PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rodney Pearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Barbosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodney Pearson has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Pearson
vs
Barbosa

190 cm
27
150 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

170 cm
25
149 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodney Pearson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hector Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Paul Tew and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pearson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barbosa, pushing him back against the cage.
Pearson gets underhooks to prevent Barbosa's takedown attempt.
Pearson tries to pull guard but Barbosa holds him up against the cage and eventually Pearson drops back down to his feet.
Barbosa wants a takedown.
Pearson has Barbosa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Barbosa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Pearson pulls guard effortlessly.
Pearson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Pearson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Barbosa is stalling in the full guard.
Barbosa postures up.
Pearson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pearson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pearson is looking to stand up but Barbosa isn't so interested in that idea.
Pearson has Barbosa pulled in close to control his posture.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rodney Pearson.
Barbosa tries to clinch but Pearson moves away
and Pearson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Barbosa misses with a takedown attempt

and Pearson counters with a takedown into side control.
Rodney Pearson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Barbosa.

Pearson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Barbosa is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Barbosa tries to escape but Pearson is in control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pearson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Pearson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Barbosa counters with a body kick that stops Pearson in his tracks momentarily.
Pearson is breathing heavily.

Barbosa drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barbosa is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Let's hope that Barbosa has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Pearson controls Barbosa momentarily but Barbosa frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa content to stall in guard here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Hector Barbosa wasn't active enough on the ground.
Barbosa tries to clinch up.
Barbosa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pearson manages to avoid it.

Barbosa forces Pearson back against the cage and clinches.
Pearson is pressed up against the cage. Barbosa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pearson down to the mat. Pearson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Barbosa fails with the takedown.
Pearson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Barbosa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Barbosa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pearson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Barbosa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Pearson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Barbosa slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Barbosa dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Barbosa is looking to clinch but Pearson is avoiding it.
Barbosa fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Pearson swats away the attempt to clinch by Barbosa.

Barbosa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Barbosa takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Pearson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pearson is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pearson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Barbosa is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Pearson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Hector Barbosa hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Pearson closes the distance looking to clinch

and Barbosa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pearson lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Barbosa is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Barbosa looking to slow down the pace here.

Pearson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rodney Pearson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Barbosa slaps away a takedown attempt from Pearson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Barbosa, as that shot connected.

Barbosa drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Barbosa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Pearson is looking for a sweep.
Barbosa scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa taking a breather here.
Pearson struggling a bit here.
Pearson is trying to escape the position but Barbosa is controlling the position.

Barbosa stands up and beckons Pearson to his feet.

Barbosa shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pearson's guard.
Barbosa postures up and lands a big shot to Pearson's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa thows a big elbow that misses.
Barbosa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hector Barbosa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbosa looking to pass the guard.
Pearson looking for a sweep. Not yet Pearson, not yet.
Barbosa working some strikes from top position.
Pearson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barbosa advances position into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Barbosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. 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.

Barbosa tries for a takedown but Pearson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barbosa looks for the body kick but Pearson saw that one coming.

Pearson moves into the clinch successfully.
Barbosa wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Pearson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Barbosa is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Barbosa tries for a takedown. No joy.
Pearson tries to break free but Barbosa pushes him back against the cage.

Barbosa is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Pearson can't fight it off and eventually Barbosa manages to take the fight to the floor. Pearson looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pearson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Barbosa slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pearson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Barbosa has picked Pearson up and slammed him! Pearson can't keep hold of the triangle and Barbosa manages to pass to side control!

Barbosa decides to stand back up. Barbosa steps back and let's Pearson get back to his feet.

Pearson gets caught flat footed, as Barbosa shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Pearson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pearson wants to hit a switch here but Barbosa passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Pearson there!
Barbosa controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barbosa has hold of Pearson's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Pearson manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Pearson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Barbosa breaks from Pearson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Barbosa landing strikes from the mount and Pearson is in trouble!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson wants to control but Barbosa is having none of it.
Barbosa controlling his opponent.
Barbosa with shots to the head and body - Pearson looks very uncomfortable down there.
Pearson is looking to improve his position but Barbosa isn't that keen on the idea.

Barbosa looking to secure an arm triangle but Pearson defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa lands a big shot there that rocks Pearson but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Barbosa fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Pearson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Barbosa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Barbosa cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

And that's the end of the fight!
Hector Barbosa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Barbosa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Gold scores the fight for Hector Barbosa!
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight for Hector Barbosa!
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight for Hector Barbosa!

Hector Barbosa wins by unanimous decision!