PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Grape Ape (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renan Barao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barao comes into a darkened arena with his song building. All I Do is Win kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Ape
vs
Barao

177 cm
25
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

168 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Grape Ape!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renan Barao!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Luis Engracia and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ape avoids a kick to the body.
Barao moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ape takes an elbow to the temple.

Barao wants the takedown. Ape is fighting it off but Barao persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Ape's guard against the cage.
Barao slips nicely into half guard.
Ape really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Barao sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ape defending well though.

Barao is looking for a kimura but Ape is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Barao to get the leverage.
Ape is looking for a sweep. Barao is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Barao looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Ape avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barao.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ape tries to get to full guard but Barao has control of the leg.
Barao is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ape has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Barao escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Barao!
Ape tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barao wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ground and pound from Barao seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Barao is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ape knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ape is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barao wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ape, who protects the arm well.
Ape is trying to control Barao's posture but Barao avoids it.

Barao is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ape is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ape tries to buck Barao off but Barao is having none of it.

Barao tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Barao has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Barao lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ape can't do much from the bottom here.
Barao controls the position.
Ape is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Barao is controlling him well.
Ape taking punishment in the form of punches.
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.

Barao tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Barao working the body and head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barao taking a breather here.

Barao looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ape parries the strikes from Barao easily there. Barao is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Ape to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Barao is trying to get an arm triangle but Ape is defending well.
Barao throws a strike aimed at the side of Ape's head but Ape avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renan Barao dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ape has taken the fight to the clinch.
Barao will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ape up against the cage.
Ape trying to land knees to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Barao.
Barao lands an elbow that stopped Ape in his tracks for a moment.
Ape missing with knees to the body.
Ape blocks a body shot from Barao.
Barao putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Ape in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ape is trying to break the clinch but Barao has him pressed against the cage.
Barao looking to throw knees to the head but Ape is blocking nicely.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Barao.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Barao.
Barao blocks an elbow strike from Ape.
Barao lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Barao lands a knee to the head.

Barao pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ape with a poor takedown

and Barao moves into the clinch.
Nice elbow from Barao.
Ape takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ape letting Barao take a breather here.
Ape jumps guard but Barao stands there with Ape around his waist. Ape gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ape goes for a takedown in the clinch but Barao prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grape Ape. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ape is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barao tries to land a knee to the head but Ape blocks with his arms.
Barao lands an elbow inside.

Barao's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ape stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Barao.
Ape tries for a takedown but Barao circles away easily
and Barao counters with an inside leg kick.
Jab from Barao.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ape shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ape tries for a takedown but Barao circles away easily
and Barao makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ape takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ape doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Barao counters with a good low kick that Ape was not able to check.
Grape Ape seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ape connects with a body shot.
Ape with a lazy takedown attempt

and Barao counters with a single leg into guard. Ape didn't expect that.
Barao not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Barao cracks Ape with a solid left hand.
Barao stays in close to Ape's body and controls the position.
Barao really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ape. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Barao stands up from Ape's guard - Barao perhaps looking for a knockout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Barao throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Ape was covering up waiting for the punch and Barao finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barao pushing down on Ape's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Barao content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Barao throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Ape to regain full guard.
Barao preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barao pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ape is keeping the position for now.
Barao's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Barao slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renan Barao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ape shoots and misses
and Barao counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Ape throws a body punch but Barao moves out of range.
Ape tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barao was well out of range. Poor timing from Ape.
Ape fails with the takedown
and Barao counters with a nice body kick.
Barao throws a shot from downtown. Ape moves away and avoids it.
Ape has his takedown stuffed

and Barao counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grape Ape. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Renan Barao has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ape is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Barao is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ape is just riding it out for now. Barao eventually gives up the hold.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barao keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ape won't allow Barao to pass to mount.
Ape is looking to improve his position.
Barao is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Barao seems to be working for a kimura but Ape defends the submission attempt.
Ape is pressing down on Barao's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barao stands and steps away. Ape gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Ape gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Barao counters with a shoot takedown. Ape fights it but they end up in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ape is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Barao with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Barao stays in close to Ape's body and controls the position.
Ape preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ape is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barao seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Ape keeping full guard, as Barao tries to pass.
Barao must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Renan Barao.

Ape moves into the clinch.
Ape is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Barao avoiding damage.
Barao using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ape has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barao connects with a nasty looking knee right to Ape's face.
Ape is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Barao connects with a knee to the head.

Barao's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ape doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Barao counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Barao has Ape pressed against the cage.
Barao lands a right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barao gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ape is trying to drag Barao to the mat but Barao just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Grape Ape has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Renan Barao is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Barao lands a takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renan Barao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Barao has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Renan Barao!
Renan Barao was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.