PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Renan Barao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Temirlan Munara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Renan Barao has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Barao
vs
Munara

188 cm
25
190 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
176 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Renan Barao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Temirlan Munara!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barao lands with a cross.
A nice leg kick lands there from Barao.
Munara takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Barao throws a head kick that misses.
Barao lands with a kick to the temple. Munara shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Barao closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barao tries to land a knee to the head but Munara blocks with his arms.
Munara is looking for a takedown.

Munara has picked Barao up - he's going for a ride! Munara dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Munara frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barao is squirming around, avoiding Munara's attempts to control the action.
Munara prevents Barao from getting the reversal.
Barao is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Munara lands a big elbow.
Munara looks gassed!
Barao bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barao trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Munara is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Barao is aware though and is defending well.
Munara keeping moving, preventing Barao from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Munara pushes Barao off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Barao lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Barao. Those never looked like landing.
Barao lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Barao lands a front kick.
Barao lets loose with a powerful body kick. Munara will feel that in the morning.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Munara is looking to clinch.
Barao keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Barao scores with a head kick.
Barao scores with a kick to the body.
Barao tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A left lands for Barao.
Munara on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Barao. Barao obviously looking to wear him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Munara crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Barao - the referee stops the clock and Munara gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Barao. Munara manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Nice body kick there by Barao.
Barao throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Barao.

Barao gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Barao creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Barao's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Good leg kick by Barao there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Munara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barao manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Barao misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Munara has closed the distance and engaged Barao in a clinch.
Barao trying to land knees to the body.

Munara has Barao pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Munara pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Barao tumbling to the mat - Munara dives into Barao's guard.

Barao is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Munara gets to his feet - Barao follows without any prompting.
Barao thows a body shot but no joy.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Munara misses with the combination.
Barao tries to close the distance and clinch up but Munara swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renan Barao dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Barao bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Munara tries to clinch there but Barao circles away.
Barao misses with a head kick.
Munara moves in looking to clinch but Barao pushes him off.
Barao scores with a head kick.
Barao throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Munara's head.
Barao moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Renan Barao is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Munara is looking to clinch.
Munara has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Barao.
Munara is breathing heavily.
Munara shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Barao as he avoids it easily.
Barao throws a nice head kick!
Barao plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Munara stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Barao.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barao throws the left hand but Munara avoids the punch easily.
Munara throws a half hearted mid kick.
Barao fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Barao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Munara tries to clinch up.
Barao scores with a head kick. Munara tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Munara tries to clinch there but Barao circles away.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Munara checks a leg kick.
Renan Barao is winning the standup battle so far.
Barao finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Munara wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Munara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barao swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barao wants to slow Munara down by chopping away at his legs.

Munara clinches with his opponent.
Munara gets through Barao's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Barao has a couple of punches blocked by Munara.
Barao wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Barao is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Munara is defending well for now.
Barao working aggressively here.
Barao with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Munara is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Munara pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Barao tries to keep at a distance but Munara has taken the fight into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Barao's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Barao is fighting off a takedown attempt but Munara is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Barao to the mat. Barao regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Barao is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Munara stands and steps away. Barao gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Munara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barao paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barao tries to close the distance and clinch but Munara swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Munara takes a kick to the side of the head.

Munara moves into the clinch.

Munara successfully pulls guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barao forces his way into half guard.
Barao is trying to control the action in half guard but Munara is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Barao tries to pass to full mount but Munara defends it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Munara looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Renan Barao will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A decent looking body kick lands there for Barao.
Barao lands with a nice body kick.
Barao fails with an attempt to clinch.

Barao moves into range and clinches up with Munara.
Munara drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barao tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Munara avoids it.
Munara takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barao has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Munara changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Barao fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A jab from Barao finds it's way through Munara's defenses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Munara is looking to clinch.
Barao lands a head kick. Munara smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Barao goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Barao displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Munara.
Renan Barao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Temirlan Munara.
Barao pushes Munara away with a front kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Barao.
Barao lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barao thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Munara if he has to take too many more of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barao feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Munara's calf.
Barao lands with a slapping head kick.
Barao lands an overhand right.
The fighters circle momentarily. Barao darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Barao.
Barao scores with a leg kick.
Barao turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Barao throws a head kick that half lands.
Munara drops his hands momentarily and Barao takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Munara stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Barao.
Barao is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Munara doesn't manage to clinch there - Barao circles away.
Renan Barao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barao throws a nice inside leg kick.
Barao connects with an inside leg kick.
Munara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barao scores with a push kick.
Munara has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Barao.
Munara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barao paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barao connects with a high kick.
Barao delivers a nice body kick.
Barao lands with a kick to the temple. Munara shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Munara fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barao missing with a left hand there. Munara was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Barao scores with a head kick.
Munara shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barao as he jumps to the side.
Nice uppercut there from Barao.
Barao thumps Munara with a low kick.
Renan Barao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Munara dives in and grabs Barao's left leg, looking for a takedown. Barao pushes down on Munara's head and hops out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Barao gets caught flat footed, as Munara shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Temirlan Munara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Renan Barao showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Barao, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Renan Barao!