PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleks Kuznetsov (ranked 1407 p4p, 751 weight class) and Abraham Barnes (ranked 189 p4p, 105 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kuznetsov
vs
Barnes

182 cm
27
203
11 - 8 - 0

185 cm
26
210
9 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aleks Kuznetsov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abraham Barnes!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kuznetsov shoots in for a takedown but Barnes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A swing and a miss from Barnes.
Barnes cracks Kuznetsov with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A low kick from Barnes is predictable there
and Kuznetsov counters with a nice low kick that buckles Barnes's knee momentarily.
Barnes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kuznetsov appears to be looking for a big counter.
Barnes has his takedown stuffed
enabling Kuznetsov to counter with a crisp jab.
Barnes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kuznetsov can pounce on him.
Kuznetsov connects with the punch.
Barnes throws a right and a left that Kuznetsov avoids nicely.
Barnes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kuznetsov sprawls well. Kuznetsov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Barnes gets slowly back to his feet.
Barnes shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kuznetsov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Barnes gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kuznetsov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Barnes looks for the body kick but Kuznetsov saw that one coming.
Barnes shoots in looking for a takedown. Kuznetsov tries to sprawl out of it but Barnes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kuznetsov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Aleks Kuznetsov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abraham Barnes.
Kuznetsov misses the jab.
Barnes lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Barnes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kuznetsov takes a swing at Barnes's ribcage but misses.
Kuznetsov missing with a left hand there. Barnes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kuznetsov. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barnes looks to land a combination but Kuznetsov avoids it well.
Kuznetsov lunges at Barnes with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Barnes's hand.
Barnes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kuznetsov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab from Barnes.
Barnes throws a body punch but Kuznetsov moves out of range.
Aleks Kuznetsov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kuznetsov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barnes fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kuznetsov on the side of the head.
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!
Barnes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov thuds a left hand into Barnes's body.
Kuznetsov throws a big shot that misses.
Barnes slips a jab from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barnes throws a sloppy head kick and Kuznetsov moves out of range easily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Barnes, as that shot connected.
Kuznetsov with a jab.
Barnes throws out a leg kick but Kuznetsov moves out of range and Barnes only half commits.
Nice jab there from Kuznetsov.
Barnes throws out a leg kick but Kuznetsov moves out of range and Barnes only half commits.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kuznetsov falls off balance throwing a combination

and Barnes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kuznetsov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barnes.
Barnes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kuznetsov controlling the position for now.
Barnes working over Kuznetsov with some ground and pound. Kuznetsov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Kuznetsov has hold of Barnes's hands but Barnes slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kuznetsov is trying to stand up here but Barnes is controlling him well.
Kuznetsov trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Kuznetsov is in trouble now - Barnes has advanced to mount!
Kuznetsov wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Barnes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kuznetsov can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kuznetsov is trying to stand up.
Kuznetsov is working to get back to half guard.
Barnes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kuznetsov blocking the ground and pound.
Kuznetsov wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The referee warns Kuznetsov that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kuznetsov is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Barnes punching from mount but Kuznetsov doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Barnes postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kuznetsov looks a forlorn figure.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Abraham Barnes will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Barnes defending well as Kuznetsov loads up on a big left hand.
A punch lands to the side of Barnes 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Kuznetsov shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Barnes eats them both and turns towards Kuznetsov to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Kuznetsov 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.
Kuznetsov moves out of range as Barnes strikes.
Nice defenses there by Barnes.
A jab from Barnes misses.
Kuznetsov is looking to counter punch.
Kuznetsov misses with a straight right.
Kuznetsov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Barnes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kuznetsov can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Barnes has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
A nice inside leg kick there by Barnes. That's going to slow Kuznetsov down.
Kuznetsov misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Barnes tries a head kick but it misses.
Kuznetsov went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Barnes!
Kuznetsov throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Barnes drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kuznetsov defends it well.
Barnes misses with a head kick.
Kuznetsov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big right from Barnes misses.
Kuznetsov takes a jab right on the kisser.
Barnes misses with an uppercut.
Kuznetsov is looking to counter punch.
Barnes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kuznetsov throws a body punch but Barnes moves out of range.
Barnes moves out of range of the strikes.
Barnes misses with a few strikes there.
Kuznetsov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Barnes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Kuznetsov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov lands a nice shot that snaps Barnes's head back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kuznetsov shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Barnes defends it nicely.
A punch combination from Barnes misses.
Barnes shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kuznetsov throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Kuznetsov misses with an uppercut.
Barnes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov misses with a right hand

and Barnes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes works his way into full mount!
Barnes working Kuznetsov over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Barnes scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kuznetsov tries to buck Barnes off but he can't manage it.
Barnes lands with some strikes.
Kuznetsov is in a horrible position here. Barnes smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Barnes with shots to the head and body - Kuznetsov looks very uncomfortable down there.

Kuznetsov is rocked!
Kuznetsov's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Barnes loads up with a big shot that hurts Kuznetsov! He's pulled Barnes in close but Barnes has postured up and lands more strikes. Can Kuznetsov survive? More strikes from Barnes and Kuznetsov is out! The ref jumps in to save him! Brutal ground and pound!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Abraham Barnes!
Abraham Barnes tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.