PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Barry Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erik Francisco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Henderson
vs
Francisco

195 cm
22
277 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
275 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Win Nutritional
Win Nutritional

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Barry Henderson!
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, Erik Francisco!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Alexandre Firmino and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Henderson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Henderson showed some decent athleticism there.
Francisco is looking to improve his position.
Francisco has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Henderson is working away from the top position though.
Henderson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Henderson wants to control the pace but Francisco is squirming around nicely.
Henderson controlling from mount.
Francisco throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Henderson gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Henderson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Erik Francisco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francisco misses with a wild combination.
Francisco keeps the fight on the outside.
Francisco swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Henderson gets a clinch.
Henderson has Francisco pressed against the ropes, preventing Francisco from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Henderson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Francisco misses with the head strike.
Francisco blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Henderson landing knees to the body.
Henderson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Henderson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Henderson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Francisco prevents it.

Henderson jumps into guard, dragging Francisco to the mat.
Francisco throwing strikes from guard but Henderson blocks nicely.
Henderson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Henderson tries to get out of the position.
Francisco working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Henderson trying to control the position.
Henderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Francisco has eaten all the pies!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francisco throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Francisco really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Henderson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Henderson throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Francisco because Henderson loaded up on that one.
Francisco really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Francisco gets back to half guard.

Francisco is defending against the submission attempts here by Henderson.
Henderson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Francisco tries to kick Henderson off but Henderson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Francisco tries to kick Henderson off in order to stand up. Henderson Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Henderson decides to stand back up.
Francisco swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Henderson takes the fight into the clinch.
Francisco has had enough of the clinch but Henderson keeps him there for the moment.
Henderson looking to throw knees to the head but Francisco is blocking nicely.
Francisco takes a knee right on the jaw!
Henderson works on Francisco's body with a couple of short punches.
Henderson tries to stall but Francisco uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Henderson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Francisco tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Henderson smiles and moves away.
Francisco swinging wilding here.
Henderson tries to clinch up.
Francisco shoots in for a double leg but Henderson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Barry Henderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erik Francisco.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Henderson. No joy for Francisco on that attempt.
Henderson is looking to clinch but Francisco is avoiding it.
Francisco misses with a wild body shot.
Francisco throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Henderson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Henderson lands a nice knee to the body.
Francisco looks gassed!
Henderson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Henderson landing knees to the head.
Henderson working Francisco over with knees to the body.
Francisco takes a knee right on the jaw!
Henderson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Henderson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Henderson landing knees to the head.
Henderson crunches a lovely knee into Francisco's ribcage.
Henderson connects with a knee to the head.
Henderson scores with a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Henderson obliges.

Henderson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Francisco clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Henderson looking for the choke but no joy.

Henderson patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Henderson slips a jab and a cross from Francisco.

Henderson has closed the distance and engaged Francisco in a clinch.
Francisco tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Henderson smiles and moves away.
Henderson leaves Francisco with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Henderson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Henderson crunches a lovely knee into Francisco's ribcage.
Francisco wants to break free but Henderson has control.
Henderson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Erik Francisco has been cut.
A bit of stalling here from Henderson.
Henderson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Francisco is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Francisco being controlled against the ropes.
Francisco takes a knee right on the jaw!
Henderson stalling in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Henderson.
Francisco prevents the takedown attempt.

Francisco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Francisco fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Henderson manages to avoid it.
Francisco connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Francisco pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francisco misses with a takedown attempt - Henderson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barry Henderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erik Francisco.
Henderson tries to clinch up.
Francisco looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Henderson feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Francisco's calf.
The fighters circling - Francisco throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Henderson is looking to clinch.
Henderson tries to clinch there but Francisco circles away.
Henderson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Francisco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Henderson shoots in for a takedown but Francisco shows good takedown defense.
Francisco closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henderson circles away.
Francisco smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Francisco misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Henderson defending well as Francisco loads up on a big left hand.
A big left from Francisco misses.
Francisco has his takedown stuffed

and Henderson counters by clinching up.
Francisco tries to pull guard but Henderson holds him up against the ropes and eventually Francisco drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Henderson.
Henderson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Henderson scores with a nice hook to the head.

Henderson breaks the clinch.

Henderson rushes Francisco and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Henderson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Henderson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Henderson lands with a left to the head.
Henderson with a knee to the head.
Henderson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Francisco's face.

Henderson gets control of Francisco's arms and successfully pulls guard. Henderson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Henderson pulls Francisco in close to prevent any damage.
Henderson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Henderson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Francisco is looking to stand up but Henderson won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henderson manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Francisco shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Henderson pinned against the cage. Henderson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Henderson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Francisco will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Francisco avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Henderson tries to clinch but Francisco is having none of it.
Francisco misses with a looping left.
Barry Henderson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No joy there for Francisco, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jab, jab by Francisco - just one landing.
Henderson moves out of range as Francisco strikes.
Henderson walks into a jab.
Henderson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Henderson tries to close the distance and clinch but Francisco swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francisco fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Henderson tries to clinch there but Francisco circles away.
Henderson ducks under a wild hook from Francisco.
Francisco with a hook.
Henderson slips a jab from Francisco.
Henderson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Francisco.
Francisco shoots in for a takedown but Henderson shows good takedown defense.
Henderson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Francisco can do to turn this around?
Henderson doesn't manage to clinch there - Francisco circles away.
Francisco looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henderson is fending him off so far but Francisco persists. Nope, Henderson circles away and we're back to standing.
Francisco swats away the attempt to clinch by Henderson.
Francisco keeps the fight on the outside.
Henderson fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Henderson instigates a clinch.
Henderson lands a knee to the head.
Henderson connects with a knee to the head.
Francisco drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Henderson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Francisco lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Barry Henderson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Erik Francisco's cut.
That's time! Henderson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Henderson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Francisco, pushing him back against the ropes.
Henderson lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Francisco is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Henderson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Henderson misses with an elbow over the top.
Francisco is looking to break free of the clinch but Henderson has double underhooks.
Francisco tries to break the clinch but Henderson is controlling the position.
Henderson lands a knee to the head.
Henderson landing knees to the head.

Francisco is rocked!
Henderson lands a big knee! That's hurt Francisco! Oh, he's all over the place! Henderson lands another knee that sends Francisco to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Barry Henderson!