PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between AJ Barakus (ranked 2240 p4p, 271 weight class) and Zach Assad (ranked 4208 p4p, 452 weight class). Zach Assad is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Barakus
vs
Assad

175 cm
20
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
161 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Organic Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, AJ Barakus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zach Assad!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Josh West and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barakus lands with a nice body punch.

Barakus moves into the clinch.
Barakus prevents a body shot from Assad.
Assad misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Assad's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Barakus tries to throw a body punch but Assad avoids it by throwing Barakus back against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Assad.
Barakus misses with a hook from the clinch.
Assad tries a body shot but Barakus blocks it.
Assad lands a body punch.
Assad tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Barakus misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Barakus fails to land.
Barakus is trying to pull guard but Assad has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barakus is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Assad pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Assad told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Barakus can't break the clinch.
Assad tries to work over Barakus's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barakus is working for takedown but Assad is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ Barakus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barakus misses with a punch on the inside.
A short uppercut from Barakus.
Assad can't find room to land a body shot as Barakus controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barakus breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barakus tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Assad was well out of range. Poor timing from Barakus.
Assad throws out a counter right but Barakus avoids it with no problem.
Assad pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Barakus with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Assad to score with a decent uppercut.
Barakus takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Zach Assad is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Assad keeps the fight on the outside.
We've been hearing reports that Barakus has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Barakus takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
No joy there for Assad, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Assad misses with a low kick.
Nice defenses there by Assad.
Barakus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Assad paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Assad ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Assad lands a really nice looking cross but Barakus seems unphased.
Barakus takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Assad lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barakus swats away the attempt to clinch by Assad.
Assad works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assad scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Barakus throws out a loose jab but Assad uses good head movement to avoid it.
Barakus's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Assad connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Barakus scrambles back to his feet.

Barakus clinches up with Assad and pushes him back against the cage.
Barakus blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Barakus throws a head punch that misses.
Barakus tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Barakus wants to get back to striking at distance but Assad won't allow it.
Assad goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A right handed body shot lands from Assad.
Still in the clinch, Assad scores with a nice short uppercut.
Assad gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Barakus.
A shot in the inside from Assad.
Assad throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Barakuss head.
Barakus wants to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assad misses with a punch on the inside.
Barakus tries to throw a body punch but Assad avoids it by throwing Barakus back against the cage.
Barakus misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barakus.

Barakus escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Assad scores with the left hand. Barakus knows he should have avoided that one.
Barakus misses with a straight right.
Barakus throws a head kick that misses.
Assad lands a body shot.
Nice cross by Assad.
Assad misses with a body kick.
Assad scores with a punch to the head.
Assad displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barakus throws out the jab.
AJ Barakus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Assad connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Barakus's hands.

Barakus is rocked!
Barakus tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A shot to the liver by Assad. Beautiful body shot.
Barakus is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Assad scores with a jab.
Barakus fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Assad scores with a punch to the head.
Oh Barakus is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Barakus tries to clinch up.
Barakus tries to close the distance and clinch but Assad swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barakus seems to have got his legs back now.
Barakus changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Assad cracks Barakus with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Barakus tries to clinch
and Assad counters with a nice uppercut.
Barakus misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barakus throws a looping overhand right but Assad ducks down to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Barakus. Assad does a little dance to reset his feet.
Assad now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Assad tries to clinch but Barakus is having none of it.
Barakus tries to clinch but Assad moves away
letting Assad counter with a right hand.
Assad thuds his right hand into Barakus's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Assad connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Assad's corner calls for a 1-2. Assad obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Assad scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Assad connects with a right hand. Barakus shakes it off.
Barakus seems to be squinting his left eye. Perhaps he got a poke in that previous exchange. Assad shows no mercy and swarms him with a barage of strikes! Barakus is backing up but Assad catches him with a final right hook that drops him! Barakus covers up and the referee steps in to end the fight! Assad Jumps to his feet and flashes his guns to the crowd. Oh yeah, baby! How'd you like them apples?!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Zach Assad!
Zach Assad managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Organic Nutrition, into his post fight interview.