PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Toma Takahara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harrison Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barnes has chosen The Game-360 Bars as his entrance music. Harrison Barnes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Takahara
vs
Barnes

200 cm
22
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
195 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Firebird Designs
Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toma Takahara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Harrison Barnes!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Chad Campbell and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takahara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A left and a right from Takahara both land. Nice combination.
Good work by Barnes as he checks the leg kick.
Takahara swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Takahara throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Barnes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Takahara misses with a right hand
and Barnes counters with a thumping low kick.
A jab from Barnes misses.
Barnes lands a nice looking kick to the body. Takahara takes a step back to recover.
Barnes takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barnes wants to land a leg kick but Takahara is out of range.
Barnes misses with a lunging right hand
and Takahara counters with a thumping low kick.
Barnes goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Barnes wants to slow Takahara down by chopping away at his legs.
A slapping leg kick lands for Takahara.
A bone on bone clash there as Barnes blocks the leg kick.
A slow jab from Barnes misses its intended target.
Takahara tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Barnes is able to avoid easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahara misses with a low kick.
Takahara throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
Takahara avoids a kick to the body.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Takahara manages to avoid it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Barnes.
A slow jab from Takahara misses its intended target.
Takahara blocks a leg kick.
Barnes lands with a nice body punch.
Takahara swings for the body but Barnes moves out of range.
Takahara dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barnes. That did some damage!
Barnes moves out of range of the strikes.
Takahara blocks a jab.
Takahara takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Takahara really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Barnes misses with an attempted mid kick.
Barnes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Takahara.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Barnes.
Takahara connects with a solid leg kick.
Takahara misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barnes lands a head kick!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takahara throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takahara throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
Barnes scores with the left hand. Takahara knows he should have avoided that one.
Takahara motions for Barnes to come forward. Takahara throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A big left from Barnes misses.
Barnes explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Barnes blocks a leg kick.
Takahara misses with a low kick.
Barnes tries a head kick but it misses.
Takahara throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Barnes connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahara avoids a kick to the body.

Takahara rushes Barnes and presses him up against the cage.
Takahara can't find room to land a body shot as Barnes controls the action.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Barnes avoiding damage.
Barnes trying to control the position but instead, Takahara has worked for underhooks and has pushed Barnes into the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Takahara creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Barnes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Takahara is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Barnes is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes looking to slow down the pace here.
Takahara landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Takahara lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Barnes.
Takahara lands with a right to the head.
Takahara softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Takahara blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Barnes blocks a body shot from Takahara.
Takahara tries to throw a body punch but Barnes avoids it by throwing Takahara back against the cage.
Takahara lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Barnes lands an elbow inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barnes misses with a body punch.
Barnes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toma Takahara dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A big left from Barnes misses.
Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Takahara is looking to clinch but Barnes is avoiding it.
Barnes throws a quick inside leg kick.
Barnes tries to move into range but Takahara moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Takahara fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Takahara drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Barnes throws a low kick but Takahara moves out of range easily.
Takahara tried to score with a low kick but Barnes checks it.
Takahara misses with a two punch combination.
Takahara turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Barnes scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takahara avoids the body shot from Barnes.
Takahara ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barnes throws a hook but Takahara blocks it.
Barnes scores with a push kick.
Takahara fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahara throws a leg kick but Barnes sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Takahara throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Barnes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Takahara fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Barnes has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Barnes misses with a looping right.
Barnes is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Takahara misses with a hook.
Takahara checks a leg kick nicely.
Barnes throws an off balance right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Barnes keeps the fight on the outside.
Takahara misses with a kick to the body
enabling Barnes to counter with a crisp jab.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Takahara.
Takahara throws a solid leg kick but Barnes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Takahara.
Barnes throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Takahara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A low kick from Barnes is predictable there
and Takahara counters with a leg kick.
Barnes misses with a double jab.
Takahara misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Takahara clinches up against the cage.
Barnes is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Takahara lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barnes backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch on the inside from Takahara fails to land.
Barnes blocks an elbow strike.
Barnes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Takahara tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Barnes's elbow.
With the fighters up against the cage, Takahara throws an elbow but misses.
Barnes blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahara with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Barnes avoiding damage as Takahara throws knees to the body.
Takahara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Barnes.
Takahara misses with a body punch.
Takahara missing with knees to the body.
Takahara misses with a body punch.
Barnes will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Takahara up against the cage.
Takahara scores with a hook to the body.
A shot in the inside from Takahara.
A short body shot lands from Takahara as the two fighters clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahara swings wildly with an uppercut but Barnes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Still in the clinch, Takahara scores with a nice short uppercut.
Barnes is trying to maintain a safe position but Takahara gets an underhook and turns Barnes into the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Takahara just misses with a elbow thrown towards Barnes's brow.
Barnes stalls.
Barnes working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barnes stalling the fight.
Barnes scores with a shot to the side of Takahara's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnes avoiding damage as Takahara throws knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toma Takahara dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A solid body kick from Barnes.
Barnes swings for the body but Takahara moves out of range.

Takahara moves into range and clinches up with Barnes.
Barnes stalling.
A right handed body shot lands from Takahara.
Barnes avoiding damage as Takahara throws knees to the body.
Takahara struggles to land a body shot inside as Barnes controls his hands.
Barnes misses with a punch on the inside.
Barnes stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Takahara working Barnes over with knees to the body.
Barnes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Barnes gets through Takahara's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahara tries to throw a body punch but Barnes avoids it by throwing Takahara back against the cage.
Takahara being controlled against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Barnes seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Takahara.
Takahara creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Barnes blocks an elbow strike.
Barnes blocking some punches.
Takahara tries a body shot but Barnes blocks it.
A head punch on the inside from Takahara fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes stalling the fight.
Barnes continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Takahara digs a right hand into Barnes's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Barnes's gas tank.
Harrison Barnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takahara gets through Barnes's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Harrison Barnes.
Takahara throws a leg kick
and Barnes counters with a nice low kick that buckles Takahara's knee momentarily.
Barnes walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takahara throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Takahara throws a head kick but Barnes moves out of range.
A slapping leg kick lands for Takahara.
Takahara lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Barnes at a distance.
Takahara misses with a wild body shot.
Toma Takahara is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahara attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Takahara throws out a loose jab but Barnes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takahara scores with a decent looking hook.
Takahara misses with a head kick.
Takahara throws a leg kick but Barnes moved away.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barnes throws a nice inside leg kick.
Good leg kick by Takahara there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Barnes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Takahara throws a half hearted mid kick.
Takahara jabs at Barnes's body.
Takahara takes a swing at Barnes's ribcage but misses.
Barnes throws a looping overhand right but Takahara ducks down to avoid it.
Jab, jab by Takahara - just one landing.
Takahara avoids a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahara throws a quick inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takahara moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Barnes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takahara chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Barnes throws a low kick but Takahara moves out of range easily.
Barnes throws a front kick aimed at Takahara's knee but Takahara avoids it well.

Takahara gets a clinch.
Barnes taking a breather.
Barnes avoids the elbow strike from Takahara, against the cage.
Takahara tries to land a knee to the head but Barnes blocks with his arms.
Takahara landing knees to the body.
Nice body punch from Barnes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takahara has Barnes pressed against the cage, preventing Barnes from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Barnes wants to stall.
Barnes scores with a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toma Takahara showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Takahara has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toma Takahara!
Toma Takahara decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.