PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cohen Hawthorne (ranked 1411 p4p, 23133 weight class) and Bento Barboza (ranked 187 p4p, 664 weight class). Barboza is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Angel Of Death. Bento Barboza told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Hawthorne
vs
Barboza

194 cm
23
266
7 - 2 - 0

190 cm
23
265
13 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR
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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cohen Hawthorne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bento Barboza!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawthorne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Barboza.
Barboza throws a jab but it's blocked by Hawthorne.
Barboza has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Barboza has managed to clinch.
Barboza blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Barboza struggles to land a body shot inside as Hawthorne controls his hands.
Barboza lands a shot to the body.
Barboza lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Barboza blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Barboza is trying to push Hawthorne away but Hawthorne has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hawthorne.
Hawthorne blocks the elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hawthorne breaks the clinch.
Barboza throws a leg kick but Hawthorne sees it coming and moves out of range.
Barboza chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Barboza with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawthorne looks to land a left hand but Barboza moved out of range nicely.
Barboza misses with a leg kick.
A little feinted left hand from Hawthorne on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Barboza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barboza is looking to clinch.
Hawthorne swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Good leg kick by Barboza.
Hawthorne throws a hook to the side of Barboza's head but Barboza sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Barboza scores with a shot to the body.
A low kick from Hawthorne misses
and Barboza counters with a nice body kick.
Hawthorne seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Barboza connects with the punch.
Bento Barboza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Barboza.
Barboza throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Hawthorne to counter with a crisp jab.
Hawthorne's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Barboza connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hawthorne scrambles back to his feet.
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!
Barboza throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hawthorne sees it coming and avoids it easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Hawthorne misses the target.
Hawthorne looks to score with a jab to the body but Barboza is just out of range.
Barboza is looking to clinch.
Hawthorne connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Barboza momentarily.
Decent striking displayed by Hawthorne there.
Hawthorne takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne throws a leg kick which misses Barboza's front leg but catches the back leg as Barboza tries to avoid it.
Barboza turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Barboza lands a nice looking body shot.
Barboza throws a body punch but Hawthorne moves out of range.
Barboza tries to land a leg kick but Hawthorne saw it coming and moves away.
Hawthorne throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Barboza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hawthorne throws an overhand right that lands on Barboza's shoulder, as Barboza tries to avoid the shot.
A countering left hand to the body from Barboza misses.
Hawthorne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Barboza.
Barboza tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barboza sends Hawthorne crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Barboza is motioning to the referee to let Hawthorne up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

It looks like Cohen Hawthorne has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawthorne throws a right hand that misses
and Barboza counters with a beautiful right hand that knocks Hawthorne out cold! What a finish! Barboza is going crazy, running around the mat, summersaulting off the corner posts and screaming into the cameras. Something tells me he's pretty happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:14 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Bento Barboza!
A relieved looking Bento Barboza thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.