PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Jason Hightower (ranked 4128 p4p, 23447 weight class) and Bento Barboza (ranked 466 p4p, 581 weight class). Hightower's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, The Power. Barboza has chosen Angel Of Death as his entrance music. 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.

Hightower
vs
Barboza

207 cm
22
242
12 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
265
13 - 2 - 0

World class boxer
Cardio machine

World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conquer

Shadow Warrior Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jason Hightower!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bento Barboza!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Hirohito Nitta and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Both fighters circling a little - Barboza finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Barboza waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hightower.
Hightower swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hightower connects with an inside leg kick.
Barboza throws a lazy head kick
and Hightower counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Barboza scores with a shot to the body.
Hightower lands a nice looking body kick.
Hightower staying out of range there.
Hightower thinks about countering with a body kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Hightower misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A swing and a miss from Barboza.
Hightower throws a quick counter kick to the body but Barboza avoids it.
Hightower lands a nice leg kick that just misses Barboza's sensitive parts.
Barboza throws a leg kick
and Hightower counters with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hightower clinches up against the ropes.
Barboza blocking some punches.
Barboza tries to work over Hightower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barboza lands an elbow inside that Hightower shrugs off.
Hightower scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Barboza throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hightowers head.
Hightower lands an uppercut.
Hightower lands an uppercut.
Barboza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Hightower lands a right hand.
Hightower lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hightower lands a left hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hightower swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hightower lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Bento Barboza has been cut.
Hightower lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Barboza swings wildly with an uppercut but Hightower uses good head movement to avoid it.
Our sources have told us that Hightower has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Barboza lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hightower backwards.
Hightower lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Barboza backwards.
Barboza tries a body shot but Hightower blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hightower.
A short right from Barboza on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Barboza.
Hightower pushes Barboza back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
A short right from Barboza on the inside.
Hightower lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Barboza backwards.
Barboza throws a punch but it's blocked by Hightower.
Barboza lands a shot to the body.
Hightower working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hightower working aggressively here.
Hightower lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hightower fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Hightower swings wildly with an uppercut but Barboza uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hightower tries to work over Barboza's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barboza doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch on the inside from Hightower fails to land.
Barboza misses with a punch to the body.
Barboza lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Barboza tries a body shot but Hightower blocks it.
Hightower lands a nice uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Hightower dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bento Barboza's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hightower defending well as Barboza loads up on a big left hand.
Hightower fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barboza manages to avoid it.
Nice defenses there by Barboza.
Barboza swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Hightower scores with a head kick.

Hightower forces Barboza back against the ropes and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hightower.
Hightower lands a nice uppercut.
Hightower scores with an uppercut up the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barboza lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hightower misses with some punches.
Hightower lands a body shot in the clinch.
Barboza has a couple of punches blocked by Hightower.
Barboza avoiding damage as Hightower throws knees to the body.
Hightower lands a nice uppercut.
Barboza misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hightower scores with a shot to the side of Barboza's head.
Hightower misses with a punch to the body.
Barboza misses with some punches.
Hightower lands a left hand that snaps the head of Barboza backwards.
Barboza throws an elbow that misses.
Hightower stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Barboza is breathing heavily.
Barboza can't find room to land a body shot as Hightower controls the action.
Barboza throws a punch but it's blocked by Hightower.
Barboza takes a knee right on the jaw!
Barboza takes a shot to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Hightower.
Hightower lands with a light punch inside.
Hightower unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Hightower lands with a light punch inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barboza takes a shot to the head.
Hightower lands with a short shot to the head.
Hightower is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barboza can do to turn this around?
Hightower presses Barboza against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A right hand to the body from Hightower.
Hightower scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Barboza's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hightower scores a nice knee to the body.
Hightower lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hightower.
Hightower tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Barboza's elbow.
Hightower cracks Barboza with a nice body shot.
Hightower pushes Barboza back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Hightower lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hightower tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Barboza.
Hightower misses with a hook from the clinch.
Barboza tries to work over Hightower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hightower working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hightower gets through Barboza's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hightower tries to throw a body punch but Barboza avoids it by throwing Hightower back against the ropes.
Hightower throws a punch but it's blocked by Barboza.
Barboza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Barboza misses with the head strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barboza misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hightower lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Hightower tries a knee to the head but Barboza blocks it.
Hightower misses with a body punch.
Barboza tries to throw a body punch but Hightower avoids it by throwing Barboza back against the ropes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Hightower dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bento Barboza's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Barboza tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hightower is able to avoid easily.
It looked like Hightower wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Jason Hightower is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barboza is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.
Hightower scores with a crisp jab that stopped Barboza in his tracks.
Barboza throws a nice looking combination but Hightower bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barboza throws a lazy uppercut
and Hightower counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Barboza is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Hightower connects with an inside leg kick.
Hightower fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Barboza has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Hightower scores with a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hightower has closed the distance and engaged Barboza in a clinch.
Hightower lands a nice shot to the body.
Barboza tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Barboza cracks Hightower with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hightower blocks an uppercut.
Barboza swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hightower lands with a light punch inside.
A short left from Hightower.
Hightower misses with some punches.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Barboza.
Barboza tries to throw a body punch but Hightower avoids it by throwing Barboza back against the ropes.
Hightower taking a breather.
Barboza tries a body shot but Hightower blocks it.
Barboza can't find room to land a body shot as Hightower controls the action.
Barboza misses with a hook to the ribs.
Barboza throws a punch but it's blocked by Hightower.
Hightower is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Hightower misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hightower controlling the action here for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hightower lands with a right to the head.
Barboza misses with a punch to the body.
Hightower tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Barboza's elbow.
Hightower blocks an elbow strike from Barboza.
Hightower landing knees to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hightower tries a body shot but Barboza blocks it.
Hightower lands a right hand.
Barboza misses with a punch on the inside.
Jason Hightower has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hightower lands a shoulder strike.
Barboza misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Barboza goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Barboza misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hightower avoids a wild elbow strike from Barboza.
Bento Barboza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barboza working aggressively here.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Barboza throws an elbow but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Hightower showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hightower has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Jason Hightower!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Jason Hightower!
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Jason Hightower!

Jason Hightower wins by unanimous decision!
A victorious Jason Hightower thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.