PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dougie Fairbanks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dragomir Barbu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Fairbanks
vs
Barbu

175 cm
21
182 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

196 cm
19
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 Hilo, Dougie Fairbanks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dragomir Barbu!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, David Schapiro and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbu tries for a takedown but Fairbanks circles away easily
and Barbu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Barbu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Fairbanks avoids it really well and circles away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Barbu or perhaps it was just good defense by Fairbanks, which made it look bad.
Dougie Fairbanks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dragomir Barbu.
Barbu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fairbanks.
Barbu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dragomir Barbu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbu throws a head kick but Fairbanks moves out of range.
Fairbanks swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Fairbanks throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barbu tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Barbu throws a head kick that misses.
Fairbanks lands a body shot.
Barbu fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbu has his takedown stuffed
and Fairbanks counters with a straight right hand.
Fairbanks getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Fairbanks lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Barbu doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Barbu moves out of range as Fairbanks strikes.
Barbu throws a lazy head kick
and Fairbanks counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Barbu tries for a takedown but Fairbanks sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fairbanks tried to counter with a leg kick but Barbu avoided it.
Barbu with a poor takedown
and Fairbanks counters with a stiff right hand.
Barbu takes one to the chin there.
Barbu throws a head kick but Fairbanks moves out of range.
Barbu gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Fairbanks counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barbu shoots for a double leg takedown but Fairbanks sprawls well. He's pushed Barbu's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Barbu shoots in for a double leg but Fairbanks sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Barbu rushes Fairbanks and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fairbanks creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Barbu is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Fairbanks gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Barbu lands a right hand that snaps the head of Fairbanks backwards.
Come on Barbu - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Fairbanks is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
The referee calls for Barbu to work.

Barbu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barbu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Barbu takes the fight into the clinch.

Barbu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barbu shoots and misses
and Fairbanks counters with a left to the body.
Fairbanks tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Barbu swivels and escapes.
Barbu with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Fairbanks counter with a right hand.
Fairbanks connects with a body shot that sends Barbu's belly button to the back.
Fairbanks shoots in looking for a takedown. Barbu tries to sprawl out of it but Fairbanks keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barbu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbu shoots in looking for a takedown but Fairbanks manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Barbu's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Fairbanks throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fairbanks missing with a left hand there. Barbu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nice takedown defense from Barbu. No joy for Fairbanks on that attempt.
Fairbanks throws an overhand right that lands on Barbu's shoulder, as Barbu tries to avoid the shot.
Fairbanks is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Barbu shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fairbanks sprawls well. Fairbanks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Barbu gets slowly back to his feet.
Fairbanks looks to throw the jab but Barbu is out of range.
Barbu moves to clinch but Fairbanks breaks away
and Fairbanks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dougie Fairbanks 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.

Fairbanks misses with a hook

and Barbu counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Barbu.
Barbu is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Barbu tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Fairbanks just stands there and leans against the cage.

Barbu decides to pull guard.
Fairbanks passes into half guard.
Barbu wants to control but Fairbanks is keeping busy.

Fairbanks is working for a kimura but Barbu is defending it quite comfortably.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Fairbanks is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbu tries to get to full guard but Fairbanks has control of the leg.
Fairbanks wants to pass to mount but Barbu is defending the position.
Fairbanks working over Barbu with some ground and pound. Barbu looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Fairbanks is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Barbu defends it well.
Barbu is looking to improve his position.
Barbu is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Fairbanks moves nicely into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbu can't do much from the bottom here.
Fairbanks works to advance to full mount. Barbu defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Fairbanks scoring with strikes but Barbu is staying in there.
Poor strikes thrown by Fairbanks there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Fairbanks lands a nice shot to the head.
Fairbanks throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Barbu because Fairbanks loaded up on that one.
Fairbanks trying to control but Barbu is having none of it.
Fairbanks throwing strikes here but Barbu is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Fairbanks in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fairbanks is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Barbu is surviving well by controlling Fairbanks's body position as best he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Barbu can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fairbanks in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Barbu is trying to escape the mount.
Barbu wants to control but Fairbanks is having none of it.
Barbu tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Barbu is squirming around, avoiding Fairbanks's attempts to control the action.
Fairbanks throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
A nice elbow there by Fairbanks.
Barbu wants to hold on but Fairbanks pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fairbanks working for a submission but Barbu is keeping him at bay.
Fairbanks looking to control but Barbu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barbu is desperately trying to improve his position but Fairbanks has a good base and remains in mount.
Barbu tries to hold on but Fairbanks pushes him away.
Fairbanks trying to control but Barbu is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fairbanks controlling the pace for now.
Fairbanks lands with some strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dougie Fairbanks dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Barbu stuffs the takedown.
Barbu tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Fairbanks counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Barbu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fairbanks, pushing him back against the cage.

Barbu manages to break the clinch.
Barbu misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Fairbanks to counter with a crisp jab.
We've been told by Fairbanks's head coaches at Blackstar Striking Academy that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Fairbanks thows a left - swing and a miss!
It seemed like Barbu was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairbanks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barbu walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Barbu closes the distance and pushes Fairbanks back into the cage.
Fairbanks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Barbu just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairbanks tries to throw a body punch but Barbu avoids it by throwing Fairbanks back against the cage.
Fairbanks is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Fairbanks wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Barbu has him pressed against the cage.
Barbu is pushing Fairbanks up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Barbu pressing his opponent against the cage.
Fairbanks misses with a shot to the kidneys.

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.
Fairbanks is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Barbu to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dougie Fairbanks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fairbanks can't find room to land a body shot as Barbu controls the action.
Fairbanks struggles to land a body shot inside as Barbu controls his hands.

Barbu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fairbanks misses with a looping right.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Barbu.

Barbu moves into the clinch.
Barbu tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Fairbanks just stands there and leans against the cage.
Barbu throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Fairbanks leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks can't find room to land a body shot as Barbu controls the action.
Fairbanks misses with a short punch on the inside.
Fairbanks tries a body shot but Barbu blocks it.
Fairbanks landing knees to the body.
Barbu tries for a takedown but Fairbanks manages to get underhooks.

Barbu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barbu takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Fairbanks connects with a good right hand that stumbles Barbu. Barbu circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Fairbanks is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barbu can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barbu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barbu with a lazy takedown attempt
and Fairbanks connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Barbu fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
It looked like Fairbanks wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Barbu misses with a wild combination.
Barbu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barbu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fairbanks.
Fairbanks swings for the body but Barbu moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fairbanks fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Barbu on the side of the head.
A nice inside leg kick there by Fairbanks. That's going to slow Barbu down.
Dragomir Barbu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dragomir Barbu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fairbanks on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dougie Fairbanks showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Fairbanks, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dougie Fairbanks!