PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Igor Barbosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joilton Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Barbosa might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Eye of the tiger. Nogueira has chosen TUF Brasil as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barbosa
vs
Nogueira

193 cm
26
201 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

184 cm
22
185 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Knockout power

Syndicate Nutrition
PWNAGE™

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Igor Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joilton Nogueira!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nogueira darts in and clinches Barbosa up against the cage.
Nogueira creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Barbosa avoids the elbow strike from Nogueira, against the cage.
Nogueira tries a knee to the head but Barbosa blocks it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Nogueira just misses with a elbow thrown towards Barbosa's brow.
Barbosa avoiding damage as Nogueira throws knees to the body.

Barbosa ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Barbosa no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Nogueira tries to stand but Barbosa is controlling from the bottom.
Barbosa has Nogueira pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Igor Barbosa has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Nogueira tries to close the distance and clinch but Barbosa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nogueira tries to clinch but Barbosa is having none of it.
Nogueira tries to clinch up

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Barbosa asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Barbosa is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Nogueira is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Igor Barbosa.
Barbosa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Nogueira gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Barbosa changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Nogueira fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Barbosa misses with a body shot.
Barbosa moves out of range of the body kick from Nogueira.
Barbosa swings for the body but Nogueira moves out of range.
Barbosa circles away from the clinch attempt

and Barbosa counters with a shoot takedown. Nogueira fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Barbosa dominated that round.
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.

Barbosa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nogueira as he jumps to the side.

Nogueira clinches with his opponent.
Barbosa tries for a takedown but Nogueira manages to get underhooks.
Barbosa can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Igor Barbosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Barbosa jumps guard.
Nogueira wanted to stand there but Barbosa had control of the position.
Barbosa is pulling down on Nogueira's head to control his posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nogueira wants to stand but Barbosa is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira won't allow Barbosa to sweep him here.
Barbosa trying to control the position here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Barbosa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nogueira as he avoids it easily.
Barbosa dives in and grabs Nogueira's left leg, looking for a takedown. Nogueira pushes down on Barbosa's head and hops out.
Nogueira tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Barbosa blocks a head kick by Nogueira.
Barbosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nogueira tries to avoid it but Barbosa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nogueira to the ground. Nogueira escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Joilton Nogueira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nogueira is looking to clinch.
Nogueira lets loose with a powerful body kick. Barbosa will feel that in the morning.
Nogueira tries to clinch up but Barbosa circles away and keeps his distance.
Nogueira tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barbosa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Nogueira has Barbosa up against the cage in a clinch.
Nogueira throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Barbosa goes for a takedown attempt but Nogueira pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nogueira tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Barbosa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nogueira's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nogueira can do anything to dispel that myth.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nogueira wants to stand up but Barbosa is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nogueira moves in looking to clinch but Barbosa pushes him off.
Barbosa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nogueira avoids it really well and circles away.
Nogueira scores with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira is looking to clinch.
Nogueira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nogueira tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nogueira tries to clinch there but Barbosa circles away.
Nogueira moves to clinch but Barbosa breaks away

and Barbosa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Barbosa.
Barbosa avoids a wild elbow strike from Nogueira.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barbosa is looking for a takedown.
Nogueira tries to land knees in the clinch but Barbosa avoids the damage to the body.
Barbosa is working for takedown but Nogueira is calmly controlling the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Joilton Nogueira will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Barbosa fails to land the takedown.
Barbosa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nogueira sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Barbosa somewhat.
Nogueira moves in looking to clinch but Barbosa pushes him off.
Nogueira tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barbosa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Barbosa on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nogueira. Nogueira obviously looking to wear him down.

Nogueira takes the fight into the clinch.
Barbosa avoids the elbow strike from Nogueira, against the cage.
Nogueira landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nogueira utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Nogueira gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Barbosa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nogueira after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Igor Barbosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nogueira lands an elbow inside that Barbosa shrugs off.
Barbosa takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Igor Barbosa has been cut.
Nogueira scores with a knee to the head.
Nogueira lands a good knee to the midsection. Barbosa won't want to take too many of those.
Nogueira creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Nogueira gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Barbosa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Barbosa gets control of Nogueira's arms and successfully pulls guard. Barbosa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nogueira wants to stand and escape but instead Barbosa has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Barbosa looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Barbosa stops Nogueira from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa passes Nogueira's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Barbosa seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Igor Barbosa wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Barbosa avoids the head kick by Nogueira.
Joilton Nogueira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barbosa circles away from the clinch attempt

and Barbosa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Barbosa.
Barbosa is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nogueira tries to clinch

and Barbosa counters with a single leg into guard. Nogueira didn't expect that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barbosa passes Nogueira's left leg - he's now in half guard.

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 Igor Barbosa.
I think Barbosa 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!