PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pacman Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolaj Orlow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Barnes might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barnes
vs
Orlow

187 cm
37
210 lbs
36 - 26 - 2

185 cm
33
205 lbs
27 - 17 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 36 - 26 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Pacman Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 17 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolaj Orlow!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes misses with a hook

and Orlow counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Orlow.

Orlow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Orlow slips under a jab from Barnes.
Orlow has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Barnes is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Orlow misses the shot to the body.
Barnes tries to land a front kick but Orlow steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Orlow moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Orlow misses with a body kick.
Barnes has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Qube Striking in the buildup to the fight.
Orlow throws a head kick that misses
letting Barnes counter with a right hand.
Barnes scores with a nice head shot.
Orlow throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Orlow tries a head kick but it misses.
Barnes thows a body shot but no joy.
Barnes fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Orlow blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orlow misses with a low kick.
Barnes works the jab nicely.
Barnes takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Barnes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Orlow.
Orlow drops his hands momentarily and Barnes takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Sloppy strikes from Barnes. Those never looked like landing.
Barnes works Orlow's body with a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barnes throws a chopping leg kick but Orlow manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Barnes throws a nice looking combination but Orlow bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barnes blocks a head kick by Orlow.

Barnes lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Orlow sprawling to the canvas. Barnes follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Orlow hang on?

Orlow is rocked!

It looks like Nikolaj Orlow has been cut.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The fighters are battling for position here. Orlow manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Orlow is still in real trouble! Can Barnes finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes won't allow Orlow to sweep him here.
Orlow seems to have recovered his senses.
Orlow is still trying to improve position.
Barnes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Barnes tries to stand but Orlow is controlling from the bottom.
Orlow is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Barnes wants to control from the top but Orlow keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Pacman Barnes wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Barnes throws a shot from downtown. Orlow moves away and avoids it.
A head kick misses from Barnes.
Orlow misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barnes finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Orlow.
Barnes throws a hook but Orlow blocks it.
Orlow lands a nice hook to Barnes's body. Barnes takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Orlow throws a hook but Barnes blocks it.
Orlow throws a leg kick
and Barnes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Orlow misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes tried to score with a low kick but Orlow checks it.
Barnes throws a shot to the body.
Barnes on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
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!
Orlow connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A nice leg kick lands there from Barnes.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Orlow.
Orlow scores with a head kick. Barnes tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Barnes cracks the inside of Orlow's front leg.
Orlow buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Orlow walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Barnes checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Barnes takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Orlow swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pacman Barnes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nikolaj Orlow's cut.
That's time! Barnes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Barnes scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Orlow throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Orlow keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Orlow moves away from the strike by Barnes.
Orlow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Orlow misses with a wild body shot.
Orlow slips a straight right by Barnes.
Orlow throws an overhand right that lands on Barnes's shoulder, as Barnes tries to avoid the shot.
Barnes throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Barnes avoids the head kick by Orlow.
Orlow misses with the body kick
and Barnes counters with a nice uppercut.
Barnes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Orlow throws out the jab.
A nice inside leg kick there by Orlow. That's going to slow Barnes down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes walks into a stiff left hand from Orlow.
Orlow misses with a kick to the body.
The fighters circling - Barnes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Orlow. Barnes shrugs it off though.
Barnes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Orlow takes one on the button.
A jab from Barnes misses.
Nikolaj Orlow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Orlow.
Orlow throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
Orlow misses with a leg kick.
Orlow lands a jab to Barnes's midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Orlow connects with a leg kick. Barnes looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Orlow throws a head kick but Barnes moves out of range.
Barnes thows a body shot but no joy.
Orlow pushes Barnes away with a front kick.
Orlow throws a right and a left that both miss.
An inside leg kick lands from Orlow.
Orlow is looking to chop away at Barnes's legs.
Barnes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Orlow momentarily.
Barnes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Orlow throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
The fighters circling - Orlow throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Barnes finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orlow misses with a wild body shot.
Barnes moves out of range as Orlow throws a body kick.
Orlow takes a swing at Barnes's ribcage but misses.
Orlow throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
Barnes moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Barnes scores with a body shot.
Barnes lands a slapping body shot.
Orlow tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Barnes is able to avoid easily.
Barnes misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick from Orlow lands but Barnes takes it in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barnes lands a jab to the nose.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes avoids the head kick by Orlow.
Orlow swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Barnes misses with a looping right.
Orlow does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Barnes slips under a jab from Orlow.
Orlow misses with a telegraphed body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Orlow throws a low kick but Barnes moves out of range easily.
Orlow throws a solid leg kick but Barnes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Orlow.
Orlow throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Orlow looks to land a left hand but Barnes moved out of range nicely.
Orlow dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Orlow ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barnes moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nikolaj Orlow will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Nikolaj Orlow's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Barnes takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Orlow manages to avoid it.
Orlow scores with a nice strike.
Pacman Barnes is winning the standup battle so far.
Orlow ducks under a wild hook from Barnes.
Barnes takes a swing at Orlow's ribcage but misses.
Barnes takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Orlow throws a poor cross that misses
and Barnes counters with a stiff right hand.
Orlow delivers a nice body kick.
Orlow thows a body shot but no joy.
Barnes moves out of range as Orlow throws a body kick.
Orlow moves out of range of the strikes.
A thudding body kick lands there by Orlow!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orlow misses with a wild body shot.
Barnes stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Orlow.
Nice straight punches there by Orlow. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Orlow.
A good leg kick by Orlow.
Barnes throws a body punch but Orlow moves out of range.
Barnes misses with a right hand
and Orlow connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Barnes throws a right hand that misses
and Orlow counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Barnes takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Orlow takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Orlow cracks Barnes with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A good leg kick by Orlow.
Barnes will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Orlow looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Some bone on bone action there as Orlow checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Orlow pivots, looking for a leg kick but Barnes is out of range and Orlow settles back down.
Barnes avoids a kick to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Orlow. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
A nice leg kick lands there from Barnes.
Orlow throws a body punch but Barnes moves out of range.
Barnes misses with a double jab
and Orlow counters with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Orlow darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Barnes connects with a leg kick. Orlow looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Orlow.
Barnes avoids the head kick by Orlow.
Orlow with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Orlow ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Orlow has taken the fight to the clinch.
Orlow misses with the head strike.

Orlow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barnes thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Orlow if he has to take too many more of those.
Orlow buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Orlow finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Orlow tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Orlow tries a head kick but it misses.
Orlow takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Orlow is looking to chop away at Barnes's legs.
Orlow throws a head kick that misses.
Orlow on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Barnes throws a low kick but it's checked well by Orlow.
Barnes listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Barnes throws a body punch but Orlow moves out of range.
Nice cross by Orlow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Orlow throws a lazy head kick
and Barnes counters with a good low kick that Orlow was not able to check.
Barnes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolaj Orlow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Orlow has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolaj Orlow!
During a confident post fight interview, Nikolaj Orlow thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.