PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Barzagli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ed Cullen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Barzagli
vs
Cullen

185 cm
19
186 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
171 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Bruno Barzagli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ed Cullen!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Phil Schofield and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barzagli slips a jab and a cross from Cullen.
Barzagli swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Barzagli smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Cullen missing with a left hand there. Barzagli was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Barzagli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Barzagli takes a shot right to the bread basket.
We've been told by Barzagli's head coaches at Scorpion MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Ed Cullen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cullen misses with a looping left.
Barzagli appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Cullen misses.
Cullen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cullen just misses with a punch to the body.
Barzagli is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Cullen misses the body punch
and Barzagli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cullen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Barzagli lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A combination from Cullen does no damage.
Cullen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Barzagli counters with a series of strikes. Cullen will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cullen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Barzagli counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cullen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Barzagli seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Barzagli misses the shot to the body.
Barzagli throws a shot to the body.
Cullen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Barzagli circles away quickly and effectively.
Barzagli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cullen slips a jab from Barzagli.
Cullen scores with a three punch combo!
Cullen misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen throws a series of strikes that have Barzagli backpedaling.
Cullen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cullen misses with an uppercut. Barzagli saw that one coming.
Barzagli throwing a counter right hand but Cullen manages to avoid it.
Cullen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barzagli slips a jab and a cross from Cullen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barzagli scores with a sloppy right hand. Cullen should have avoided that one.
Barzagli keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Barzagli listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Barzagli lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Barzagli moves into range and connects with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barzagli slips a straight right by Cullen.
An attempted straight right counter from Barzagli misses the target.
Barzagli lands an overhand right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ed Cullen will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cullen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cullen walks into a stiff left hand from Barzagli.
Cullen throws a looping overhand right but Barzagli ducks down to avoid it.
Barzagli avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barzagli lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cullen circles away quickly and effectively.
Barzagli slips under a jab from Cullen.
Barzagli is looking for a counter combo.
Cullen catches Barzagli with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barzagli misses with a straight left.
Barzagli uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cullen.
Barzagli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Barzagli takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cullen takes one on the button.
Barzagli throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cullen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Barzagli.
It seemed like Cullen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cullen misses with a left hand
and Barzagli counters with a nice uppercut.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barzagli throws a poor cross that misses
and Cullen counters with a one-two to the body.
Barzagli closes the distance and lands a one-two.
No joy there for Cullen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barzagli is looking for a counter combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barzagli misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
It seemed like Cullen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cullen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Barzagli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bruno Barzagli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barzagli throws an off balance right hand
and Cullen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cullen misses with a hook to the body
and Barzagli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cullen swings widly with a right hand
and Barzagli counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cullen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barzagli.
Barzagli swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Barzagli looks to throw the jab but Cullen is out of range.
Barzagli is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Cullen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bruno Barzagli is winning the standup battle so far.
Barzagli lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cullen at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen looks to throw the jab but Barzagli is out of range.
A quick step to the side and Barzagli tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cullen throws a body punch but Barzagli moves out of range.
Barzagli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cullen misses with the combination.
Barzagli throwing a counter right hand but Cullen manages to avoid it.
Cullen misses with a combination
and Barzagli counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Barzagli misses the jab.
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 Bruno Barzagli will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cullen ducks right into an uppercut from Barzagli.
Barzagli misses with a two punch combination.
Cullen misses with a looping left.
Barzagli throws a big shot that misses.
Cullen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cullen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barzagli.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barzagli has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cullen finds it's way round the side to connect with Barzagli's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barzagli lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Barzagli.
Cullen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
It seemed like Cullen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Barzagli throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cullen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cullen misses with a double jab.
An attempted straight right counter from Barzagli misses the target.
Cullen scores with a jab to the head.
Cullen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cullen throws a right and a left that Barzagli avoids nicely.
It looked like Barzagli wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Barzagli tries to bum rush Cullen with a series of wild strikes but Cullen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cullen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cullen throws an off balance right hand
and Barzagli counters with a stiff right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barzagli thows a left - swing and a miss!
A looping hook to the body misses from Cullen. Barzagli does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barzagli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Sloppy strikes from Cullen. Those never looked like landing.
A little feinted left hand from Barzagli on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barzagli missing with a left hand there. Cullen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cullen let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Barzagli jabs Cullen right on the nose. Cullen blinks but takes it well.
Cullen lands a head shot.
Barzagli throws a nice looking combination but Cullen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barzagli throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cullen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Barzagli lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Barzagli.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barzagli throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cullen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Nice uppercut there from Cullen.
Cullen throws an off balance right hand
and Barzagli counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Cullen in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Cullen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barzagli stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barzagli throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cullen on the side of the head.
Barzagli throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cullen sees it coming and avoids it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruno Barzagli showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Barzagli has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruno Barzagli!