PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Simen Hestneas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Acckiy Barcuha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hestneas kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Van Canto - Rebellion. Simen Hestneas has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hestneas
vs
Barcuha

180 cm
26
154 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
150 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Simen Hestneas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Acckiy Barcuha!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Dmitry Maklakov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barcuha shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hestneas defends it nicely.
Hestneas plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch but Barcuha swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barcuha will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Barcuha gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Barcuha is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hestneas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Simen Hestneas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Acckiy Barcuha.
Barcuha has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hestneas is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Hestneas prevents the takedown attempt.
Barcuha managing to block the knees to the body from Hestneas.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hestneas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barcuha's defenses.
Hestneas lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Barcuha has Hestneas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hestneas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Barcuha drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barcuha looks gassed!
Hestneas lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hestneas lands a nice elbow.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the forehead.
Barcuha goes for a takedown attempt but Hestneas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Simen Hestneas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hestneas is looking to clinch but Barcuha is avoiding it.
Hestneas moves in looking to clinch but Barcuha pushes him off.
Barcuha fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hestneas takes the fight into the clinch.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside that Barcuha shrugs off.
Hestneas tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Barcuha avoids it.
Hestneas tries to stall but Barcuha uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside that Barcuha shrugs off.
Hestneas lands a nice elbow.
Hestneas is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Barcuha is keeping busy.
Hestneas tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Hestneas tries a knee to the head but Barcuha blocks it.
Barcuha avoiding damage as Hestneas throws knees to the body.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Barcuha avoiding damage as Hestneas throws knees to the body.
Hestneas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barcuha's defenses.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside that Barcuha shrugs off.
Barcuha can't break the clinch.
Barcuha managing to block the knees to the body from Hestneas.
Hestneas lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hestneas is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Barcuha looking for a takedown.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Hestneas tries to stall but Barcuha uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the temple.
Hestneas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hestneas misses with a knee to the head.
Hestneas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hestneas wants to stall.
Barcuha goes for a takedown attempt but Hestneas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Barcuha keeps the fight on the outside.
Barcuha shoots in but no luck this time.
Hestneas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hestneas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hestneas connects with a leg kick. Barcuha looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Hestneas wants to clinch.
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch but Barcuha swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barcuha keeps the fight on the outside.
Hestneas fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Hestneas tries to clinch but Barcuha moves out of range.
Hestneas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hestneas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barcuha manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Barcuha chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hestneas can pounce on him.
Hestneas connects with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hestneas wants to clinch up but Barcuha keeps it at a distance.
Simen Hestneas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hestneas is looking to clinch but Barcuha is avoiding it.
Hestneas tries to clinch up but Barcuha circles away and keeps his distance.
Hestneas tries to clinch but Barcuha is having none of it.
Hestneas throws a head kick that half lands.
Hestneas tries to clinch up.
Hestneas throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hestneas is looking to clinch but Barcuha is avoiding it.
Hestneas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hestneas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hestneas tries to clinch but Barcuha moves out of range.
Hestneas tries to clinch but Barcuha moves out of range.
Hestneas lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barcuha avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A head kick from Hestneas lands but Barcuha takes it in his stride.
Hestneas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hestneas dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barcuha. That did some damage!
Barcuha takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barcuha keeps the fight on the outside.
Barcuha 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.
Hestneas throws a quick inside leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hestneas moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Hestneas connects with a high kick.
Barcuha takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Good leg kick by Hestneas there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hestneas thumps Barcuha with a low kick.

Hestneas takes the fight into the clinch.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Hestneas gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Barcuha can't get the takedown.
Hestneas lands an elbow that stopped Barcuha in his tracks for a moment.
Nice elbow from Hestneas.
Hestneas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the temple.
Barcuha's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Hestneas looking to stall.
Hestneas tries to land knees in the clinch but Barcuha avoids the damage to the body.
Barcuha drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hestneas gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hestneas lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simen Hestneas dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hestneas connects with an inside leg kick.
Hestneas lands a nice leg kick that just misses Barcuha's sensitive parts.
Hestneas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Hestneas instigates a clinch.
Barcuha drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hestneas pulls his leg out and moves away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hestneas.
Hestneas scoring well with a low kick there.
Simen Hestneas is winning the standup battle so far.
Barcuha stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Hestneas.
Acckiy Barcuha is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barcuha swats away the attempt to clinch by Hestneas.
Hestneas tries to clinch there but Barcuha circles away.
Hestneas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barcuha manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hestneas is looking to clinch but Barcuha is avoiding it.
Barcuha is breathing heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hestneas looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hestneas throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hestneas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Barcuha stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Hestneas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hestneas fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hestneas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hestneas tries to clinch up but Barcuha circles away and keeps his distance.
Barcuha takes a kick to the side of the head.
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch but Barcuha swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hestneas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barcuha manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barcuha swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barcuha chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hestneas can pounce on him.
Barcuha tries for a takedown but Hestneas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barcuha circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hestneas is looking to clinch but Barcuha is avoiding it.
Hestneas scoring well with a low kick there.
Barcuha is trying desperately to land a takedown but Hestneas is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Barcuha.
Hestneas wants to clinch.
Barcuha takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hestneas scores with a head kick. Barcuha tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hestneas chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hestneas is looking to clinch.
Hestneas thumps Barcuha with a low kick.
Hestneas tries to clinch but Barcuha moves out of range.
Hestneas tries to clinch up but Barcuha circles away and keeps his distance.
Hestneas is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barcuha can do to turn this around?
Hestneas throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hestneas connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hestneas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hestneas tries to clinch but Barcuha is having none of it.

Hestneas drives through and clinches with Barcuha against the cage.
Hestneas stalling in the clinch but Barcuha improves position.
Hestneas tries to land a knee to the head but Barcuha blocks with his arms.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hestneas prevents the takedown attempt.
Simen Hestneas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Acckiy Barcuha.
Hestneas is looking to control Barcuha's arms but Barcuha gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hestneas has his back to the cage.
Hestneas gets underhooks to prevent Barcuha's takedown attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barcuha has Hestneas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hestneas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside that Barcuha shrugs off.
Hestneas lands an elbow just above Barcuha 's eye.
Nice elbow from Hestneas.
Nice elbow from Hestneas.
Hestneas misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Barcuha.
Barcuha is trying to push Hestneas away but Hestneas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hestneas lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hestneas lands an elbow inside.
Hestneas misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Barcuha.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the forehead.
Barcuha drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hestneas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Barcuha takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Hestneas buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hestneas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hestneas tries to clinch up

and Barcuha counters with a single leg into guard. Hestneas didn't expect that.
Hestneas wants to stand but Barcuha is controlling the position.
Barcuha postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barcuha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Barcuha is working Hestneas over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Hestneas has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Barcuha off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch but Barcuha swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barcuha shoots in but no luck this time.
Hestneas connects with a leg kick. Barcuha looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Hestneas is looking to clinch but Barcuha is avoiding it.
Hestneas displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Barcuha.
Hestneas fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Barcuha has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Hestneas wants to clinch.

Hestneas has managed to clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hestneas throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barcuha blocks it with crossed arms.
Barcuha dodges an elbow strike from Hestneas.
Barcuha is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hestneas gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Hestneas tries to land knees in the clinch but Barcuha avoids the damage to the body.
Hestneas gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simen Hestneas dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Barcuha shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barcuha stands up over Hestneas, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hestneas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Barcuha is controlling him.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Barcuha's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Barcuha stops Hestneas from standing up.
Barcuha keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hestneas's head.
Barcuha won't allow Hestneas to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barcuha stays in close to Hestneas's body and controls the position.
Barcuha wants to control from the top but Hestneas keeps moving.
Barcuha makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hestneas wants to get back to his feet but Barcuha is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Barcuha with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hestneas wants to stand but Barcuha is controlling the position.
Barcuha works over Hestneas with some ground and pound from guard.
Barcuha is in close to Hestneas's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hestneas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hestneas wants to stand but Barcuha is controlling the position.
Barcuha postures up and lands a big shot to Hestneas's brow.
Barcuha prevents Hestneas from getting back to his feet.
Barcuha with a nice head shot there.
Barcuha distracts Hestneas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Barcuha stops Hestneas from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Barcuha postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Barcuha stands up from Hestneas's guard - Barcuha perhaps looking for a knockout.
Barcuha fails to land the takedown.
Barcuha avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barcuha 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.

Hestneas rushes Barcuha and presses him up against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hestneas.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hestneas.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the forehead.
Barcuha is trying to drag Hestneas to the mat but Hestneas just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hestneas throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barcuha blocks it with crossed arms.
Hestneas tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hestneas prevents the takedown attempt.
Simen Hestneas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Acckiy Barcuha.
Hestneas gets underhooks to prevent Barcuha's takedown attempt.
Hestneas prevents the takedown attempt.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barcuha takes an elbow to the temple.
Hestneas is trying to stall.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hestneas.
Hestneas gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hestneas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Barcuha has Hestneas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hestneas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hestneas gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Barcuha.
Hestneas lands an elbow that stopped Barcuha in his tracks for a moment.
Barcuha drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hestneas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hestneas moves in looking to clinch but Barcuha pushes him off.
Hestneas dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barcuha. That did some damage!
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barcuha swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barcuha swats away the attempt to clinch by Hestneas.
Hestneas moves in looking to clinch but Barcuha pushes him off.
Hestneas turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Hestneas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barcuha manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Barcuha dives in and grabs Hestneas's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hestneas pushes down on Barcuha's head and hops out.
Hestneas doesn't manage to clinch there - Barcuha circles away.
Hestneas fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Barcuha avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hestneas tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barcuha paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Hestneas gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nice elbow from Hestneas.
Hestneas lands an elbow that stopped Barcuha in his tracks for a moment.
Barcuha has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hestneas is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hestneas lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Barcuha takes a knee to the side of the body.
Hestneas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Barcuha working hard to break the clinch.
Hestneas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barcuha's defenses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hestneas.
Hestneas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barcuha's defenses.
Hestneas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barcuha's defenses.
Acckiy Barcuha has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hestneas gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hestneas lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hestneas tries to land a knee to the head but Barcuha blocks with his arms.
Barcuha is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hestneas gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Hestneas lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Simen Hestneas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hestneas with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Barcuha has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Hestneas regains guard immediately.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Acckiy Barcuha.
I think Hestneas has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simen Hestneas!