PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mansour Barnaoui (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bas Dekkers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bas Dekkers has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mansour Barnaoui's chin.

Barnaoui
vs
Dekkers

182 cm
24
167 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

167 cm
26
155 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mansour Barnaoui!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bas Dekkers!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dekkers moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Barnaoui takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Mansour Barnaoui has been cut.
Barnaoui avoids the body shot from Dekkers.
Barnaoui attempts a counter takedown but Dekkers avoids it well and moves away.
Barnaoui tests Dekkers's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Barnaoui scoring well with a low kick there.
Dekkers lands a nice leg kick that just misses Barnaoui's sensitive parts.
Dekkers ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Dekkers steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Dekkers throws a head kick but Barnaoui moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnaoui shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barnaoui misses the jab.
Dekkers uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Barnaoui.
Dekkers tries to counter by closing the distance.
Dekkers uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnaoui swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dekkers connects with a solid leg kick.
Dekkers keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Dekkers gets a clinch.
Dekkers with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dekkers utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Dekkers scores a nice knee to the body.
Dekkers effectively controlling the action here.
Dekkers missing with knees to the body.
Dekkers throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers has Barnaoui pressed against the cage.
Barnaoui blocks an elbow strike.
I was talking to Barnaoui's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Dekkers missing with knees to the body.
Dekkers creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barnaoui's defenses.
Dekkers taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Dekkers throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dekkers obliges.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dekkers content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Dekkers pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Dekkers leaning against his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Dekkers using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barnaoui has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Barnaoui wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dekkers keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barnaoui's efforts to push away.
Dekkers unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barnaoui lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Barnaoui takes an elbow to the forehead.
Dekkers landing knees to the head.
Barnaoui wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dekkers landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A bit of stalling here from Dekkers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Dekkers continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Dekkers lands a damaging elbow.
Dekkers pushes off an throws an elbow but Barnaoui leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Dekkers gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Barnaoui can't break the clinch.
Barnaoui wants to break the clinch but can't.
Barnaoui avoiding damage as Dekkers throws knees to the body.
Dekkers slows down the pace here.
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!
Dekkers creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bas Dekkers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mansour Barnaoui's cut.
That's time! Barnaoui's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dekkers feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Barnaoui's calf.
Barnaoui loads up on a big right hand but Dekkers slips the punch.
Dekkers feints and then cracks Barnaoui's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Barnaoui down.
Barnaoui has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Barnaoui there as he acknowledges the shot.
Horrible takedown attempt by Barnaoui or perhaps it was just good defense by Dekkers, which made it look bad.
Barnaoui misses with a looping left.
Dekkers misses with a left hand

and Barnaoui counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dekkers won't be happy with that.
Barnaoui working away.
Dekkers is trying to get back to half guard.

Barnaoui is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Dekkers is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers stuck in half guard on the bottom here.

Barnaoui is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Dekkers is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dekkers sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnaoui wants to take a breather but Dekkers is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dekkers controlling the position for now.
Dekkers manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Dekkers is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Barnaoui forces his way into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barnaoui prevents Dekkers from improving his position.
Dekkers has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barnaoui looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers tries to roll over but Barnaoui keeps him under control.
Barnaoui seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Barnaoui looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Dekkers is not content to let Barnaoui control the position.
Dekkers regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Barnaoui.

Barnaoui decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Dekkers clinches up against the cage.

Barnaoui's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barnaoui fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dekkers manages to avoid it.
Dekkers appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Barnaoui fails with a takedown attempt.
Barnaoui lands a two punch combo.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barnaoui takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
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 Mansour Barnaoui will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mansour Barnaoui's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Barnaoui shoots in but Dekkers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Dekkers looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Dekkers scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Barnaoui misses with a takedown
and Dekkers counters with an inside leg kick.
Barnaoui misses with a hook
letting Dekkers counter with a right hand.
Dekkers chopping away at his opponent's legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dekkers lands with a slapping head kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Dekkers.
Barnaoui throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dekkers is looking to slow Barnaoui down with leg kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Barnaoui changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Dekkers misses with a series of wild punches.
Dekkers pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Barnaoui looks to land a combination but Dekkers avoids it well.
Dekkers throws a leg kick but Barnaoui moved away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Dekkers. That's going to slow Barnaoui down.
Dekkers scores with a body shot.
Dekkers wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers ducks under a wild hook from Barnaoui.
Barnaoui tried to score with a low kick but Dekkers checks it.
Dekkers misses with a body kick.
Dekkers lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bas Dekkers seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barnaoui dives in and grabs Dekkers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dekkers pushes down on Barnaoui's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mansour Barnaoui. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dekkers slips a jab from Barnaoui.
A low kick from Barnaoui is predictable there
and Dekkers counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Barnaoui misses with a leg kick
and Dekkers makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Barnaoui crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Dekkers - the referee stops the clock and Barnaoui gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Dekkers. Barnaoui manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnaoui misses with a low kick.
Dekkers steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Dekkers scores with a nice body kick.
Barnaoui is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Dekkers has taken the fight to the clinch.
Barnaoui takes an elbow to the forehead.

Mansour Barnaoui's cut is getting worse.
Dekkers trying to land knees to the body.
Bas Dekkers seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Barnaoui takes an elbow to the forehead.
Dekkers throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Dekkers creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Dekkers lands a nice elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnaoui takes an elbow to the forehead.

Mansour Barnaoui's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Barnaoui wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dekkers lands a damaging elbow.
Dekkers tries to land knees in the clinch but Barnaoui avoids the damage to the body.
Dekkers lands an elbow inside.

Jeez, Mansour Barnaoui's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dekkers taking a breather.
Barnaoui takes an elbow to the temple.
Dekkers unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barnaoui lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bas Dekkers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dekkers 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bas Dekkers!
A relieved looking Bas Dekkers thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.