PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Caio Barbosa (ranked 463 p4p, 93 weight class) and Gemechu McKraken (ranked 26 p4p, 7 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Caio Barbosa has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Caio Barbosa seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Barbosa
vs
McKraken

163 cm
28
145
16 - 9 - 1

170 cm
29
140
15 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Savage Fightwear
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Caio Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Gemechu McKraken!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Steve Erwin and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa just misses with a punch to the body.
Barbosa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Barbosa misses with a two punch combination.
Barbosa throws a body punch but McKraken moves out of range.

McKraken gets the takedown into side control.
McKraken lands a decent elbow from side control.
Barbosa can't do much from the bottom here.
McKraken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barbosa keeps working.
McKraken is working Barbosa over with some ground and pound from side control.

McKraken wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Barbosa, who protects the arm well.
McKraken has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barbosa is looking to reverse the position.
McKraken grinds an elbow into Barbosa's temple.
McKraken scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKraken landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
McKraken tries to advance to mount but Barbosa denies him.
Barbosa is trying to improve his position.
McKraken scores with a couple of short elbows.

McKraken is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Barbosa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Barbosa is trying to improve his position.
McKraken lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
McKraken lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sloppy strikes there by McKraken.
Barbosa looks to move to half guard but instead McKraken has passed into mount! Damn!
Barbosa is working to get back to half guard.
McKraken lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
McKraken lands a big shot there that rocks Barbosa but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Barbosa is rocked!
McKraken with shots to the head and body - Barbosa looks very uncomfortable down there.
Oh Barbosa is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
This has been an exciting period of action!
McKraken dominating with strikes here.
McKraken lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
A nice elbow there by McKraken.
McKraken has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Barbosa's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa regains half guard.
Barbosa trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McKraken sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barbosa defending well though.
Barbosa seems to have got his legs back now.
McKraken thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barbosa's head.
Barbosa tries to roll over but McKraken keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nice strikes from McKraken there.
Barbosa gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McKraken working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
McKraken trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barbosa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
McKraken is working Barbosa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Barbosa wants to sweep but no luck.
Barbosa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
McKraken wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
McKraken is in close to Barbosa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Barbosa keeping moving, preventing McKraken from controlling successfully.
McKraken postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gemechu McKraken dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Barbosa lands a nice hook to McKraken's body. McKraken takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Barbosa throws a body punch but McKraken moves out of range.
McKraken defending well as Barbosa loads up on a big left hand.
Barbosa throws the left hand but McKraken avoids the punch easily.

McKraken shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Barbosa's guard.
McKraken postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Barbosa trying to keep a closed guard but McKraken is proving a slippery customer.
McKraken has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
McKraken working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Gemechu McKraken has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbosa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from McKraken.
McKraken slips nicely into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa taking some punishment here, with McKraken in his half guard.
McKraken scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
McKraken looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Barbosa trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKraken is looking to take a break and control but Barbosa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Barbosa manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Barbosa controls McKraken momentarily but McKraken frees himself.
McKraken is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
McKraken lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
McKraken works over Barbosa with some ground and pound from guard.
McKraken throwing strikes from guard but Barbosa blocks nicely.
McKraken chips away with some ground and pound.
Barbosa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
McKraken connects with a couple of short punches.
McKraken trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKraken postures up and lands a big shot to Barbosa's brow.
McKraken is working Barbosa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
McKraken wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
Barbosa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McKraken trying to control but Barbosa is working from the bottom.
Barbosa wants to improve his position but instead McKraken has moved into half guard.
Barbosa has hold of McKraken's hands but McKraken slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Barbosa tries to roll over but McKraken keeps him under control.
McKraken is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Barbosa is looking to improve his position but McKraken isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
McKraken looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
McKraken working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Barbosa is trying to maintain the position but McKraken is very close to passing his half guard.
Ground and pound from McKraken.
McKraken looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Barbosa tries to roll over but McKraken keeps him under control.
McKraken scoring with strikes to the body and head.
McKraken lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Still in half guard, McKraken seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McKraken is nestled in close to Barbosa, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
McKraken working over Barbosa with some ground and pound. Barbosa looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
McKraken not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Barbosa works his way to full guard. Good work.
McKraken tries to free his leg and advance position but Barbosa is retaining full guard.
Barbosa wants to sweep here but McKraken controlling him for the moment.
McKraken is pushing down on Barbosa's leg trying to pass to half guard. Barbosa is fighting to maintain full guard but McKraken has managed to sneak the leg through.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McKraken working over Barbosa with some ground and pound. Barbosa looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Barbosa has hold of McKraken's hands but McKraken slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Barbosa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Barbosa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gemechu McKraken showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

McKraken gets cracked there but stands up to it.
McKraken 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.

McKraken drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
McKraken stopping the sweep attempt from Barbosa.
McKraken postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Barbosa keeping moving, preventing McKraken from controlling successfully.
Barbosa working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McKraken with a flurry of punches that miss.
McKraken trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McKraken works over Barbosa with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barbosa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barbosa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
McKraken chips away with some ground and pound.
McKraken lands a couple of decent looking shots.
McKraken throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barbosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells McKraken's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
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.
McKraken postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
McKraken landing some decent shots from guard.
McKraken chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKraken working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
McKraken working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
McKraken chips away with some ground and pound.
McKraken gets to his feet and stands over Barbosa, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Barbosa felt that one! McKraken unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Barbosa from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gemechu McKraken!
In his post fight interview, Gemechu McKraken started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
Caio Barbosa was interviewed post fight and said 'I think he did very well and would like the chance to avenge this victory. '.