PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daryl Mathews (ranked 6730 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luiz Barbosa (ranked 6376 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mathews
vs
Barbosa

219 cm
19
278 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
242 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Daryl Mathews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Luiz Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Donald Grub and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathews tries to clinch but Barbosa is having none of it.

Barbosa throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Mathews tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Barbosa is in Mathews's guard.
Mathews is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Mathews is working an open guard so Barbosa takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Mathews jumps guard and drags Barbosa to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Mathews is trying to keep Barbosa in close.
Barbosa looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mathews trying to keep a closed guard but Barbosa is proving a slippery customer.
Barbosa controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathews looking to control.
Barbosa showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Barbosa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Barbosa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Barbosa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Barbosa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mathews.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mathews shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Barbosa as he avoids it easily.

Barbosa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mathews sprawls well initially but Barbosa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mathews tries to kick Barbosa off in order to stand up. Barbosa Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Mathews is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

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

Barbosa decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Mathews gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Barbosa gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mathews swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barbosa throwing strikes but missing.
Mathews avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barbosa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mathews is keeping the position for now.
Barbosa trying to control but Mathews is working from the bottom.
Mathews controls Barbosa momentarily but Barbosa frees himself.
Barbosa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four 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.
Barbosa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mathews preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Barbosa's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Barbosa tries to free his leg and advance position but Mathews is retaining full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barbosa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mathews looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Barbosa puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Barbosa is controlling the pace.

Mathews looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barbosa content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Barbosa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mathews will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barbosa throws a sloppy head kick and Mathews moves out of range easily.

Barbosa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Barbosa takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Mathews wants to control but Barbosa is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mathews keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Barbosa wants to pass the guard but Mathews is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mathews moves into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mathews is trying to keep Barbosa in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa won't allow Mathews to sweep him here.
Barbosa engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Luiz Barbosa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbosa trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mathews's guard.
Mathews will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Barbosa content to stall in guard here.
Mathews is pulling down on Barbosa's head. It's preventing any offense from Barbosa, at least for the moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Mathews has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Barbosa has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Barbosa has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Mathews tries to clinch there but Barbosa circles away.

Barbosa moves into the clinch.
Barbosa controlling the action here for a moment.
Mathews tries to pull guard but Barbosa won't allow it.

Barbosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Barbosa.

Barbosa has managed to clinch.

Barbosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa tries a head kick but it misses.
Mathews looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barbosa is fending him off so far but Mathews persists. Nope, Barbosa circles away and we're back to standing.

Mathews has his foot on Barbosa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Barbosa works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barbosa works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Barbosa. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Mathews trying to control but Barbosa postures up.
Barbosa controlling the action here.
Mathews blocking the ground and pound attempt from Barbosa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Barbosa is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Barbosa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mathews is trying to control but can't.
Mathews keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Barbosa trying to control the pace.
Mathews is controlling Barbosa's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barbosa looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Barbosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Barbosa swats away the attempt to clinch by Mathews.

Barbosa shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Mathews is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barbosa pulls his head out easily.
Barbosa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa trying to control from half guard but Mathews is working away.
Mathews avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barbosa.
Barbosa slows the pace down in half guard.
Barbosa is looking to advance position but Mathews won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barbosa is looking for a kimura but Mathews is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Barbosa to get the leverage.
Barbosa is pressing down on Mathews's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mathews is holding on for now.

Barbosa stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Mathews has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Barbosa.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mathews is defended easily by Barbosa.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barbosa throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mathews was covering up waiting for the punch and Barbosa finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Barbosa content to stall in guard here.
Barbosa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Barbosa passes Mathews's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Barbosa gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Barbosa scores with a takedown into Mathews's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mathews looking for a guillotine here but Barbosa defends easily.
Barbosa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barbosa advances position into side control!
Mathews is trying to escape the position but Barbosa is controlling the position.
Barbosa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Barbosa has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Barbosa gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Mathews to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Barbosa is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barbosa pulls guard successfully.

Barbosa working for a triangle but Mathews defends it easily.
Barbosa wants to sweep here but Mathews controlling him for the moment.
Daryl Mathews has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luiz Barbosa is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mathews trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luiz Barbosa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Barbosa has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luiz Barbosa!