to push through a couple left jabs. Struve works a couple body kicks, and Barry answers with one of his own. Big knee from Struve just misses, and that may be his best bet given the size advantage he has. Struve throws a kick to the knee, then one to the body. Barry then ducks under a right. Another inside leg kick from Barry is good, but it doesn’t seem to be doing a lot of damage. The crowd is slightly restless. Left straight kick from Struve is answered with another inside leg kick from Barry. Struve throws a big kick that lands toward the end of the round. And that might curry favor with some judges in a close round. But we’re giving the first round to Barry, just barely, 10-9, for coming forward more and throwing with a little more consistency.
Round 2: Dan Miragliotta tells the two they have to “step it up.” So let’s see what happens. Inside leg kick from Struve is answered by a nice uppercut from Barry – and I mean seriously, UPPERcut. He had to in order to reach. Big left head kick from Barry gets to Struve’s right shoulder shortly after. Then an outside leg kick from Barry. Combo to the head, then a kick to the outer leg by Barry, and Struve answers with a nice kick of his own. We trade soft leg kicks with about 2 minutes left. Struve briefly tries to tie Barry up in a clinch, but Barry pushes out of it, wary of the potential for Struve’s knees. Struve throws a kne, and Barry answers with a left. Struve ties him up and tries for a guillotine. Barry is in side control and in a choke. He gets out, but Struve gets a triangle. It’s deep. Barry amazingly picks Struve up with the triangle still on, and drops a massive slam. But Struve still has it, and Barry has to tap. It’s the first two-fight skid of Barry’s career.
Result: Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry, submission (triangle choke), 3:22 Round 2
“I’ve been working on my kickboxing and my reach. I’m thrilled with the result. But give it up for Pat. He’s one of the coolest dudes in MMA,” Struve tells Joe Rogan after the fight.
This is the UFC on Versus 6 live blog for Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s UFC Live card from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.