PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Johny Hendricks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Barral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Hendricks
vs
Barral

180 cm
28
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johny Hendricks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paulo Barral!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hendricks gets caught flat footed, as Barral shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Hendricks trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Barral is looking to stand up but Hendricks won't let him.
Hendricks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hendricks striking off his back but it's not causing Barral any problems.
Hendricks will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hendricks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barral is one step ahead there.
Hendricks throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Barral thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hendricks trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Hendricks striking off his back but it's not causing Barral any problems.
Hendricks trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hendricks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barral is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barral throwing strikes but missing.
Barral trying to control but Hendricks is working from the bottom.
Hendricks looking for a sweep. Not yet Hendricks, not yet.
Barral tries to free his leg and advance position but Hendricks is retaining full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paulo Barral was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Hendricks shoots in for a double leg but Barral sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Barral displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hendricks.
Hendricks misses with a takedown

and Barral counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Hendricks!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johny Hendricks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hendricks is breathing heavily.
Barral is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Hendricks's shoulder. That is not cool.
Hendricks knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Barral on the ground.
Barral wants to stand but Hendricks is controlling his arm.
Hendricks strikes from the bottom but Barral takes advantage and advances to full mount!
Hendricks on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hendricks tries to get out of the position.
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!
Barral can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hendricks is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks is trying to escape the mount.
Barral tries to control but Hendricks wriggling away.
Barral landing strikes from the mount.
Hendricks throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hendricks throwing hammer fists to the chest of Barral. What's that going to do exactly?
Barral working the ground and pound effectively.

Barral is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Hendricks to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hendricks shrugs it off.
Hendricks is in a horrible position here. Barral smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Barral blocks Hendricks's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Barral trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barral with good strikes from the mount here!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Barral prevents Hendricks from getting the reversal.
Barral sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Barral blocks Hendricks's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hendricks throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hendricks is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Hendricks is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Barral looking for a guillotine from mount but Hendricks is having none of it.
Hendricks is trying desperately to improve position.
Barral blocks Hendricks's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hendricks throwing hammer fists to the chest of Barral. What's that going to do exactly?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barral blocks Hendricks's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
My spies in Cozad MMA Los Angeles inform me that Barral has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Barral prevents Hendricks from getting the reversal.

Barral looking to secure an arm triangle but Hendricks defends it well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barral blocks Hendricks's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Barral lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Hendricks throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Barral controlling the position easily from mount.

Barral wants to finish this one by submission but Hendricks is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Barral.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hendricks throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Barral has hold of Hendricks's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Hendricks manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Barral dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hendricks shoots in for a double leg but Barral sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hendricks fails with a takedown attempt.
Barral lands with a thumping leg kick.
Johny Hendricks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Barral throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Hendricks tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Barral is in Hendricks's guard.
Hendricks punching to the body, from the bottom.
Hendricks lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Barral trying to control the position from guard on top but Hendricks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hendricks punching from the bottom - just letting Barral know he's still in a fight.
Hendricks trying to strike off his back.
Barral trying to control but Hendricks is working from the bottom.
Hendricks doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Barral wants to control from the top but Hendricks keeps moving.
Barral stands up out of Hendricks's guard for a moment - Hendricks manages to land a nice upkick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks keeping moving, preventing Barral from controlling successfully.
Barral slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Hendricks.

Barral is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hendricks sees it coming and defends easily.
Hendricks missing with punches from the bottom.
Hendricks misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Hendricks is staying active underneath Barral, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Barral blocks the strikes from Hendricks.
Hendricks tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Barral trying to control the action but Hendricks is working from the bottom.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks throws a strike from the bottom but Barral passes into side control!
Hendricks manages to work his way to half guard, despite Barral's best efforts.
Hendricks is looking to improve his position.
Barral missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Barral blocks the strikes from Hendricks.
Barral is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barral missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Paulo Barral has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hendricks punching from the bottom.

Barral wants to work for an arm triangle but Hendricks is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hendricks flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Hendricks makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hendricks.
Hendricks throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barral trying to control the position from guard on top but Hendricks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hendricks throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hendricks will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hendricks punching from the bottom.
Barral stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hendricks swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barral wants to control from the top but Hendricks keeps moving.
Hendricks trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hendricks will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Barral slips nicely into half guard.
Barral scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Hendricks is refusing to be controlled, as Barral sits in half guard.

Barral is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hendricks defends it well.
Hendricks connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Barral blocks the strikes from Hendricks.
Hendricks tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
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!
Barral blocks the strikes from Hendricks.
Hendricks is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hendricks is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Hendricks throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hendricks swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paulo Barral will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hendricks has a takedown stuffed.
Hendricks shoots and misses

and Barral counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Barral seems to be looking for submissions.
Hendricks misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Barral blocks the strikes from Hendricks.

Barral is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Hendricks is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Paulo Barral!