PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Barbosa (ranked 4721 p4p, 453 weight class) and Riaq Rowanda (ranked 15711 p4p, 645 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Barbosa
vs
Rowanda

175 cm
27
175 lbs
9 - 10 - 0

170 cm
35
173 lbs
10 - 8 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

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 9 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Riaq Rowanda!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barbosa misses with a left hand
and Rowanda counters with an outside leg kick.
Rowanda misses with a body shot.
Rowanda blocks a head kick by Barbosa.
Rowanda lands a body shot.

Barbosa gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Barbosa cracks Rowanda with a nice body shot.
Rowanda blocks a body shot from Barbosa.
Rowanda makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for Rowanda.
We've been hearing reports that Barbosa has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rowanda.
Rowanda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rowanda misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rowanda tries to throw a body punch but Barbosa avoids it by throwing Rowanda back against the cage.
Barbosa misses with a punch to the body.
Rowanda throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rowanda swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Barbosa successfully pulls 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!
Barbosa looking for a sweep. Not yet Barbosa, not yet.

Rowanda got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barbosa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rowanda has managed to get both his arms back between Barbosa's legs - danger averted.
Rowanda lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowanda landing some decent shots from guard.
Rowanda trying to control but Barbosa is working from the bottom.
Rowanda throws a big elbow that misses.
Rowanda won't allow Barbosa to sweep him here.

Rowanda avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rowanda scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rowanda won't allow Barbosa to sweep him here.
Rowanda with a flurry of punches that miss.
Barbosa wants to get back to his feet but Rowanda is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Barbosa looking for a sweep. Not yet Barbosa, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa is controlling Rowanda's posture.
Barbosa bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rowanda's guard.

Rowanda wants to sweep here but Barbosa controlling him for the moment.
Barbosa is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Barbosa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rowanda is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rowanda is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Barbosa slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rowanda tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barbosa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rowanda is not content to let Barbosa control the position.

Barbosa decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Barbosa throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Barbosa checks a low kick from Rowanda.
Barbosa pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rowanda back to the cage. Barbosa follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Barbosa dives in and grabs Rowanda's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rowanda pushes down on Barbosa's head and hops out.
Barbosa loads up on a big right hand but Rowanda slips the punch.
Barbosa misses with a takedown

and Rowanda counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Barbosa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rowanda makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rowanda tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rowanda creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Barbosa dodges an elbow strike from Rowanda.
Rowanda cracks Barbosa with a nice body shot.
Rowanda doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rowanda throws a punch but it's blocked by Barbosa.
Barbosa blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Daniel Barbosa will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Barbosa throws a head kick that misses.
Rowanda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Barbosa.
Rowanda fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Barbosa checks it well.
Rowanda scores with a sloppy right hand. Barbosa should have avoided that one.
Barbosa scores with a leg kick.
Barbosa throws a hook but Rowanda blocks it.
A little jabbing left from Rowanda on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rowanda takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rowanda throws a push kick but Barbosa slaps the foot to one side.
Barbosa throws a right and a left that both miss.
Daniel Barbosa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rowanda loads up on a big right hand but Barbosa slips the punch.
Barbosa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barbosa throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Rowanda cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Rowanda has managed to clinch.
Barbosa swings wildly with an uppercut but Rowanda uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rowanda working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Barbosa blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Barbosa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa misses with the combination.
Barbosa takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

It looks like Daniel Barbosa has been cut.
Rowanda lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Barbosa at a distance.
Nice uppercut lands for Rowanda. That snapped Barbosa's head back.
Rowanda throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barbosa stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Barbosa lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Barbosa staying out of range there.
Barbosa takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Barbosa checks the leg kick nicely there.
Barbosa shoots in but no luck this time.
Barbosa stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rowanda.
Barbosa misses with a few strikes there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barbosa fails to land with a series of punches.
Rowanda connects with a body shot.
Rowanda connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Barbosa momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa throws a leg kick
and Rowanda counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rowanda throws a sloppy body shot
and Barbosa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rowanda lands with a right hand.

Barbosa is rocked!
Rowanda lands hard precision jab right on the jaw that stiffens Barbosa up and sends him tumbling to the mat! The ref grabs Rowanda from behind before he can pounce. Some folks in the crowd didn't like that stoppage, but I saw Barbosa's eyes roll way back in his head, he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Riaq Rowanda!
During a confident post fight interview, Riaq Rowanda thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
The defeated Daniel Barbosa had this to say: 'That was most unfortunate, sir i hope you have endless farts for the rest of the night. '.