PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abbath Occulta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronnie Barnhardt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Occulta might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Immortal - The Rise of Darkness. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Occulta
vs
Barnhardt

180 cm
28
210 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

185 cm
23
208 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abbath Occulta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ronnie Barnhardt!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Occulta lands with an overhand left.

It looks like Ronnie Barnhardt has been cut.
Occulta throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Barnhardt counters with a shoot takedown. Occulta fights it but they end up in guard.
Occulta pulls Barnhardt in close to his closed guard and prevents Barnhardt from doing any damage or advancing position.
Barnhardt looking to pass the guard.
Occulta seems keen to control Barnhardt's posture.
Barnhardt stopping the sweep attempt from Occulta.

Barnhardt drops back, looking for a kneebar! Occulta looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Occulta looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Occulta!
The strikes coming from Occulta are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Barnhardt tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Barnhardt's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Occulta in side control lands a decent elbow.
Barnhardt struggling a bit here.
Occulta is chipping away with strikes.
Occulta tries to move to mount but Barnhardt blocks the move with his legs.
Occulta landing a few strikes.
Barnhardt manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Occulta is trying to maintain the position but Barnhardt is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Occulta moves into full guard.
Barnhardt preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Occulta holds on and takes a little breather.

Barnhardt postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Occulta is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Barnhardt, into his guard.
Occulta is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barnhardt trying to keep a closed guard but Occulta is proving a slippery customer.
Occulta trying to control but Barnhardt is working from the bottom.
Occulta postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Occulta scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Occulta throws a big right hand that misses.
Occulta throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Occulta wants to pass the guard but Barnhardt is keeping the position.
Occulta passes into half guard.
Barnhardt is refusing to be controlled, as Occulta sits in half guard.
Barnhardt wants to improve his position but Occulta is controlling well.
Barnhardt trying to control from the bottom.
Occulta working Barnhardt over with strikes.
Barnhardt trying to control but Occulta postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnhardt blocking the ground and pound attempt from Occulta.
Occulta looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Barnhardt with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Barnhardt has hold of Occulta's hands but Occulta slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Occulta slows the pace down in half guard.
Barnhardt is in trouble now - Occulta has advanced to mount!
Occulta controlling his opponent.
Occulta lands a heavy elbow.

That has opened up Ronnie Barnhardt's cut even more.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barnhardt is working to get back to half guard.
Occulta with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abbath Occulta dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ronnie Barnhardt's cut.
That's time! Occulta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Occulta misses the jab.
Barnhardt slips under a jab.
Occulta throws a looping overhand right but Barnhardt ducks down to avoid it.
Barnhardt shoots and misses
and Occulta counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

The cut above Ronnie Barnhardt's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Occulta fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Barnhardt to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Barnhardt looks to clinch but Occulta throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Barnhardt taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Abbath Occulta!