PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Elwood Barber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Bobandy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Barber
vs
Bobandy

220 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
255 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Elwood Barber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Peter Bobandy!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bobandy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Barber avoids it really well and circles away.
Barber throws a big counter combination but Bobandy scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Bobandy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Barber drives through with a takedown into Bobandy's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Barber won't allow Bobandy to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barber wants to stand but Bobandy has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Barber gets to his feet. Bobandy looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bobandy feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Barber has his feet on Bobandy's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bobandy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bobandy tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Barber enables Bobandy to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Barber manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Barber is adopting a defensive guard.
Bobandy postures up and lands a big shot to Barber's brow.
Barber has his hands on Bobandy's head, controlling the position.
Barber continues to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bobandy with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bobandy with a nice head shot there.
Barber wants to sweep but no luck.
Bobandy tries to free his leg and advance position but Barber is retaining full guard.
Bobandy trying to control the position from guard on top but Barber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bobandy is in close to Barber's body, working some short punches and elbows.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bobandy accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barber keeping moving, preventing Bobandy from controlling successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Barber pulls Bobandy in to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Bobandy drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Barber is trying to improve his position.

Bobandy tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bobandy looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Barber is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bobandy has control of an arm but Barber manages to advance to Bobandy's back!
Bobandy is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Barber just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Bobandy wants to control his opponent's hands but Barber gets his hands free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elwood Barber dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barber drives through and clinches with Bobandy against the cage.
Bobandy is looking to take this one to the mat.

Bobandy has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Barber is trying to keep an underhook but Bobandy manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Barber is positioning himself well to prevent Bobandy advancing to mount.

Bobandy is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Bobandy wants to take a breather but Barber is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barber trying to hold on to Bobandy's head to control him but Bobandy postures up.
Bobandy thows a huge punch but Barber dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barber is controlling Bobandy's position as best he can from this difficult position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bobandy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bobandy shoots in looking for a takedown but Barber manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bobandy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Barber clinches.
Bobandy tries for a takedown. No joy.
Elwood Barber has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter Bobandy.

Barber has hold of one of Bobandy's legs. Bobandy is fighting the takedown attempt but Barber gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Elwood Barber overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Bobandy is working an open guard so Barber takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Bobandy fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bobandy looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Bobandy is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Barber's half guard.
Bobandy wants to take a breather but Barber is having none of it.
Bobandy looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Barber is concentrating on defense, preventing Bobandy from advancing position.
Barber wants to get back to full guard.
Barber is looking to control Bobandy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barber avoid being mounted?
Bobandy thows a huge punch but Barber dodges it nicely.
Barber is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bobandy can do to turn this around?
Bobandy lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bobandy wants to free his trapped foot but Barber is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Bobandy seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Barber has recovered full guard.
Bobandy is looking to work some ground and pound but Barber has wrist control.
Bobandy throwing strikes but missing.
Bobandy trying to control but Barber is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Barber utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bobandy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bobandy won't allow Barber to sweep him here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bobandy circles away from the clinch attempt
and Bobandy counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bobandy lands a nice looking body kick.

Bobandy scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Peter Bobandy will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Barber keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bobandy is defended easily by Barber.

Bobandy shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bobandy trying to control the action but Barber is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bobandy is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bobandy is taking a breather. Barber says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Bobandy trying to control the action but Barber is working from the bottom.

Bobandy is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bobandy throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Barber to regain full guard.
Barber looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Bobandy instigates a clinch.
Barber is looking to break free of the clinch but Bobandy has double underhooks.
Bobandy is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Barber gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Elwood Barber has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter Bobandy.

Barber has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Bobandy regains guard immediately.
Barber throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bobandy wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Bobandy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bobandy pulls Barber in to control the position.
Bobandy trying to keep a closed guard but Barber is proving a slippery customer.

Bobandy looking for a guillotine here but Barber defends easily.
Bobandy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bobandy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barber is one step ahead there.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Barber shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Bobandy eats them both and turns towards Barber to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Elwood Barber is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bobandy tries to clinch there but Barber circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barber stuffs the takedown.
Barber is looking for a counter combo.

Barber gets caught flat footed, as Bobandy shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Barber controlling Bobandy's posture.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Elwood Barber.
I think Barber 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Peter Bobandy!