PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ronnie Barnhardt (ranked 2778 p4p, 331 weight class) and Che Von Cru (ranked 2561 p4p, 308 weight class). Barnhardt's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, James Brown, living in America . The crowd seem to be enjoying Cru's choice of entrance music: the stranger. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Barnhardt
vs
Von Cru

182 cm
21
191 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

191 cm
21
203 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hot Spunk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ronnie Barnhardt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Che Von Cru!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cru misses with a left hand
and Barnhardt makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Barnhardt is looking to clinch.
Barnhardt avoids a kick to the body.
Barnhardt is looking to chop away at Cru's legs.
Cru fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Barnhardt has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Barnhardt misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cru lands a nice looking body kick.
A punch lands to the side of Barnhardt 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Barnhardt needs to keep his hands up - Cru had a free shot at his head there.
We've been informed that Cru has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Cru chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Cru misses with a shot to the body
and Barnhardt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A nice inside leg kick there by Barnhardt. That's going to slow Cru down.
Cru ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
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!
Barnhardt throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cru with a nice cross.
Barnhardt misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barnhardt has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cru.
Barnhardt throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cru.
Barnhardt gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cru.
Barnhardt connects with a high kick.
We've been told by Barnhardt's head coaches at Crapollas Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Barnhardt takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cru throws out a leg kick but Barnhardt moves out of range and Cru only half commits.
Cru connects with a high kick.
Cru throws a good cross that connects.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cru wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Cru feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Barnhardt's calf.
Barnhardt throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cru connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cru throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cru.
Barnhardt tries to clinch but Cru moves out of range.
Cru throws a jab but it's blocked by Barnhardt.
Barnhardt throws a half hearted mid kick.
Cru connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Barnhardt lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cru has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Barnhardt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barnhardt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cru looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnhardt is just out of range.
Barnhardt takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cru throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Barnhardt avoids the body shot from Cru.
Cru throws a push kick but Barnhardt slaps the foot to one side.
Barnhardt tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Barnhardt slips under a jab from Cru.
Cru lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cru tries a low kick but Barnhardt avoids it.
Cru has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Cru throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cru fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Barnhardt on the side of the head.
Cru dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barnhardt. That did some damage!
Barnhardt pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Barnhardt tries to clinch up but Cru circles away and keeps his distance.
Cru looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Barnhardt moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cru feints and then cracks Barnhardt's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Barnhardt down.
Cru lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Cru digs a good body shot into Barnhardt's ribs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A clash of legs there as Barnhardt blocks the low kick.
Cru lands with a thumping leg kick.
Cru chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Barnhardt can pounce on him.
Cru stuns Barnhardt with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Barnhardt checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cru stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Barnhardt.
Barnhardt misses with a few strikes there.
Barnhardt drops his hands momentarily and Cru takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Barnhardt misses with a looping right.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cru misses with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Che Von Cru 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.

Cru lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cru looks to land a left hand but Barnhardt moved out of range nicely.

Barnhardt moves into the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Barnhardt.
Cru tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Barnhardt's elbow.
Cru has a couple of punches blocked by Barnhardt.
Cru goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Barnhardt trying to land knees to the body.
Barnhardt tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cru scores with a shot to the side of Barnhardt's head.
Barnhardt misses with a punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cru misses with a hook to the ribs.
Barnhardt lands a shoulder strike.
Barnhardt is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cru tries to work over Barnhardt's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Still in the clinch, Cru scores with a nice short uppercut.
Barnhardt using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cru has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A hook to the body from Cru.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cru as Barnhardt tries to tie him up.
Barnhardt has a couple of punches blocked by Cru.
Barnhardt misses with a punch to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Cru escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Barnhardt connects with an inside leg kick.
Barnhardt takes one on the button.
A head kick misses from Barnhardt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cru! But no joy.
Cru connects with the punch.
Barnhardt tries a head kick but it misses.
Cru has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Cru gets a clinch.
Barnhardt tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cru pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cru misses with a leg kick.
Barnhardt moves in looking to clinch but Cru pushes him off.
Barnhardt tries to clinch up but Cru circles away and keeps his distance.
Barnhardt swings widly with a right hand
and Cru counters with a nice uppercut.
Cru lands with a slapping head kick.
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!
Barnhardt takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nice jab there from Barnhardt.
Cru misses with a lunging right hand
and Barnhardt counters with a thumping low kick.
Barnhardt avoids the body shot from Cru.
Barnhardt throws the kick towards the body but Cru avoids it.
Cru let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Barnhardt lands with a hook. Cru tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Cru connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Barnhardt's hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cru moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Cru lands a glancing blow to the side of Barnhardt's head.
Barnhardt tries to clinch but Cru moves away
and Cru counters with a good low kick that Barnhardt was not able to check.

Cru closes the distance and pushes Barnhardt back into the cage.
A short right from Cru.
Cru throws a head punch that misses.
Cru lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Knees to the body from Barnhardt.
Barnhardt swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cru throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Barnhardts head.
Barnhardt working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Cru swings wildly with an uppercut but Barnhardt uses good head movement to avoid it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A shot in the inside from Cru.
Cru misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnhardt can't find room to land a body shot as Cru controls the action.
Cru lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Barnhardt swings wildly with an uppercut but Cru uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cru tries a body shot but Barnhardt blocks it.
Cru lands with a short shot to the head.
Cru lands a right hand that snaps the head of Barnhardt backwards.
Cru misses with some punches.
Barnhardt creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cru's defenses.
Cru prevents a body shot from Barnhardt.
Cru tries to throw a body punch but Barnhardt avoids it by throwing Cru back against the cage.
Cru tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Barnhardt tries to land knees in the clinch but Cru avoids the damage to the body.
Cru lands with a light punch inside.
Che Von Cru seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Barnhardt fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Barnhardt with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Barnhardt tries to work over Cru's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Che Von Cru showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Barnhardt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cru throws out a counter right but Barnhardt avoids it with no problem.
Cru tests Barnhardt's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cru throws a leg kick but Barnhardt moved away.
Cru looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cru scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Che Von Cru seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barnhardt walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Cru connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Barnhardt fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cru manages to avoid it.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Barnhardt lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Cru has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Cru and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Cru is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cru misses with a low kick.
Cru connects with a leg kick. Barnhardt looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Cru throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Barnhardt connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cru delivers a nice body kick.
Ronnie Barnhardt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
That kick from Cru tenderised Barnhardt's leg. Barnhardt is trying to keep his angry face on.
Cru bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Barnhardt throws a lazy right hand but Cru sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Barnhardt throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Cru misses with a leg kick
and Barnhardt cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Barnhardt throws a sloppy head kick and Cru moves out of range easily.
Cru throws a quick inside leg kick.
Che Von Cru seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barnhardt blocks a low kick nicely.
Barnhardt throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cru finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Cru feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Barnhardt's calf.
Cru connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Che Von Cru is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cru buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barnhardt takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Cru scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Barnhardt doesn't seem bothered though.
Cru moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Barnhardt lands with a right hand.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Barnhardt.
Cru slips under a jab.
Barnhardt looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Barnhardt on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Barnhardt swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barnhardt moves out of range of the body kick from Cru.
Barnhardt throws a lazy head kick
and Cru counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Barnhardt pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Barnhardt throws a shot from downtown. Cru moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cru digs a good body shot into Barnhardt's ribs.
Cru moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Cru lands with an uppercut that bounces Barnhardt off the cage and back into range.
Cru misses with the combination.
Cru just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBarnhardt.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cru.
Cru takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Barnhardt stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Cru.

Cru closes the distance and pushes Barnhardt back into the cage.

Cru manages to break the clinch.
Cru misses with a lunging right hand
letting Barnhardt counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnhardt lands a right hook to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barnhardt takes one to the chin there.
Ronnie Barnhardt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cru throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cru avoids the head kick by Barnhardt.
Both fighters circling a little - Barnhardt finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Cru cracks the inside of Barnhardt's front leg.
Cru throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Barnhardt.
Cru lands a nice looking body kick.
Cru lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Barnhardt throws a shot to the body.
Cru takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cru lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Barnhardt buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Che Von Cru comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cru 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Che Von Cru!
A very excited looking Che Von Cru rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.