PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jack Zabijaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Barbosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jose Barbosa is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Zabijaka
vs
Barbosa

185 cm
19
190 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

211 cm
24
187 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Amped Performance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jack Zabijaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Edson Gomes and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zabijaka misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barbosa is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Barbosa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Zabijaka drives through and clinches with Barbosa against the cage.
Zabijaka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Zabijaka breaks from the clinch.
Zabijaka throws a body shot but no joy.
Barbosa is looking for the big counter here.
A punch combination from Zabijaka misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zabijaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zabijaka seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Zabijaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barbosa throws a counter combo.
Zabijaka tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Barbosa counters with a series of strikes. Zabijaka will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zabijaka is looking to clinch but Barbosa is avoiding it.
Barbosa lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Zabijaka closes the distance and pushes Barbosa back into the cage.
Zabijaka pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zabijaka fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barbosa.
Zabijaka makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Zabijaka with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zabijaka dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Zabijaka content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Zabijaka pressing his opponent against the cage.
Zabijaka misses with a punch on the inside.
Barbosa letting Zabijaka take a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka gets through Barbosa's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Zabijaka misses with a punch on the inside.
The referee calls for Zabijaka to work.
Zabijaka misses with a body punch.
Zabijaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jack Zabijaka.
Zabijaka misses with the combination.
A head kick by Zabijaka misses
and Barbosa counters with a series of strikes. Zabijaka will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zabijaka connects with a body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barbosa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Barbosa counters with a series of strikes. Zabijaka will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka tries to clinch up but Barbosa circles away and keeps his distance.
Barbosa unleashes a big counter combination but Zabijaka bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Zabijaka closes the distance but Barbosa moves to the side
and Barbosa counters with a series of strikes. Zabijaka will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zabijaka throws a series of strikes that have Barbosa backpedaling.
Nice straight punches there by Zabijaka. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Zabijaka.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Zabijaka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Barbosa tries to break free but Zabijaka pushes him back against the cage.
Zabijaka lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Barbosa backwards.
Zabijaka is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Barbosa is keeping busy.
Barbosa can't break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Barbosa's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zabijaka stalls.

Zabijaka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zabijaka tries to bum rush Barbosa with a series of wild strikes but Barbosa uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jack Zabijaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zabijaka wants to clinch
and Barbosa counters with a one-two to the body.
Zabijaka tries to clinch up.
Barbosa is looking for the big counter here.
Zabijaka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Barbosa.
Barbosa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zabijaka cracks Barbosa with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Zabijaka dominated that 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.

Zabijaka rushes Barbosa and presses him up against the cage.

Zabijaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zabijaka tries to clinch but Barbosa moves out of range.
Barbosa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zabijaka scores with a leg kick.
Barbosa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zabijaka.
Barbosa is looking for the big counter here.
Jack Zabijaka is winning the standup battle so far.
Zabijaka throws a combination. Barbosa tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa checks a leg kick nicely.
Zabijaka is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barbosa can do to turn this around?
Zabijaka moves to clinch but Barbosa breaks away
and Barbosa counters with a one-two to the body.
Zabijaka tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zabijaka lands a leg kick that knocks Barbosa off balance momentarily.
Barbosa staying out of range there.
Despite the aggression on Barbosa's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Jack Zabijaka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A left and a right from Zabijaka both land. Nice combination.
Zabijaka fails in his attempt to clinch.

Zabijaka closes the distance and clinches.

Zabijaka manages to break the clinch.
Zabijaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barbosa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Despite the aggression on Barbosa's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Zabijaka tries to clinch there but Barbosa circles away.
Despite the aggression on Barbosa's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Zabijaka looks to clinch
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combo that has Zabijaka backing up. Zabijaka nods at Barbosa to acknowledge the strikes.

Barbosa tries to keep at a distance but Zabijaka has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zabijaka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zabijaka is struggling to control the position.

Zabijaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Zabijaka does no damage.
Zabijaka tries to clinch there but Barbosa circles away.
Barbosa slips a jab and a cross from Zabijaka.
Despite the aggression on Barbosa's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Zabijaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barbosa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zabijaka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combo that has Zabijaka backing up. Zabijaka nods at Barbosa to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka moves in looking to clinch but Barbosa pushes him off.
Barbosa is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Barbosa moves out of range of the strikes.
Zabijaka tries to clinch but Barbosa moves away
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combo that has Zabijaka backing up. Zabijaka nods at Barbosa to acknowledge the strikes.
Zabijaka's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Zabijaka duly obliges.

Zabijaka rushes Barbosa and presses him up against the cage.

Zabijaka's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zabijaka tries to clinch
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Zabijaka is looking to clinch.
Zabijaka tries to bum rush Barbosa with a series of wild strikes but Barbosa uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barbosa is looking for the big counter here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zabijaka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Zabijaka misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Barbosa back to the cage. Zabijaka follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Zabijaka tries to clinch there but Barbosa circles away.
Barbosa lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Zabijaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zabijaka scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Jose Barbosa has been cut.
Zabijaka throws a right and a left that both miss.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Zabijaka rushes Barbosa and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Zabijaka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The referee calls for Zabijaka to work.
Zabijaka creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Barbosa is trying to break the clinch but Zabijaka has him pressed against the cage.
Zabijaka lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Zabijaka dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jose Barbosa's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Zabijaka misses with a wild combination.
Barbosa is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Zabijaka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Zabijaka dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barbosa. That did some damage!

Zabijaka has Barbosa up against the cage in a clinch.
Zabijaka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zabijaka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Zabijaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A shot in the inside from Zabijaka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zabijaka lands a left hand.
Zabijaka working aggressively here.
Zabijaka throws a punch but it's blocked by Barbosa.
Barbosa is looking to break free of the clinch but Zabijaka has double underhooks.
Zabijaka tries a body shot but Barbosa blocks it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zabijaka.
The referee calls for Zabijaka to work.
Zabijaka looking to slow down the pace here.
Zabijaka misses with a punch to the body.
Zabijaka lands a shoulder strike.
Zabijaka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka misses with some punches.
Zabijaka cracks Barbosa with a nice body shot.
Zabijaka is trying to stall.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Zabijaka tries to land a knee to the head but Barbosa blocks with his arms.
Zabijaka is trying to stall.
Zabijaka scores with a shot to the side of Barbosa's head.
Zabijaka stalling the fight.

Zabijaka manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka throws a nice outside leg kick.
Zabijaka closes the distance but Barbosa moves to the side
and Barbosa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Zabijaka tries to clinch
and Barbosa counters with a series of strikes. Zabijaka will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zabijaka tries to clinch up but Barbosa circles away and keeps his distance.
Zabijaka wants to clinch.
Zabijaka wants to clinch.
Barbosa blocks a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Barbosa counters with a left and a right that stings Zabijaka.
Zabijaka tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barbosa counters with a left and a right that stings Zabijaka.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zabijaka tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Barbosa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Barbosa is looking for the big counter here.
Jack Zabijaka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zabijaka tries to close the distance and clinch but Barbosa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Zabijaka backs off Barbosa throws a huge counter combo but Zabijaka manages to avoid it all.
Zabijaka tries to clinch but Barbosa is having none of it.
Barbosa throws a counter combo.
Barbosa is working the combinations to good effect here.
Zabijaka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Zabijaka wants to clinch.
Barbosa lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jack Zabijaka.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Zabijaka, 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Zabijaka!
An out of breath Jack Zabijaka thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.