PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Barzakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barzakov has chosen Alexander The Great by Iron Maiden as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Michaels
vs
Barzakov

177 cm
23
166 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

180 cm
26
164 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shawn Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Alexander Barzakov!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Dillan Fox and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels stuffs the takedown attempt from Barzakov. Barzakov gets slowly back to his feet.
Barzakov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Michaels.
Michaels goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Alexander Barzakov has been cut.
Barzakov takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Michaels throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Barzakov swinging wildly here.
Barzakov closes the distance and clinches up with Michaels, looking for a takedown. Barzakov pushes Michaels against the cage but Michaels circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Barzakov fails with a takedown attempt.
Shawn Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Barzakov.
Barzakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels lands a jab to the head.
Barzakov's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Barzakov duly obliges.
Michaels throws a hook but Barzakov blocks it.
Michaels slaps away a takedown attempt from Barzakov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jab by Michaels.
Barzakov misses with a takedown attempt - Michaels sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barzakov throws a leg kick
and Michaels counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Barzakov looks to land a left hand but Michaels moved out of range nicely.
Michaels scores with a head kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A looping hook to the body misses from Michaels. Barzakov does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barzakov misses with a combination
and Michaels counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Barzakov looks gassed!
Barzakov throws a leg kick

and Michaels counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Michaels.

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

Michaels lands a left and a right that send Barzakov crashing to the mat, dazed. Michaels thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Michaels ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Barzakov shoots in for a double leg but Michaels sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A solid body kick from Michaels.
Michaels misses with a takedown attempt

and Barzakov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Barzakov stops Michaels from getting back to his feet.
Michaels is looking to control Barzakov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Michaels avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels looks like he's trying to stand up.
Michaels is trying to control but can't.

Barzakov is looking for a kimura here.
Michaels is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Barzakov is trying to control. Michaels wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Barzakov prevents Michaels from improving his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Michaels ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barzakov moves away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barzakov sizes up Michaels with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Michaels stuffs the takedown attempt from Barzakov. Barzakov gets slowly back to his feet.
Barzakov misses with a double jab
and Michaels counters with a nice body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Michaels dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Barzakov's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Barzakov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Michaels gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Barzakov to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Michaels is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Barzakov is controlling him.
Michaels trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barzakov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Barzakov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Barzakov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Michaels is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Barzakov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Barzakov scores with a jab. Michaels acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Michaels scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Michaels is looking to wear down Barzakov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Barzakov tries for a takedown but Michaels sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Michaels dodges the punch combination from Barzakov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels thuds a left hand into Barzakov's body.
Barzakov is breathing heavily.
Michaels shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Barzakov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Michaels is looking for a sweep. Barzakov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Michaels avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barzakov.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Michaels wants to control but Barzakov is keeping busy.
Barzakov is pressing down on Michaels's thigh, looking to free his foot. Michaels is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels wants to control but Barzakov is keeping busy.
Barzakov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Barzakov is thwarting Michaels's attempts to control the position.
Barzakov stops Michaels from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A shot to the body from Michaels misses
and Barzakov counters with a straight right hand.
A punch combination from Michaels misses.

Barzakov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Michaels wants to hold on but Barzakov pushes him away.
Barzakov is landing with some decent strikes but Michaels is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Barzakov looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Barzakov controlling his opponent.
Barzakov tries to control but Michaels wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barzakov prevents Michaels from getting the reversal.
Barzakov landing strikes from the mount.
Poor strikes thrown by Barzakov there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Barzakov avoids the attempt from Michaels to control.
Barzakov controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Barzakov connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Michaels is looking to get to half guard.
Michaels is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barzakov lands a heavy elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barzakov landing shots from mount.
Barzakov controlling his opponent.
Alexander Barzakov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barzakov looking to control but Michaels is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barzakov unloading with bombs!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barzakov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Barzakov lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Barzakov tries to control but Michaels wriggling away.
Barzakov landing shots from mount.

Barzakov jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Michaels manages to avoid the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Barzakov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barzakov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Barzakov!