PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mansour Barnaoui (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Destin Craven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Barnaoui
vs
Craven

182 cm
27
167 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

178 cm
22
167 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Victory Fight Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mansour Barnaoui!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Destin Craven!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craven bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Barnaoui's head backwards.
Destin Craven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Craven connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Barnaoui on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Barnaoui blocks a head kick by Craven.
Barnaoui takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Barnaoui defending well as Craven loads up on a big left hand.
Craven moves in looking to clinch but Barnaoui pushes him off.
Barnaoui feinted with a counter takedown.
Craven misses with an attempted mid kick.
Craven throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Barnaoui counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Barnaoui avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Craven looking for a sweep. Not yet Craven, not yet.
Barnaoui pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Craven is keeping the position for now.
Craven working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barnaoui.
Barnaoui is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Bruize Brothaz that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Craven wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnaoui is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Barnaoui's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Barnaoui has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Barnaoui pushes down on Craven's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Craven is looking to get back to full guard here but Barnaoui has managed to pass to side control instead.
Craven is trying to improve his position.
Craven is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Barnaoui off and has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnaoui wants to escape the position but for the time being he's just trying to control the pace.
Barnaoui wants to control his opponent's hands but Craven gets his hands free.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Craven controlling the positon.
Barnaoui has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Barnaoui trying to control but not successfully.
Barnaoui tries to escape the position.
Craven punches the canvas rather than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnaoui rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Barnaoui keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Craven is pressing down on Barnaoui's thigh, looking to free his foot. Barnaoui is holding on for now.
Craven seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Barnaoui does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Barnaoui is controlling Craven's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Barnaoui looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craven trying to mount his opponent but Barnaoui defends it.
Barnaoui is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnaoui trying to control but Craven postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craven trying to control the action but Barnaoui is working from the bottom.
Barnaoui tries to get to full guard but Craven has control of the leg.
Barnaoui works his way to full guard. Good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Barnaoui looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Barnaoui looking to control.
Craven has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at The Iron Palace. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Craven stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barnaoui swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Barnaoui connects with a nice looking jab.
Barnaoui lands a high kick!
Craven looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Craven ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Craven swinging wildly here.
Barnaoui takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Craven lands a jab to Barnaoui's midsection.
Craven misses with a body shot.
Barnaoui tries to counter with a takedown but Craven is quick to defend against it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craven swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Craven throws a lazy right hand but Barnaoui sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Craven misses with a right hand

and Barnaoui counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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!
Barnaoui is taking a breather. Craven 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.
Craven trying to hold on to Barnaoui's head to control him but Barnaoui postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Barnaoui is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Craven defends it well.
Barnaoui controlling the action here.

Barnaoui is working for a submission of some sort.
Craven wants to get back to his feet.

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.
Craven is refusing to be controlled, as Barnaoui sits in half guard.
Barnaoui landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Barnaoui is working for a kimura but Craven is defending it quite comfortably.

Barnaoui is trying to work for a kimura but Craven is defending well.

Barnaoui is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Mansour Barnaoui overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven is trying to get back to full guard.
Barnaoui scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Craven trying to hold on to Barnaoui's head to control him but Barnaoui postures up.
Barnaoui wants to take a breather but Craven is having none of it.
Craven is looking to improve his position.
Craven is trying to control but Barnaoui passes into side control!
Barnaoui trying to control the position but Craven is working away.

That's four 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.

Barnaoui wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Craven, who protects the arm well.
Barnaoui just content to control the position.

Barnaoui is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Craven has escaped the position, nice work there.

Barnaoui tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
You can see the frustration on Craven's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mansour Barnaoui dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A big right from Craven misses.
The fighters circle momentarily. Craven darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Barnaoui walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Barnaoui connects with a solid leg kick.
Craven tries to clinch up but Barnaoui circles away and keeps his distance.
Craven shoots in for a takedown but Barnaoui shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Craven is looking to clinch but Barnaoui is avoiding it.
Barnaoui jabs Craven to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Craven lands with an uppercut that bounces Barnaoui off the cage and back into range.
Craven looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barnaoui is fending him off so far but Craven persists. Nope, Barnaoui circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Craven looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craven wants to clinch

so Barnaoui counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barnaoui won't allow Craven to sweep him here.
Barnaoui tries to free his leg and advance position but Craven is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnaoui is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barnaoui lands a couple of digs.
Barnaoui wants to control from the top but Craven keeps moving.
Craven looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Barnaoui puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Barnaoui looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Barnaoui is looking for a kimura but Craven is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Barnaoui to get the leverage.
The fighters are battling for position here. Craven manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Barnaoui content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craven trying to keep a closed guard but Barnaoui is proving a slippery customer.
Barnaoui passes Craven's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Barnaoui is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Craven defends it well.
Craven trying to control here.
Craven is trying to stand up here but Barnaoui is controlling him well.
Barnaoui trying to pass the guard but Craven defending well.
Barnaoui works his way into side control.
Barnaoui taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven holding on.

Barnaoui tries for a kimura but Craven is defending well.
Craven tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barnaoui wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Barnaoui tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Barnaoui has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

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.
Craven tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Craven wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Barnaoui wants to control but Craven is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barnaoui lands a nice forearm strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mansour Barnaoui clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Craven misses with an uppercut. Barnaoui saw that one coming.
Craven throws a right and a left that Barnaoui avoids nicely.
Craven misses with a kick to the body

and Barnaoui counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Craven!

Craven is rocked!
Barnaoui lands a strong strike to the head of Craven. That's dazed him! Barnaoui looking to finish here. Craven is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Barnaoui lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:31 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mansour Barnaoui!
Mansour Barnaoui retains his lightweight title!