PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Barbosa (ranked 1336 p4p, 2043 weight class) and Gholam Estili (ranked 163 p4p, 229 weight class). Barbosa's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Eminem - Go to Sleep. Estili has chosen Ready For War (Instrumental) as his entrance music. The key to victory for Antonio Barbosa has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Barbosa
vs
Estili

180 cm
21
170
5 - 1 - 0

174 cm
21
164
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

SpeeDee BBQ

Conquer

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Antonio Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gholam Estili!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa misses with a right hand

and Estili counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Estili.
Estili throws a strike but Barbosa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Estili has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Barbosa has passed into side control.
Barbosa tries to advance to mount but Estili denies him.
Estili 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.
Barbosa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Estili keeps working.
Estili 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa is looking to take a break and control but Estili is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Estili is looking to regain half guard here but Barbosa keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Estili being controlled for a moment.
Estili tries to bench press Barbosa off him but Barbosa keeps the position.
Estili sneaks back into half guard.
Barbosa trying to control from half guard but Estili is working away.
Estili manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Estili pulls Barbosa in close to his closed guard and prevents Barbosa from doing any damage or advancing position.
Barbosa controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Estili looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barbosa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Estili looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barbosa is one step ahead there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Estili moves out of range of the strikes.
Estili looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa throws the kick towards the body but Estili avoids it.
Estili avoids the body shot from Barbosa.
Estili shoots and misses
and Barbosa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A big left from Barbosa misses.
Estili bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Barbosa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Estili.
Estili throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Estili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Barbosa lands a jab to Estili's midsection.
Estili lands the left hand.
Barbosa blocks a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Estili with a nice cross.
Barbosa looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Estili shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Estili showed some decent athleticism there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Estili passes the guard and advances to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Estili throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Barbosa tries to hold on but Estili postures up.
Estili throwing strikes here but Barbosa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Barbosa working to try and regain half guard.
Estili working Barbosa over with strikes here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gholam Estili dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Estili ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barbosa connects with a right hand. Estili shakes it off.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Estili is defended easily by Barbosa.
Estili slips a straight right by Barbosa.
Barbosa throws a body kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Estili tries for a takedown but Barbosa sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Estili drives through with a takedown into Barbosa's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Barbosa keeping moving, preventing Estili from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa is trying to control the position but Estili postures up.
Barbosa wants to sweep here but Estili controlling him for the moment.

Estili drops back looking for a leg! Barbosa is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Barbosa manages to kick Estili off! Estili jumps back into Barbosa's guard.
Estili throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Estili works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Estili is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Barbosa!
Estili is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Barbosa can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Estili controlling his opponent.
Barbosa blocking the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Estili looking to finish Barbosa with some ground and pound. This is bad for Barbosa!
Estili throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Barbosa taking shots to the head.
Estili landing punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Estili with the ground and pound from mount.
Estili looking to finish Barbosa with some ground and pound. This is bad for Barbosa!

Barbosa is rocked!
Barbosa is looking to get to half guard.
Oh Barbosa is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Estili throwing strikes here but Barbosa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Barbosa seems to have got his legs back now.
Estili lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Estili sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Estili thowing shots but they're missing.
Estili with a couple of short strikes.
Estili lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Barbosa hang on?
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Estili cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Estili dominating with strikes here.
Estili cracks Barbosa with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Barbosa wants to hold on but Estili pushes him away.
Estili loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Barbosa scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Estili land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Estili stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gholam Estili!
In his post fight interview, Gholam Estili gave a big smile as he said 'I want my shot at reclaiming the title!! Darsin & I went to war, now lets run that shit back already.'.