PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Konichiwa Jempsa (ranked 412 p4p, 751 weight class) and Antonio Barbosa (ranked 66 p4p, 114 weight class). Barbosa has chosen Eminem - Go to Sleep as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Jempsa
vs
Barbosa

170 cm
30
170
23 - 12 - 0

180 cm
25
175
11 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

EFC Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Konichiwa Jempsa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antonio Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Albert Achterberg and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Jempsa or perhaps it was just good defense by Barbosa, which made it look bad.
Jempsa shoots in for a takedown but Barbosa shows good takedown defense.
A punch lands to the side of Jempsa 's head but he takes it in his stride.

It looks like Konichiwa Jempsa has been cut.

Jempsa shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Barbosa napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Jempsa staying calm.
Jempsa works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa is trying to improve his position.

Jempsa tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Jempsa has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Jempsa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jempsa misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
We've been hearing that Jempsa has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Jempsa works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Barbosa can't do much from the bottom here.
Jempsa looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Barbosa is avoiding damage well.
Jempsa throws an elbow but Barbosa slips to the side and avoids it well.
Jempsa working away.
Jempsa throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Jempsa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barbosa keeps working.
Barbosa struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Barbosa keeps trying to improve his position.
Jempsa wants to control but Barbosa is keeping him busy.
Barbosa is looking to regain half guard here but Jempsa keeps moving and retains side control.
Jempsa misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Barbosa wants to control but Jempsa is having none of it.
Jempsa sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Jempsa lands with some strikes.
Barbosa is looking to improve his position but Jempsa isn't that keen on the idea.
Jempsa throws some wild stikes that Barbosa manages to avoid easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Barbosa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Jempsa landing shots from mount.

Jempsa looking to secure an arm triangle but Barbosa defends it well.
Jempsa trying to control but Barbosa is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barbosa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Konichiwa Jempsa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Konichiwa Jempsa's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Jempsa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Jempsa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jempsa goes for a double leg but Barbosa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Barbosa continues to drive forward.
Barbosa can't find room to land a body shot as Jempsa controls the action.
Jempsa is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barbosa can do to turn this around?
Barbosa misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Jempsa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Barbosa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Barbosa.
Barbosa misses with the head strike.
Barbosa is working Jempsa over against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jempsa takes a shot to the head.
Barbosa misses with a body punch.

Barbosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jempsa. Barbosa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barbosa is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Jempsa with a body shot.
Jempsa shoots and misses
and Barbosa counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A little jabbing left from Barbosa on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Jempsa throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jempsa takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Jempsa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Barbosa defends it nicely.
Barbosa misses with a kick to the body.
Barbosa slaps away a takedown attempt from Jempsa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jempsa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barbosa's waist but Barbosa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jempsa off to one side.
Jempsa doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Barbosa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A shot to the body from Jempsa misses
and Barbosa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Konichiwa Jempsa's cut is getting worse.
Nice sprawl there from Barbosa as Jempsa shoots in.
Barbosa has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Jempsa fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Barbosa thows a body kick. Jempsa tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Barbosa tries to sprawl but Jempsa drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Jempsa is thwarting Barbosa's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barbosa wants to improve his position but Jempsa is controlling well.
Konichiwa Jempsa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa trying to pass the guard but Barbosa defending well.
Jempsa is looking to stall here but Barbosa recovers full guard.
Jempsa landing some decent shots from guard.
Jempsa postures up.
Jempsa trying to control but Barbosa is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Barbosa has Jempsa pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Jempsa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Barbosa is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Jempsa scores with a couple of nice shots.
Jempsa wants to pass to mount but Barbosa is defending the position.
Barbosa wants to improve his position but Jempsa is controlling well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Barbosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Konichiwa Jempsa's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A big left from Barbosa misses.
Jempsa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barbosa moves away.
Barbosa takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Barbosa stuffs the takedown.
Jempsa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Barbosa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Konichiwa Jempsa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barbosa misses with an attempted mid kick.
Jempsa is looking to wear down Barbosa with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Jempsa lands a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jempsa manages to avoid it.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Barbosa enables Jempsa to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Barbosa manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Jempsa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barbosa tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jempsa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Barbosa has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Jempsa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Jempsa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barbosa swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Barbosa lands with a cross.
Antonio Barbosa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jempsa is defended easily by Barbosa.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jempsa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Barbosa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jempsa.
Barbosa now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Barbosa throws a head kick that half lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa misses with an uppercut.
Jempsa shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Jempsa bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Barbosa is trying to improve his position.
Barbosa sneaks back into half guard.
Barbosa wants to improve his position but Jempsa is controlling well.
Jempsa thows a huge punch but Barbosa dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Barbosa tries to roll over but Jempsa keeps him under control.
Barbosa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Jempsa.
Barbosa is refusing to be controlled, as Jempsa sits in half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jempsa with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Barbosa keeping control of the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Konichiwa Jempsa.
I think Jempsa has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Konichiwa Jempsa!
An out of breath Konichiwa Jempsa thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.