PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marek Koltun (ranked 4266 p4p, 424 weight class) and Daniel Barbosa (ranked 3046 p4p, 335 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Koltun
vs
Barbosa

182 cm
46
177 lbs
38 - 30 - 4

175 cm
30
175 lbs
14 - 16 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 38 - 30 - 4, fighting out of Helsinki, Marek Koltun!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 16 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barbosa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Koltun sprawls well initially but Barbosa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Koltun is refusing to be controlled, as Barbosa sits in half guard.
Koltun tries to get to full guard but Barbosa has control of the leg.
Barbosa is trying to control the action in half guard but Koltun is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Barbosa wants to pass to mount but Koltun is defending the position.
Koltun gets back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa looking to sit in guard and control but Koltun gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Barbosa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Koltun throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa wants to get back to his feet but Koltun is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Barbosa keeping full guard, as Koltun tries to pass.
Barbosa keeping moving, preventing Koltun from controlling successfully.
Barbosa trying to control the position here.
Koltun trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barbosa wants to get back to his feet but Koltun is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Koltun trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Koltun stopping the sweep attempt from Barbosa.
Koltun in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Koltun lands a couple of elbows.
Koltun throwing strikes from guard but Barbosa blocks nicely.
Koltun wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
Barbosa controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Barbosa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Koltun sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Barbosa somewhat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barbosa scores with a punch to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daniel Barbosa will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Koltun looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barbosa is fending him off so far but Koltun persists. Nope, Barbosa circles away and we're back to standing.
Barbosa throws a head kick that Koltun semi-blocks.

Barbosa throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Koltun was covering up waiting for the punch and Barbosa finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Koltun is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Barbosa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Barbosa wants to get back to his feet.
Barbosa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Koltun looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa trying to control but Koltun postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa is trying to stand up here but Koltun is controlling him well.

Koltun wants to work for an arm triangle but Barbosa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Koltun throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Barbosa is looking for a sweep. Koltun is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Barbosa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Barbosa makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Barbosa avoids the body shot from Koltun.
Barbosa walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Koltun checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Koltun misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Barbosa looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Barbosa misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koltun slips a jab and a cross from Barbosa.
Barbosa gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Koltun counters with a shoot takedown. Barbosa fights it but they end up in guard.
Koltun landing with the ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Koltun postures up.

Koltun 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.
Barbosa looking for a sweep. Not yet Barbosa, not yet.
Koltun tries to free his leg and advance position but Barbosa is retaining full guard.
Barbosa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Barbosa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koltun manages to get himself to full guard.

Barbosa looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Barbosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Koltun misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Barbosa tries to counter by closing the distance.
Koltun shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Barbosa sprawls well. Barbosa wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Koltun gets slowly back to his feet.
Koltun avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Barbosa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Koltun doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Barbosa to counter with a crisp jab.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marek Koltun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Koltun fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barbosa, pushing him back against the ropes.

Barbosa pulls Koltun into guard.
Koltun wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
Koltun loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koltun with a flurry of punches that miss.
Barbosa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Barbosa has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Barbosa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Barbosa holds on and takes a little breather.
Barbosa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koltun manages to get himself to full guard.

Barbosa looking to sit in guard and control but Koltun gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Barbosa looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koltun wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
Koltun scoring with some ground and pound.
Koltun content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Barbosa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Koltun is controlling him.
Barbosa pulls Koltun in to control the position.
Barbosa wants to stand but Koltun is controlling the position.
Barbosa is controlling Koltun's posture.
Marek Koltun has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barbosa wants to sweep but no luck.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barbosa is trying to keep Koltun in close.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Daniel Barbosa.
I've got Barbosa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Daniel Barbosa!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Daniel Barbosa!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for Daniel Barbosa!

Daniel Barbosa wins by unanimous decision!
Daniel Barbosa really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.
In defeat, Marek Koltun stepped up to the mic, saying 'My opponent was the better man tonight, but I will be back.'.