PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rick Barrera (ranked 5291 p4p, 468 weight class) and Zed Calisto (ranked 24176 p4p, 529 weight class). Zed Calisto is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Barrera
vs
Calisto

172 cm
24
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
26
181 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Shade Tree Nutrition

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rick Barrera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Zed Calisto!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barrera fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Barrera shoots in for a double leg but Calisto sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Calisto misses with a head kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Calisto crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Barrera - the referee stops the clock and Calisto gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Barrera. Calisto manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Calisto fails to land the takedown.
Barrera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barrera closes this distance looking for a takedown but Calisto circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Barrera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barrera tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Calisto defends well and Barrera ends up having to push Calisto into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calisto shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barrera but Barrera pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Barrera appears to be looking for a big counter.
Barrera with a lazy takedown attempt
and Calisto counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Calisto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Calisto throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calisto throws a sloppy head kick and Barrera moves out of range easily.
Calisto throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barrera stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Barrera.

Barrera drives through with a takedown into guard.
Barrera trying to control the position from guard on top but Calisto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Calisto pulls Barrera in close to his closed guard and prevents Barrera from doing any damage or advancing position.
Barrera wants to control from the top but Calisto keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Calisto has his feet on Barrera's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Barrera moves out of range of the body kick from Calisto.
Calisto shoots in for a double leg but Barrera sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Calisto looks to land a combination but Barrera avoids it well.
Calisto throws a nice looking combination but Barrera bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
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!

Barrera fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Calisto to the ground. Barrera is now in Calisto's guard.

Calisto kicks Barrera off and gets to his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Calisto.
Calisto looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calisto ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Barrera looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nice takedown defense from Calisto. No joy for Barrera on that attempt.
Calisto fails to land with a series of punches.
Barrera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Calisto paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Calisto shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Barrera but Barrera pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Barrera takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sloppy strikes from Calisto. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barrera looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Barrera gets to his feet - Calisto follows without any prompting.
Calisto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Calisto as Barrera shoots in.

Barrera drives through and clinches with Calisto against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barrera stalling against the cage.
Calisto jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Barrera walks away with a smile on his face. Calisto gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Calisto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Calisto looks for the body kick but Barrera saw that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zed Calisto 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.

Barrera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Calisto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rick Barrera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Calisto tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Barrera defends well and Calisto ends up having to push Barrera into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Barrera swinging wildly here.

Barrera rushes Calisto and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Barrera wants a takedown.

Barrera breaks the clinch.
Calisto ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barrera moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calisto changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Barrera tries to avoid it but Calisto manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Barrera to the ground. Barrera escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Barrera will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Barrera looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Calisto misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calisto moves out of range as Barrera strikes.
Calisto has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barrera misses with a takedown attempt - Calisto sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Barrera. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Barrera has one foot on Calisto's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Calisto misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Barrera to counter with a crisp jab.
Calisto is breathing heavily.
Barrera looks to land a body kick but Calisto moved away.
Calisto misses with an attempted mid kick.
Calisto misses with a takedown

and Barrera moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Calisto tries to pull guard but Barrera holds him up against the cage and eventually Calisto drops back down to his feet.
Barrera is trying to pull guard but Calisto has him pressed against the cage.
Barrera wants a takedown.
Calisto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Barrera is trying to pull guard but Calisto turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Calisto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Barrera is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Calisto is keeping busy.
Barrera can't get the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calisto is trying to break the clinch but Barrera has him pressed against the cage.
Calisto working hard to break the clinch.
Calisto can't break the clinch.
Calisto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Calisto wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Barrera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Barrera fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Calisto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zed Calisto seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Calisto throws a push kick but Barrera slaps the foot to one side.

Barrera moves into the clinch.
Barrera drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Calisto gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calisto tries to circle away but Barrera has him pinned against the cage.

Barrera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Calisto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Barrera avoids it really well and circles away.

Calisto tries to keep at a distance but Barrera has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Barrera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Barrera dominated that second round.
That's time! Barrera's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Calisto throws a right and a left that Barrera avoids nicely.
Calisto goes for a double leg but Barrera avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Barrera continues to drive forward.
Calisto throws a half hearted mid kick.

Barrera clinches with his opponent.
Calisto struggles to land a body shot inside as Barrera controls his hands.
Barrera keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Calisto's efforts to push away.
Barrera has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Calisto avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Calisto is trying to break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calisto fails to pull guard.
Calisto is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Barrera is defending well.
Rick Barrera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zed Calisto.
Calisto prevents a takedown attempt there.
Calisto is trying to drag Barrera to the mat but Barrera just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Calisto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calisto has had enough of the clinch but Barrera keeps him there for the moment.
Calisto lands a right hand.
Calisto tries to land knees in the clinch but Barrera avoids the damage to the body.
Calisto can't break the clinch.
Barrera creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Calisto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Barrera has him pressed against the cage.
Barrera content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Barrera tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Calisto smiles and moves away.
Calisto connects with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barrera wants to clinch up but Calisto keeps it at a distance.
Barrera tries to clinch but Calisto moves out of range.
A punch combination from Barrera misses.
Calisto is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Barrera rather than just go for the knockout.

Calisto clinches up with Barrera and pushes him back against the cage.
Barrera has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Calisto after a bit of a struggle.
Calisto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Barrera has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Calisto uses from the top position.
Barrera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barrera is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calisto is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Calisto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Calisto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Calisto forces his way into half guard.
Calisto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barrera might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Barrera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Calisto.
Calisto controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barrera avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Calisto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Calisto throwing shots but Barrera is blocking nicely.
Calisto thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Barrera tries to roll over but Calisto keeps him under control.
Calisto not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Calisto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Calisto shoots for a double leg takedown but Barrera sprawls well. He's pushed Calisto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Barrera fails with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barrera gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Calisto.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zed Calisto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Calisto has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Josh West scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zed Calisto!
Zed Calisto very nearly forgot to thank Shade Tree Nutrition amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.