PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bogdan Constantin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Barbera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Constantin
vs
Barbera

225 cm
19
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bogdan Constantin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Antonio Barbera!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Steve Erwin and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Constantin misses with a head kick.

Barbera shoots in and gets a takedown into Constantin's guard.
Constantin is trying to keep Barbera in close.
Barbera wants to stand but Constantin is controlling his posture from full guard.
Barbera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Constantin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Constantin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Barbera can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Barbera sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbera postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barbera trying to control but Constantin is working from the bottom.
Constantin throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Constantin has a closed guard, preventing Barbera from standing up.
Barbera is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barbera throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbera wants to control from the top but Constantin keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antonio Barbera was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Constantin tries to clinch up but Barbera circles away and keeps his distance.
Barbera takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Constantin leaves Barbera with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Constantin moves into the clinch successfully.
Barbera tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Constantin avoids it.
Constantin has had enough of the clinch but Barbera keeps him there for the moment.
Constantin is trying to drag Barbera to the mat but Barbera just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Barbera manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Constantin with a lazy takedown attempt

and Barbera counters with a shoot takedown. Constantin fights it but they end up in guard.
Barbera sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Constantin's guard.
Constantin is not content to let Barbera control the position.
Constantin is in trouble now - Barbera has advanced to mount!
Constantin tries to lock up and control but Barbera gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Constantin takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Barbera swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Constantin is now in Barbera's guard. A big mistake from Barbera there, giving up the dominant position!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Barbera escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Constantin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbera has a closed guard, preventing Constantin from standing up.
Barbera wants to improve his position but instead Constantin has moved into half guard.
Barbera is looking to control Constantin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barbera avoid being mounted?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barbera is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Constantin is staying active.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Barbera dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Barbera fails with the takedown.
Constantin shoots in for a takedown but Barbera shows good takedown defense.

Barbera rushes Constantin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Constantin pulls Barbera into guard.
Barbera trying to control but Constantin is working from the bottom.

Barbera gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Barbera misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Constantin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barbera throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barbera gets a takedown into half guard.
Barbera seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Constantin is trying to control but can't.
Barbera wants to control but Constantin is keeping him busy.
Antonio Barbera has got the better of the ground game so far.

Barbera 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.
Barbera landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Constantin is trying to get back to full guard.

Constantin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Barbera is thwarting Constantin's attempts to control the position.
Barbera is looking to advance position but Constantin won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbera wants to stand up but Constantin has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Barbera frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Barbera wants to control the pace but Constantin is squirming around nicely.
Barbera lands a nice shot to the head.
Constantin gets back to half guard.
Constantin wants to get back to full guard but Barbera has passed into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barbera trying to control the position but Constantin is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barbera is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Constantin is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Barbera tries to advance to mount but Constantin denies him.

Barbera thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barbera scoring with punches from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Barbera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Constantin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barbera fails with a takedown attempt.
Constantin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Barbera sprawls well. Barbera wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Constantin gets slowly back to his feet.

Barbera shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Barbera was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Constantin is trying desperately to improve position.
Constantin tries to lock up and control but Barbera gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbera wants to control the pace but Constantin is squirming around nicely.
Constantin tries to reverse the position but Barbera maintains control.
Constantin is working hard here to advance position.
Barbera postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Constantin looks a forlorn figure.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barbera takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Barbera trying to control but Constantin is having none of it.
Barbera scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Constantin?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbera is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Constantin tries to reverse the position but Barbera maintains control.
Barbera is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Constantin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Constantin is rocked!
Barbera sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Constantin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barbera lands a big shot there that rocks Constantin but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Oh Constantin is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Barbera cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Constantin working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbera scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Constantin?
Barbera looking to control but Constantin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barbera lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Constantin hang on?
Constantin prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Barbera trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Constantin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Constantin tries to get out of the position.
Barbera sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Barbera lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Barbera looking to control and managing it successfully.
Barbera looking to control but Constantin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Constantin wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Barbera cracks Constantin with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barbera trying to control but Constantin is having none of it.

Barbera stands up from mount. Strange move.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Barbera shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Constantin's guard.
Bogdan Constantin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Antonio Barbera is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Barbera has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barbera landing some decent shots from guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Barbera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Barbera 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Barbera!