Peter Barrett

Peter Barrett vs. Youssef Zalal

Round 1
Stepping up 10 pounds to featherweight, Zalal (9-2, 2-0 UFC) tries to keep it rolling against “Slippery Pete” Barrett (11-3, 0-0 UFC). Drawing the charge is referee Mark Smith, and there is a respectful touch of gloves to open the match. Zalal opens with a body kick and a calf kick to get Barrett’s attention early on. He fakes a knee, and plants a spinning back kick square on the chin of Barrett. “Slippery Pete” goes flying to the ground, and Zalal chases after him while Barrett is still hurt. Zalal keeps pounding on him while Barrett tries to get back up, and he manages to fight his way back to his feet while still on wobbly legs. Zalal plants a right hand on his chin. Zalal pushes the pace on him, working him over to the body and head. Barrett is still trying to regain his composure and get his offense going, while Zalal is keeping his distance with his hands down by his waist. Zalal ducks down and greets Barrett with a stiff right hand, and gets out of the way when a leg kick soars at him. A jab and a one-two come from Zalal, and Barrett is stalking him down but standing still when punches come at him like a heavy bag. Zalal picks at him from a distance, and Barrett crashes in to land a few strikes and clinch up to score some short knees. Zalal grimaces, as one knee may have landed on the cup, but there is no halting the action as Barrett is locked on to him. Zalal tries to spin, and Barrett keeps his grip and tries to lift Zalal in the air to slam him down. Zalal defends the takedown, and uses a kimura to counter the attack from Barrett. They separate, and Barrett wades forward to throw a body kick, head kick and a few wayward punches. Zalal circles along the outskirts of the cage, and Barrett catches him with a kick up top that sends Zalal falling back to the cage. “The Moroccan Devil” wags his finger at him as if to signal he was not hurt, and Barrett laughs at him. The two mean mug one another until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zalal
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Zalal
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal

Round 2
The two fighters come together and start swinging immediately. Zalal backs off after the initial exchange to jab at his foe, all while circling from a wide distance. Zalal steps in with a knee, and Barrett sees it coming so he takes a step back. Zalal uses the opportunity to nail him with a calf kick that nearly turns Barrett around, and he continues his momentum to lock them up. After a clinch exchange, Zalal hits a throw and gets Barrett down. “The Moroccan Devil” quickly takes his back, and uses the position to cinch up a rear-naked choke as Barrett is standing up. The weight of Zalal is slowly dragging Barrett down as his hooks are in, and Barrett is attempting to shake him off but topples over before he can get him away. Zalal connects with a few punches as Barrett sits up with his back on the cage, and Zalal hunts for a differently gripped rear-naked choke. Zalal locks it up on top of the neck and squeezes with all his might, but he bails on it so he doesn’t gas out his arms. Zalal wings an elbow, but it is 12-6 and Smith warns him immediately. Zalal clings to his back like glue, and Barrett stands back up while Zalal is still on his back. Barrett again tries to yank his opponent off, and he is unsuccessful as Zalal flattens him out on the ground. Zalal latches on another rear-naked choke, and this one is tight. Barrett fights the hands to save his neck, and turns him around while standing back up. As the final seconds tick off the clock, Zalal is holding on tight and cannot get the choke. Barrett partially turns him about with one or two seconds left, and he hits him once before Smith intervenes at the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Zalal
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Zalal
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Zalal

Round 3
Zalal opens up the round with a head kick, and he catches Barrett standing still. He then tries to hit the takedown that he landed in the previous frame, but Barrett is wise to it this time and stops it. Barrett stays heavy against the fence, and Zalal drops to a knee so he will not be kneed in the face. Zalal reaches out with a front kick as they separate, and Barrett partially connects with a long left hand. Zalal lands a few punches to keep Barrett at bay, but “Slippery Pete” ties him up to land shots. Zalal shoves him away, and backs off to fire a flying knee at him. Barrett protects himself from it, but Zalal uses the position to take Barrett down. In side control, Zalal sets up an arm-triangle choke, and Barrett defends it and gets punched in the face. The Massachusetts native, down on his back getting punched while likely down on the scorecards, starts laughing. He explodes back to his feet, and Zalal flings a head kick that he notes just barely missed. Zalal strings together a quick combination, and drags Barrett back down to the canvas. Barrett retains full guard and fires off some elbows from his back, but after taking a few shots he gives up mount. Zalal lands a few punches to force Barrett to turn over and surrender his back, and Zalal fishes for the neck again before deciding to land punches. Zalal recommits to the rear-naked choke, and Barrett grits it out by simply waiting and not even fighting the hands. “The Moroccan Devil” does not have enough steam to crank the neck and elicit a tap, and he falls off the back with seconds to spare. Barrett lords over him with five seconds remaining in the round, and drops down a few hammerfists while Zalal throws his legs up to hunt for an armbar. The final bell concludes the fight while the two men are tied up like a human pretzel.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (30-26 Zalal)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (30-26 Zalal)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (30-26 Zalal)

The Official Result
Youssef Zalal def. Peter Barrett via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)