PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dash Hercules (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabio Barbosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dash Hercules has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Hercules
vs
Barbosa

179 cm
19
187 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dash Hercules!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fabio Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Seu Braga and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barbosa rushes Hercules and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Barbosa looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Hercules stalling.
Hercules is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Barbosa tries for a takedown but Hercules manages to get underhooks.
Barbosa goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hercules trying to control the position but instead, Barbosa has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hercules into the cage.
Barbosa trying to stall but Hercules improves his position.
Barbosa prevents the takedown attempt.
Hercules goes for a takedown attempt but Barbosa pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Barbosa circles away from the clinch attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Barbosa is trying to break free.
Hercules drops down looking for an ankle pick but Barbosa pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dash Hercules. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barbosa misses with a two punch combination.
Hercules is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hercules avoids the head kick by Barbosa.
Barbosa throws a big shot that misses.
A punch combination from Hercules misses.
Jab from Barbosa.
Barbosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hercules tries to avoid it but Barbosa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hercules to the ground. Hercules escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Hercules bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Hercules decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Hercules wants to clinch.
Hercules throws a nice looking combination but Barbosa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Hercules looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Barbosa is looking to control Hercules's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barbosa avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hercules slips a nice elbow through Barbosa's hands, connecting with Barbosa's forehead.

Hercules decides to return to a standing position.
Hercules cracks the inside of Barbosa's front leg.
Barbosa throws a leg kick that is checked

and Hercules counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barbosa wants to get back to his feet.
Hercules 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.
Hercules controlling the pace.
Hercules wants to free his trapped foot but Barbosa is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Barbosa is looking to control Hercules's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barbosa avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hercules looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Hercules prevents Barbosa from improving his position.
Hercules wants to free his trapped foot but Barbosa is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barbosa is trying to stand.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barbosa misses with a takedown attempt

and Hercules counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Hercules gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Hercules takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hercules jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice takedown defense from Hercules. No joy for Barbosa on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hercules misses with a head kick.
Barbosa wants to clinch up but Hercules keeps it at a distance.
Hercules is looking to clinch.
Barbosa misses with a body kick.

Hercules darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Barbosa is trying to stand.
Hercules perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Barbosa wants to control but Hercules passes into side.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barbosa wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dash Hercules dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Barbosa doesn't manage to clinch there - Hercules circles away.
Barbosa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hercules darts in trying to clinch

and Barbosa counters by clinching up.
Hercules looking for a takedown.
Hercules can't get the takedown.
Hercules is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Barbosa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Barbosa can't find room to land a body shot as Hercules controls the action.
Hercules fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hercules on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hercules can't break the clinch.
Hercules jumps guard but Barbosa stands there with Hercules around his waist. Hercules gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dash Hercules. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hercules missing with knees to the body.
Barbosa wants to break free but Hercules has control.
Hercules tries to break the clinch but Barbosa is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barbosa breaks from the clinch.

Hercules pushes Barbosa up against the cage in a clinch.

Barbosa breaks from the clinch.
Barbosa shoots and misses

and Hercules counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hercules scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Barbosa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ground and pound from Hercules.
Hercules is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hercules is taking a breather. Barbosa says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Barbosa is looking to control Hercules's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Barbosa avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa is trying to stand up here but Hercules is controlling him well.
Barbosa wants to get back to full guard but Hercules has mounted him!
Barbosa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hercules looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hercules has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barbosa can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa tries to hold on but Hercules pushes him away.
Barbosa tries to reverse the position but Hercules maintains control.
A nice elbow there by Hercules.
Barbosa is desperately trying to improve his position but Hercules has a good base and remains in mount.
Barbosa wants to hold on but Hercules pushes him away.
Barbosa is looking to improve his position but Hercules isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hercules cracks Barbosa with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Barbosa wants to control but Hercules is having none of it.
Hercules connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hercules landing shots from mount.
Hercules avoids the attempt from Barbosa to control.
Barbosa is desperately trying to improve his position but Hercules has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hercules controlling the position easily from mount.
Hercules looking to finish Barbosa with some ground and pound. This is bad for Barbosa!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dash Hercules dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Barbosa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hercules.
Hercules throws a sloppy head kick and Barbosa moves out of range easily.
Hercules misses with an attempted mid kick.
Hercules scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Barbosa closes the distance and pushes Hercules back into the cage.
Hercules is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Hercules gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Barbosa regains guard.
Barbosa is wriggling around but Hercules manages to pass to half guard.
Hercules content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Hercules takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa is trying to maintain the position but Hercules is very close to passing his half guard.
Hercules takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barbosa tries to get to full guard but Hercules has control of the leg.
Hercules working Barbosa over with strikes.
Hercules controlling the action here.
Barbosa trying to control but Hercules postures up.
Hercules perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

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.

Hercules stands up out of the half guard.
Hercules looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barbosa is fending him off so far but Hercules persists. Nope, Barbosa circles away and we're back to standing.
Hercules tries to clinch up.
Barbosa lands a jab-cross combination.
Hercules swats away the attempt to clinch by Barbosa.
Barbosa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hercules counters with a takedown into side control.
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Barbosa's face as Hercules controls the position.
Hercules gets to mount! Barbosa was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Barbosa is desperately trying to improve his position but Hercules has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Barbosa is in all sorts of trouble here.
A nice elbow there by Hercules.
Hercules content just to control the position here.
Barbosa squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Hercules looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hercules with good strikes from the mount here!
Dash Hercules overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barbosa working to try and regain half guard.
Hercules controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Barbosa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barbosa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Barbosa is trying to stand.
Barbosa working to try and regain half guard.
Barbosa wants to hold on but Hercules pushes him away.
Fabio Barbosa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dash Hercules is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hercules controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dash Hercules showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hercules, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dash Hercules!