PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mitchell Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergio Barbosa (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.

Joseph
vs
Barbosa

178 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mitchell Joseph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Alexandre Firmino and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joseph keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mitchell Joseph seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Joseph stuns Barbosa with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Joseph tries for a takedown but Barbosa circles away easily

and Barbosa counters with a single leg into guard. Joseph didn't expect that.
Barbosa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Joseph is keeping the position for now.

Barbosa drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Joseph manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Barbosa has Joseph in his guard.

Barbosa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Joseph is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Barbosa wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Joseph puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Joseph wants to take a breather but Barbosa is having none of it.

Joseph escapes and gets back to his feet.
Joseph lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Barbosa looks gassed!
Joseph misses with a double jab

and Barbosa counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Barbosa stops Joseph from getting back to his feet.
Barbosa is looking to advance position but Joseph won't allow it.
Barbosa moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Joseph.
Joseph is trying to control Barbosa's posture but Barbosa avoids it.
Joseph is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa advances to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Joseph tries to hold on but Barbosa pushes him away.
Barbosa pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Joseph is desperately trying to improve his position but Barbosa has a good base and remains in mount.
Poor strikes thrown by Barbosa there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Barbosa takes Joseph's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Joseph is in trouble.
Joseph tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Barbosa is trying to stick to Joseph's back but Joseph is turning into Barbosa. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Barbosa's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Joseph.
Barbosa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Joseph manages to get himself to full guard.
Joseph looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barbosa is one step ahead there.
Joseph keeping full guard, as Barbosa tries to pass.

Barbosa drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Joseph dives on top into guard.
Barbosa looking for a sweep. Not yet Barbosa, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Barbosa holds on and takes a little breather.

Joseph avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

Barbosa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Barbosa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Joseph can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joseph pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barbosa is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Barbosa has his takedown stuffed

and Joseph counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Joseph advances to half guard.
Joseph prevents Barbosa from improving his position.
Sergio Barbosa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbosa trying to control from the bottom.
Barbosa is looking to improve his position.

Barbosa looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Joseph wants to control but Barbosa is keeping him busy.
Joseph prevents Barbosa from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa is trying to maintain the position but Joseph is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barbosa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Joseph circles away.
Good leg kick by Joseph there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Joseph misses with the combination.
A left and a right from Joseph both land. Nice combination.

Barbosa gets the takedown into side control.
Barbosa passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Joseph!
Barbosa scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Joseph defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Barbosa.
Joseph is desperately trying to improve his position but Barbosa has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barbosa has hold of Joseph's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Joseph manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Joseph slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Joseph is trying to control but can't.
Joseph is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Joseph looks like he's trying to stand up.
Joseph wants to control but Barbosa is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Joseph wants to improve his position but Barbosa is controlling well.
Joseph wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Joseph scores with a takedown into Barbosa's guard.
Joseph tries to stand but Barbosa is controlling from the bottom.
Joseph preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Joseph trying to control but Barbosa is working from the bottom.
Barbosa is trying to keep Joseph in close.
Joseph trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Barbosa has his foot on Joseph's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Joseph works his way back into a safe position though.

Barbosa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Barbosa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Joseph doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Joseph manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joseph wanted to stand there but Barbosa had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sergio Barbosa will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Barbosa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Joseph counters with a nice double leg into side control. Barbosa won't be happy with that.
Barbosa is trying to control Joseph's posture but Joseph avoids it.
Barbosa is being controlled here.
Barbosa regains half guard.
Joseph is pressing down on Barbosa's thigh, looking to free his foot. Barbosa is holding on for now.
Joseph seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Joseph trying to mount his opponent but Barbosa defends it.
Barbosa tries to get to full guard but Joseph has control of the leg.
Joseph working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph slips a nice elbow through Barbosa's hands, connecting with Barbosa's forehead.
Barbosa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Joseph stalling.

Joseph is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Barbosa has managed to free his arm - good work.
Barbosa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Joseph is looking to take a break and control but Barbosa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barbosa is looking for a sweep. Joseph is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

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.
Joseph winds up and cracks Barbosa with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Joseph looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Barbosa on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Barbosa tries to get to full guard but Joseph has control of the leg.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Joseph looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Barbosa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Joseph stopping the sweep attempt from Barbosa.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph won't allow Barbosa to sweep him here.

Barbosa had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Joseph is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Barbosa Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Joseph's back instead.
Barbosa is trying to stick to Joseph's back but Joseph is turning into Barbosa. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Barbosa's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Joseph.
Barbosa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ground and pound from Barbosa.
Barbosa is trying to control the action in half guard but Joseph is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph won't allow Barbosa to pass to mount.
Barbosa is thwarting Joseph's attempts to control the position.
Joseph slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Barbosa is sitting in close to Joseph's body. Joseph has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Barbosa is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Barbosa is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Joseph.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Mitchell Joseph!