PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lucas Barbosa (ranked 431 p4p, 529 weight class) and Kodiyak Redd (ranked 22 p4p, 31 weight class). Kodiyak Redd acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Barbosa
vs
Redd

178 cm
34
205
22 - 7 - 0

165 cm
30
141
15 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Fast

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

NARCOS

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lucas Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kodiyak Redd!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barbosa closes the distance and clinches.

Redd has clasped his hands together around Barbosa's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Barbosa can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barbosa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Barbosa's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Redd trying to control the position but Barbosa is working away.
Barbosa is being controlled here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Redd sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Barbosa is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Redd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barbosa keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Redd lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa tries to improve position but can't.
Redd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barbosa keeps working.
Redd cracks Barbosa with a big elbow.
Barbosa is looking for a sweep.
Redd cracks Barbosa with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Barbosa is looking for a sweep.
Barbosa is working hard here to advance position.
Redd throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Redd slows the pace down.
It looks like Redd might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Redd tries to move to mount but Barbosa blocks the move with his legs.
Redd tries to score with some ground and pound. Barbosa controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Redd is looking to take a break and control but Barbosa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Redd scores with a couple of short elbows.
Redd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barbosa keeps working.
Barbosa is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Redd wants to control but Barbosa is keeping him busy.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Barbosa wants to control but Redd postures up.
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Redd landing a few strikes.
Redd has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Redd prevents Barbosa from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Redd connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Barbosa manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Barbosa is in trouble now - Redd has advanced to mount!
Redd tries to control but Barbosa wriggling away.
Barbosa taking shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Redd is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Barbosa can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Barbosa sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kodiyak Redd dominated that round.
That's time! Barbosa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Redd is looking to chop away at Barbosa's legs.
Barbosa attempts a counter takedown but Redd avoids it well and moves away.
Redd connects with a jab.
Barbosa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Redd let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Lucas Barbosa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Redd comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Redd thows a leg kick but Barbosa checks it

and Barbosa counters with a single leg into guard. Redd didn't expect that.
Barbosa tries to free his leg and advance position but Redd is retaining full guard.

Barbosa drops back, looking for a kneebar! Redd looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Redd looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Redd!

Redd has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Redd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barbosa keeps working.
Barbosa is trying to control Redd's posture but Redd avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Redd works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Redd trying to control the position but Barbosa is working away.
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Barbosa can't do much from the bottom here.
Redd working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Redd is looking to take a break and control but Barbosa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barbosa prevents Redd from improving position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Redd is looking to take a break and control but Barbosa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Redd tries to move into full mount but can't pass Barbosa's legs.
Redd looks up at the clock and then as Barbosa takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Redd smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Redd trying to control the action but Barbosa is working from the bottom.
Redd advances to full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa is looking to improve his position but Redd isn't that keen on the idea.
Redd trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Barbosa is desperately trying to improve his position but Redd has a good base and remains in mount.
Barbosa gets back to half guard.
Redd is pressing down on Barbosa's thigh, looking to free his foot. Barbosa is holding on for now.
Barbosa is trying to get back to full guard.
Redd seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Redd wants to control but Barbosa is keeping him busy.
Barbosa gets back to full guard.

Barbosa looking for a guillotine here but Redd defends easily.
Barbosa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kodiyak Redd showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A low kick from Redd misses

and Barbosa counters with a shoot takedown. Redd fights it but they end up in guard.
Barbosa advances position into side control!

Barbosa tries for a kimura but Redd is defending well.

Barbosa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Redd tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barbosa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa trying to control the action but Redd is working from the bottom.
Barbosa working away.
Barbosa trying to control the position but Redd is working away.

Barbosa tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Barbosa has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kodiyak Redd is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

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.
Redd is trying to control Barbosa's posture but Barbosa avoids it.
Barbosa happy to just control the position for now.
Redd struggling a bit here.
Redd tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Barbosa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Redd struggling a bit here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kodiyak Redd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Redd displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barbosa throws out the jab.

Redd closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barbosa has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Redd has clasped his hands together around Barbosa's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Barbosa gets back to half guard.
Redd wants to free his trapped foot but Barbosa is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Barbosa tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Redd has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Redd can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Barbosa is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Redd controlling the pace for now.
Redd wants to control the pace but Barbosa is squirming around nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barbosa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lucas Barbosa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barbosa is trying to stand up.

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 Lucas Barbosa.
Well Redd has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kodiyak Redd!
After winning the bout, Kodiyak Redd thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.