PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Mousaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Barden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mousaki comes to the cage accompanied by souljacker. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Mousaki
vs
Barden

182 cm
23
177 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

191 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique

White Gorilla Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kenji Mousaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eli Barden!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A decent looking cross lands there for Barden.
Barden leaves Mousaki with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Barden throws a jab but it's blocked by Mousaki.
Mousaki checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Eli Barden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice straight punches there by Barden. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Barden.
Barden ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mousaki moves away.
Barden misses with the combination.
Mousaki tries to bum rush Barden with a series of wild strikes but Barden uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice uppercut there from Barden.
Some wild striking there from Mousaki.
Mousaki moves forwards but Barden connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Barden misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barden just misses with a punch to the body.

Mousaki shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Barden napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Mousaki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Barden, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden holding on.
Barden is looking for a sweep.
Barden taking a bit of punishment here - Mousaki scoring with strikes.
Mousaki 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.
You can see the frustration on Barden's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mousaki lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Barden down.
Barden parries the strikes from Mousaki easily there. Mousaki is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Barden to escape.
Barden tries to improve position but can't.

Mousaki tries for a kimura but Barden is defending well.
Barden is looking to regain half guard here but Mousaki keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barden can't do much from the bottom here.
Mousaki in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Barden is looking for a sweep.
Barden holds on to Mousaki's head and controls the position momentarily.
Mousaki working the head with strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Mousaki.
Barden gets back to half guard.
Mousaki not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Mousaki is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Barden sees it coming and defends easily.
Mousaki trying to pass the guard but Barden defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousaki not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barden slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mousaki looking to pass the guard.
Barden pulls Mousaki in close to prevent any damage.
Mousaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Barden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mousaki is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Barden looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Mousaki has picked Barden up and slammed him! Barden can't keep hold of the triangle and Mousaki manages to pass to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Barden is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Mousaki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Barden, who protects the arm well.
Mousaki looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Barden is avoiding damage well.
Barden wants to control but Mousaki postures up.
Barden avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mousaki.
Mousaki wants to control but Barden is keeping him busy.
Mousaki throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Mousaki dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mousaki dodges the punch combination from Barden.

Mousaki fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Barden sprawls well initially but Mousaki persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mousaki thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barden's head.
Barden pushes Mousaki off looking to stand but Mousaki dives back in and keeps control.
Barden wants to control but Mousaki is keeping busy.
Mousaki is trying to control the action in half guard but Barden is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Barden is trying to get back to full guard.
Barden gets full guard.
Barden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Barden lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Mousaki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barden is fending him off so far but Mousaki persists. Nope, Barden circles away and we're back to standing.
Mousaki shoots for a takedown but Barden saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden slips a jab and a cross from Mousaki.
Mousaki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Barden sprawls well. Barden wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mousaki gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Mousaki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mousaki fails with the takedown.
No luck for Mousaki with that takedown attempt.
Barden bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Mousaki's head backwards.
Barden scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mousaki dives in and grabs Barden's left leg, looking for a takedown. Barden pushes down on Mousaki's head and hops out.
Mousaki tries to move into range but Barden moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Mousaki takes one to the chin there.
Mousaki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barden is fending him off so far but Mousaki persists. Nope, Barden circles away and we're back to standing.

Mousaki scores with a takedown into Barden's guard.
Mousaki working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barden wants to sweep here but Mousaki controlling him for the moment.
Barden is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Barden controls Mousaki momentarily but Mousaki frees himself.
Barden is pulling down on Mousaki's head. It's preventing any offense from Mousaki, at least for the moment.
Mousaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Barden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barden is pulling down on Mousaki's head. It's preventing any offense from Mousaki, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousaki won't allow Barden to get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mousaki shoots in looking for a takedown. Barden tries to sprawl out of it but Mousaki keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barden manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Eli Barden is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barden digs a good body shot into Mousaki's ribs.
Barden looks to score with a jab to the body but Mousaki is just out of range.
Mousaki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barden's waist but Barden gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mousaki off to one side.
Barden has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Barden gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Barden fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Mousaki avoids the body shot from Barden.
Barden takes a swing at Mousaki's ribcage but misses.
Mousaki closes the distance and clinches up with Barden, looking for a takedown. Mousaki pushes Barden against the cage but Barden circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Barden jabs at Mousaki's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mousaki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Barden sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mousaki somewhat.
Mousaki shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Barden ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Mousaki shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Barden's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barden is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Barden wants to sweep here but Mousaki controlling him for the moment.
Barden preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mousaki's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Mousaki being controlled here momentarily.
Mousaki postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eli Barden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mousaki on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Barden dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
No joy there for Mousaki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barden misses with a double jab.
Barden jabs at Mousaki's body.

Mousaki darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mousaki wants to control but Barden is keeping him busy.
Mousaki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Barden wants to improve his position but Mousaki is controlling well.
Mousaki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Mousaki is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Barden tries to roll over but Mousaki keeps him under control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden wants to get back to his feet.
Barden is trying to control but Mousaki passes into side control!

Mousaki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Barden knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mousaki displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barden throws out the jab.
Barden throws a jab but it's blocked by Mousaki.
Mousaki throws a wild body kick that Barden sees coming a mile off.
Barden is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mousaki rather than just go for the knockout.
Horrible takedown by Mousaki or perhaps it was just good defense by Barden which made him look bad.

That's two 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.
A left and a right from Mousaki both land. Nice combination.
Barden leaves Mousaki with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mousaki fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Mousaki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barden ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Barden scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Barden lands a right hook to the body.
Mousaki fails with a takedown attempt.
Mousaki takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Barden uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Mousaki has time to react.
Barden thows a body shot but no joy.
Mousaki fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barden lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barden takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Barden throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Mousaki shoots for a takedown but Barden saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mousaki shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barden lands a jab.
Mousaki moves out of range of the leg kick from Barden.
Mousaki moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mousaki on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Mousaki shoots for a double leg takedown but Barden sprawls well. He's pushed Mousaki's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Barden.
Nice uppercut lands for Barden. That snapped Mousaki's head back.
Mousaki takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barden scores with a nice strike.
Barden moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barden scores with a jab to the body.
Mousaki takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mousaki looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Mousaki throws a sloppy body shot
and Barden counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Barden jabs at Mousaki's body.
Barden lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Barden closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Barden connects with a nice looking jab.
Mousaki takes one to the side of the head.
A shot to the liver by Barden. Beautiful body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barden will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barden with a nice cross.
Mousaki misses with a takedown
and Barden cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eli Barden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Barden has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eli Barden!