PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Larson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carl Barat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larson's entrance music is Sweet Child of Mine. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Larson
vs
Barat

185 cm
24
219 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

193 cm
26
195 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dan Larson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Carl Barat!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Saam Ante and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barat misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barat throws a right and a left that both miss.
Larson throws a hook but Barat avoids it easily.
A punch combination from Barat misses.
Barat has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Barat falls off balance throwing a combination
and Larson counters with a two punch combo.
Barat throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Larson counters with a three punch combo that has Barat backing up. Barat nods at Larson to acknowledge the strikes.
Barat throws a combination that misses

and Larson moves into the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barat.
Larson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Larson misses with a punch on the inside.
Larson misses with a punch on the inside.
Larson's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Barat wants to get back to striking at distance but Larson won't allow it.
Larson has Barat pressed against the ropes, preventing Barat from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Larson prevents Barat from breaking the clinch.
Barat's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Barat wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Barat blocks an uppercut.
Barat is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Larson tries to work over Barat's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Larson throws a punch but it's blocked by Barat.

Barat's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Larson tries to clinch there but Barat circles away.
Larson throws a nice looking combination but Barat bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barat throws a left and a right that both miss
and Larson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Larson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Larson drives through and clinches with Barat against the ropes.
Larson lands with a left to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larson misses with some punches.
Larson has a couple of punches blocked by Barat.
Barat has had enough of the clinch but Larson keeps him there for the moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barat.
Barat tries to circle away but Larson has him pinned against the ropes.
Larson has Barat pressed against the ropes, preventing Barat from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Barat working hard to break the clinch.
Larson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barat's efforts to push away.
Larson pushes off an throws an elbow but Barat leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Larson creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Larson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Barat is keeping busy.

Barat breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barat throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Larson counter with a right hand.
Larson tries to bum rush Barat with a series of wild strikes but Barat uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A shot to the body from Barat misses
and Larson counters with a left and a right that stings Barat.
Larson is working the combinations to good effect here.
Barat scores with a three punch combo!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larson misses with the combination.
Barat swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Larson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Barat lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barat swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barat swinging wildly here.
Larson throws a right and a left that Barat avoids nicely.
Barat swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Larson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Barat throws a one two combo.
Barat misses with a series of wild punches.
Barat lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barat misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barat throws a nice looking combination but Larson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barat looks to land a combination but Larson avoids it well.
Barat throws a combination that misses
and Larson counters with a nice body shot.
Larson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Barat circles away quickly and effectively.
Barat throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Larson moves into the clinch.
Larson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Larson throws a head punch that misses.
Larson throws a punch but it's blocked by Barat.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barat.
Larson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A bit of stalling here from Larson.
Larson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Larson dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A looping hook to the body misses from Larson. Barat does a little dance to reset his feet.
A combination from Barat does no damage.
Barat swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Barat takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Barat falls off balance throwing a combination
and Larson counters with a two punch combo.
Barat misses with a combination
and Larson counters with a three punch combo that has Barat backing up. Barat nods at Larson to acknowledge the strikes.
Barat looks to land a combination but Larson avoids it well.
Barat is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Some wild striking there from Larson.
Barat works over Larson's head and body with a nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Barat makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Barat throws a nice looking combination but Larson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barat swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Larson counters with a nice uppercut.
Barat wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Barat misses the body punch

and Larson counters by clinching up.
Larson is pushing Barat up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Barat is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Barat can't break the clinch.
Barat can't break the clinch.
Barat wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Larson has him pressed against the ropes.
Barat wants to break the clinch but can't.
Larson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Barat is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Larson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Larson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barat's efforts to push away.
Barat wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Larson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Larson tries to land a knee to the head but Barat blocks with his arms.
Larson misses with the head strike.

Barat's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barat takes a swing at Larson's ribcage but misses.
Barat throws a right and a left that Larson avoids nicely.
Barat throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Carl Barat seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barat fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Barat falls off balance throwing a combination
and Barat takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Barat lands a body shot.
Carl Barat seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barat connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Barat misses with a double jab.
Barat misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barat swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Larson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Danga de danga de dang - Barat scores with a four punch combination!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barat lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Larson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Larson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barat.
Barat goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Barat misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barat misses with a double jab
and Larson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Barat swinging wildly here.
Barat misses with a series of wild punches.
Larson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barat darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Larson is looking to clinch but Barat is avoiding it.
Larson connects with a good right hand that stumbles Barat. Barat circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Larson misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carl Barat showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Barat scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Larson doesn't seem bothered though.
Barat lands a nice hook to Larson's body. Larson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Barat is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Larson rather than just go for the knockout.
Larson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Larson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Barat.
Barat throws a left and a right that both miss
and Larson counters with a series of strikes. Barat will be more careful next time no doubt.
Barat throws a combination that misses
and Larson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Barat lands a two punch combo.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Barat. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Barat swings away with a body shot that misses
and Larson counters with a three punch combo that has Barat backing up. Barat nods at Larson to acknowledge the strikes.
Barat changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Barat misses with a few strikes there.
Barat misses with a combination
and Larson counters with a three punch combo that has Barat backing up. Barat nods at Larson to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Larson.
A jab from Barat does it's job there.
Larson takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Larson throws a combination that misses
and Barat counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Barat rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Larson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barat misses with the combination.
Barat misses the body punch
and Larson counters with a three punch combo that has Barat backing up. Barat nods at Larson to acknowledge the strikes.
Larson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barat looks to land a combination but Larson avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larson slips a jab and a cross from Barat.

Larson drives through and clinches with Barat against the ropes.
Barat is trying to break free.
Larson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Barat is defending well for now.
Larson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Barat blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Barat escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Barat misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Good shot there by Barat.
Barat throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Larson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Larson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barat throws a hook to the side of Larson's head but Larson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Barat misses with a straight left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barat avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barat falls off balance throwing a combination
and Larson counters with a head kick.
Barat throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Larson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Larson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Barat paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barat swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barat misses with a double jab

and Larson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Larson swings wildly with an uppercut but Barat uses good head movement to avoid it.
Larson can't find room to land a body shot as Barat controls the action.
Barat blocks an uppercut.
Larson misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Larson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Barat's elbow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Barat as Larson tries to tie him up.
Larson swings wildly with an uppercut but Barat uses good head movement to avoid it.

Barat breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barat throws a series of punches but Larson moves out of range.
Barat throws a combination that misses
and Larson counters with a straight right hand.
Larson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barat throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Larson counters with a left and a right that stings Barat.
Barat throws a nice looking combination but Larson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barat throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Larson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Larson slips a jab and a cross from Barat.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Carl Barat.
I think Barat 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carl Barat!