PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kelvin Pouncey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Krug Barishkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barishkov comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Angel of Death - Slayer kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Krug Barishkov will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Pouncey
vs
Barishkov

195 cm
35
255 lbs
15 - 14 - 1

190 cm
37
280 lbs
19 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Tokyo United Fightwear

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 15 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Kelvin Pouncey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Krug Barishkov!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barishkov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Barishkov throws a shot from downtown. Pouncey moves away and avoids it.
Barishkov throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Barishkov lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Barishkov throws a nice inside leg kick.
Barishkov throws an off balance right hand

and Pouncey counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Barishkov!
Barishkov is looking to reverse the position.
Barishkov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Barishkov trying to control from the bottom.
Pouncey throws a strike but Barishkov avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Barishkov pulls Pouncey in close to prevent any damage.
Pouncey trying to control but Barishkov is working from the bottom.
Pouncey working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pouncey wants to control from the top but Barishkov keeps moving.
Pouncey tries to free his leg and advance position but Barishkov is retaining full guard.
Pouncey is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barishkov is on top in guard.

Barishkov looking to pass the guard.
Pouncey wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

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.
Pouncey tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pouncey wants to improve his position but instead Barishkov has moved into half guard.
Barishkov seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Barishkov trying to mount his opponent but Pouncey defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barishkov decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Barishkov scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Barishkov lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Pouncey checks a leg kick.
Barishkov misses with a hook. Pouncey ducked under it nicely.

Barishkov lands a left and a right that send Pouncey crashing to the mat, dazed. Barishkov thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Kelvin Pouncey has been cut.
Pouncey looks to score with a jab to the body but Barishkov is just out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barishkov will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Barishkov takes a body punch but keeps moving.
No joy there for Pouncey, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barishkov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pouncey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Barishkov needs to keep his hands up - Pouncey had a free shot at his head there.
A lazy left from Barishkov finds it's target.

Pouncey gets a double leg takedown into Barishkov's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pouncey throws a big right hand that misses.
Barishkov looking to control.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Pouncey's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Barishkov wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Barishkov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barishkov 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.
Pouncey wants to control from the top but Barishkov keeps moving.
Pouncey is looking to pass into half guard but Barishkov pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Barishkov is in guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Krug Barishkov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kelvin Pouncey's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pouncey fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barishkov follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Pouncey tests Barishkov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Barishkov fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Pouncey tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Barishkov defends well and Pouncey ends up having to push Barishkov into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Pouncey throws a hook to the side of Barishkov's head but Barishkov sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Krug Barishkov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barishkov swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Pouncey.
Barishkov gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Pouncey counters with a shoot takedown. Barishkov fights it but they end up in guard.
Barishkov lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Barishkov trying to control but Pouncey is working from the bottom.
Barishkov looking to sit in guard and control but Pouncey gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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!
Barishkov is looking to sweep but instead, Pouncey has passed into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pouncey is trying to control the action in half guard but Barishkov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Pouncey missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Barishkov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pouncey.
Pouncey stalling.
Barishkov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pouncey lands strikes from half guard.
Barishkov is trying to maintain the position but Pouncey is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pouncey is looking to take a break and control but Barishkov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pouncey throwing shots but Barishkov is blocking nicely.

Pouncey is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Barishkov defends it well.
Pouncey is thwarting Barishkov's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barishkov tries to get to full guard but Pouncey has control of the leg.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Pouncey missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pouncey wants to pass to mount but Barishkov is defending the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nice defenses there by Pouncey.
Barishkov swings widly with a right hand
enabling Pouncey to counter with a crisp jab.
Barishkov closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Pouncey avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Barishkov misses the shot to the body.

Pouncey fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Barishkov sprawls well initially but Pouncey persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pouncey is looking to take a break and control but Barishkov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barishkov moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Pouncey stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barishkov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barishkov wants to get back to his feet but Pouncey is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pouncey lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pouncey tries to free his leg and advance position but Barishkov is retaining full guard.
Pouncey working some strikes from top position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pouncey throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kelvin Pouncey dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kelvin Pouncey's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Barishkov takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Pouncey looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Pouncey takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Barishkov throws a push kick but Pouncey slaps the foot to one side.
Barishkov is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Pouncey wants to clinch up but Barishkov keeps it at a distance.
Barishkov tries to counter with a clinch but Pouncey shakes him off and moves away.
Krug Barishkov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pouncey lands a jab to Barishkov's midsection.
Pouncey takes a swing at Barishkov's ribcage but misses.
Barishkov avoids the body shot from Pouncey.
Barishkov pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pouncey is out of range and Barishkov settles back down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barishkov throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Barishkov lands a nice hook to Pouncey's body. Pouncey takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Barishkov connects with a single shot there.
Pouncey shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barishkov as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barishkov throws a half hearted mid kick.
Pouncey was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Barishkov will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Barishkov creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Barishkov lands an elbow just above Pouncey 's eye.
Pouncey is trying to force a seperation but Barishkov has the dominant position.
Pouncey takes an elbow to the forehead.
Good body shot from Barishkov.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barishkov lands a left hand that snaps the head of Pouncey backwards.
Barishkov just leaning against Pouncey, taking a breather.
Pouncey avoids a wild elbow strike from Barishkov.
A shot in the inside from Barishkov.
Barishkov misses with an elbow over the top.
Pouncey tries to work over Barishkov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barishkov misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pouncey is looking to take this one to the mat.
Barishkov working aggressively here.
Barishkov is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kelvin Pouncey. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.
Pouncey tries to work over Barishkov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
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!
Pouncey has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Barishkov after a bit of a struggle.
Barishkov working Pouncey over with knees to the body.
Barishkov scores with a knee to the head.
Pouncey blocks a body shot from Barishkov.
Pouncey takes a knee right on the jaw!
Barishkov controlling the action here for a moment.
Pouncey is working for takedown but Barishkov is calmly controlling the position for now.
Barishkov lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Barishkov misses with a knee to the head.
Pouncey trying to control the position but instead, Barishkov has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pouncey into the cage.
Krug Barishkov seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pouncey prevents a body shot from Barishkov.
A short left from Pouncey.
Barishkov is looking to take this one to the mat.
Pouncey has Barishkov pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Barishkov manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Barishkov lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Pouncey backwards.
Barishkov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Barishkov looking to stall.
Barishkov looking for a takedown.
Barishkov slows down the pace here.
Pouncey misses with a body punch.
Barishkov misses with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barishkov gets through Pouncey's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Barishkov tries to land knees in the clinch but Pouncey avoids the damage to the body.
Barishkov lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Pouncey looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Barishkov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A hook to the body from Barishkov.
Barishkov is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Pouncey is defending well.
A short right from Pouncey on the inside.
Barishkov misses with a knee to the head.
Barishkov scores with a nice hook to the head.
Barishkov tries to land knees in the clinch but Pouncey avoids the damage to the body.
Pouncey lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Barishkov backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee is keeping an eye on Barishkov - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Pouncey takes a knee right on the jaw!

Pouncey is rocked!
Barishkov lands a left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Krug Barishkov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barishkov 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29

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