PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alex Barnes (ranked 1730 p4p, 1774 weight class) and Tiaoali Lvavatai (ranked 95 p4p, 102 weight class). Lvavatai has chosen You Can Get It If You Really Want as his entrance music. Alex Barnes is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Barnes
vs
Lvavatai

170 cm
26
145
9 - 9 - 0

171 cm
27
144
10 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tiaoali Lvavatai !
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lvavatai feints and then cracks Barnes's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Barnes down.
Lvavatai connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Barnes tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tiaoali Lvavatai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lvavatai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A swing and a miss from Lvavatai .
Lvavatai tried to score with a low kick but Barnes checks it.
Lvavatai ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Lvavatai .
Barnes moves out of range as Lvavatai strikes.
A combination from Lvavatai does no damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lvavatai slips under a jab.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Lvavatai has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Lvavatai looks to land a left hand but Barnes moved out of range nicely.
Barnes on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Barnes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lvavatai misses with an uppercut.
Barnes drops down looking for a counter takedown but Lvavatai sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lvavatai tries to bum rush Barnes with a series of wild strikes but Barnes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barnes attempts a counter takedown but Lvavatai avoids it well and moves away.
Barnes staying out of range there.
Barnes tried to counter with a leg kick but Lvavatai avoided it.
Lvavatai misses with a series of wild punches.
Barnes feinted with a counter takedown.

Barnes takes the fight into the clinch.

Lvavatai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barnes staying out of range there.
Barnes feinted with a counter takedown.
A big right from Lvavatai misses.
Barnes changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Lvavatai throws a good cross that connects.
Lvavatai connects with a looping right hand.
Lvavatai scores with a sloppy right hand. Barnes should have avoided that one.
Tiaoali Lvavatai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Lvavatai . Those never looked like landing.
Lvavatai misses with an uppercut. Barnes saw that one coming.
Barnes drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barnes lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Barnes.
Barnes misses with a looping left.
Lvavatai misses with the combination.
Lvavatai throws a hook to the side of Barnes's head but Barnes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lvavatai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lvavatai looks to land a right hand but Barnes moved out of range.
Barnes throws a looping overhand right but Lvavatai ducks down to avoid it.
Lvavatai thows a left - swing and a miss!
Barnes throws a body punch but Lvavatai moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lvavatai scores with a nice head shot.
Barnes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lvavatai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Barnes stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lvavatai .

Lvavatai gets caught flat footed, as Barnes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Barnes is in close to Lvavatai 's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Barnes throwing strikes but missing.

Lvavatai is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Barnes defends well.
Barnes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lvavatai trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Barnes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Barnes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lvavatai has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Barnes has managed to get both his arms back between Lvavatai 's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes cracks Lvavatai with a solid left hand.
Barnes is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lvavatai working a defensive guard here.
Barnes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lvavatai throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Barnes 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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lvavatai is on top in guard.

Barnes wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Barnes has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lvavatai can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Barnes wants to hit a sweep here but Lvavatai passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Barnes there!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lvavatai looking to finish with strikes here!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tiaoali Lvavatai dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A swing and a miss from Lvavatai .
Jab, jab by Lvavatai - just one landing.
Lvavatai checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Barnes shoots for a double leg takedown but Lvavatai sprawls well. He's pushed Barnes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lvavatai appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Alex Barnes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barnes defending well as Lvavatai loads up on a big left hand.
Lvavatai lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Barnes circles away quickly and effectively.
Lvavatai slips a jab from Barnes.
Barnes swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Lvavatai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lvavatai loads up on a big right hand but Barnes slips the punch.
Lvavatai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Lvavatai .
A solid leg kick lands there for Barnes.
Lvavatai misses the jab.
Barnes walks into a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Barnes darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
The fighters circling - Lvavatai throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lvavatai throws a hook to the side of Barnes's head but Barnes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lvavatai avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lvavatai lands the left hand.
Barnes scoring well with a low kick there.
Some bone on bone action there as Lvavatai checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Barnes takes one on the button.
Barnes with a jab.
Barnes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lvavatai throws out the jab.
Lvavatai throws a looping overhand right but Barnes ducks down to avoid it.
Barnes is looking for a counter combo.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lvavatai .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Lvavatai does no damage.
Nice uppercut there from Lvavatai .
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lvavatai shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Barnes eats them both and turns towards Lvavatai to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Barnes is rocked!
Barnes ducks right into an uppercut from Lvavatai .
Oh Barnes is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Lvavatai fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Barnes to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Barnes looks to clinch but Lvavatai throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Barnes taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Tiaoali Lvavatai !
A victorious Tiaoali Lvavatai thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.