PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pes Barbos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benedikt Pushkar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barbos
vs
Pushkar

196 cm
26
240 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

212 cm
29
285 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pes Barbos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Benedikt Pushkar!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pushkar misses with a kick to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pushkar is defended easily by Barbos.
Barbos stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Barbos wants it to stay on the feet.
Barbos goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Benedikt Pushkar has been cut.
Barbos lands with a straight right. Pushkar didn't see that one coming.
Barbos lands a slapping body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barbos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Barbos misses with a hook.
Barbos wants to clinch up but Pushkar keeps it at a distance.
Pushkar tries to land a leg kick but Barbos saw it coming and moves away.
Pushkar circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barbos tries to clinch there but Pushkar circles away.
Barbos tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Pushkar counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee asks Pushkar politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Pushkar prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Pushkar are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ground and pound from Pushkar seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Pushkar sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Barbos is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Pushkar throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Pushkar connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Barbos some visible discomfort.
Barbos regains half guard there - taking advantage of Pushkar's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Barbos makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Barbos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbos wants to get back to his feet but Pushkar is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Barbos keeping moving, preventing Pushkar from controlling successfully.
Pushkar stops Barbos from standing up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pushkar accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Pushkar working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pushkar throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbos has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Pushkar must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pushkar landing with the ground and pound.
Barbos is trying to control the position but Pushkar postures up.
Pushkar wants to pass the guard but Barbos is keeping the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barbos is on top in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pushkar is looking to stand up but Barbos isn't so interested in that idea.

Barbos decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Pushkar, up you get!
Pushkar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Barbos drives through and clinches with Pushkar against the cage.

Barbos has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Pushkar is trying to keep an underhook but Barbos manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barbos wants to pass the guard but Pushkar is defending well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pes Barbos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Benedikt Pushkar's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Barbos wants to clinch.
Barbos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pushkar paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Barbos here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
A lazy left from Barbos finds it's target.
Pushkar shoots in and drives through. Barbos sprawls well.
Barbos thows a body shot but no joy.

Barbos rushes Pushkar and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Barbos has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pushkar uses from the top position.
Pushkar is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Pushkar postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pushkar throws an elbow that misses. Barbos uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pushkar's guard. Nice move by Barbos!
Pushkar keeping moving, preventing Barbos from controlling successfully.
Barbos is looking to work some ground and pound but Pushkar has wrist control.
Barbos is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

We're going to have a standup here because Pes Barbos wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Barbos misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Benedikt Pushkar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pushkar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barbos as he jumps to the side.
Barbos misses with a series of wild punches.
Pes Barbos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Barbos closes the distance and clinches.
Pushkar looking for a takedown.
Pes Barbos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benedikt Pushkar.
Pushkar is working for takedown but Barbos is calmly controlling the position for now.
Pushkar wants a takedown.
Barbos wants a takedown.

Barbos breaks from the clinch.
Barbos stuffs the takedown attempt from Pushkar. Pushkar gets slowly back to his feet.
Pushkar throws out a leg kick but Barbos moves out of range and Pushkar only half commits.
Barbos jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pushkar lands with an overhand left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pushkar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barbos manages to avoid it.
Pushkar shoots in looking for a takedown. Barbos tries to sprawl out of it but Pushkar keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barbos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Barbos throws an off balance right hand

and Pushkar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pushkar.
Pushkar throws a big right hand that misses.
Barbos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barbos working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pushkar.
Barbos is looking to stand up but Pushkar isn't so interested in that idea.
Pushkar missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Barbos trying to control the position.
Pushkar tries to free his leg and advance position but Barbos is retaining full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pushkar controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
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!

Pes Barbos has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
A swing and a miss from Barbos.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barbos slips a jab and a cross from Pushkar.
Barbos slips a jab from Pushkar.
No joy there for Barbos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pes Barbos will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Benedikt Pushkar's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pushkar closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barbos is pressed up against the cage. Pushkar has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Barbos down to the mat. Barbos avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Barbos scores with a one two! Pushkar had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Barbos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Barbos stuffs the takedown attempt from Pushkar. Pushkar gets slowly back to his feet.
Barbos just misses with a punch to the body.
Barbos throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pushkar digs a good body shot into Barbos's ribs.
Barbos misses with a few strikes there.
Barbos throws a lazy right hand but Pushkar sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Barbos looks to score with a jab to the body but Pushkar is just out of range.
Pushkar shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Barbos eats them both and turns towards Pushkar to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Pes Barbos is winning the standup battle so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pushkar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Barbos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbos misses with a series of wild punches.
Barbos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Barbos wants to clinch.
Pushkar misses with a wild body shot.
A slow jab from Pushkar misses its intended target.
Barbos takes a swing at Pushkar's ribcage but misses.
Pushkar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pes Barbos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benedikt Pushkar.
Pushkar avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barbos doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Benedikt Pushkar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbos tries to close the distance and clinch but Pushkar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barbos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pushkar.
Barbos throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barbos tries to bum rush Pushkar with a series of wild strikes but Pushkar uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barbos fails to land with a series of punches.
Pushkar connects with a body shot.

Pushkar gets a takedown into half guard.
Pushkar moves nicely into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barbos takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pushkar misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Barbos struggling a bit here.
Barbos is not content to let Pushkar control the position.
Pushkar throws an elbow but Barbos slips to the side and avoids it well.
Barbos takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbos regains half guard, as Pushkar was trying to land strikes.
Pushkar thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barbos's head.
Pushkar throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pushkar not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barbos is trying to stand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pushkar throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Barbos avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pushkar.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benedikt Pushkar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barbos has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Pes Barbos!