PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hector Barbosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacek Kowalski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Barbosa
vs
Kowalski

165 cm
23
144 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

174 cm
23
145 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Good knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Perkele!
Hardcore Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hector Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jacek Kowalski!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kowalski is out of range and Barbosa settles back down.
Kowalski avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kowalski misses with a hook.
Kowalski takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Barbosa scores with a leg kick.
Barbosa throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kowalski on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Barbosa. Barbosa obviously looking to wear him down.
Barbosa throws a leg kick but Kowalski sees it coming and moves out of range.
Barbosa tries to clinch up but Kowalski circles away and keeps his distance.

Barbosa scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kowalski dodges the ground and pound from Barbosa.
Barbosa wants to control but Kowalski is keeping him busy.
Barbosa scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kowalski keeps working.
Barbosa throwing strikes but Kowalski manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The ground and pound from Kowalski seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Barbosa is looking for a sweep.
Barbosa regains half guard, as Kowalski was trying to land strikes.

Kowalski is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Barbosa has managed to free his arm - good work.

Barbosa looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kowalski.
Kowalski sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barbosa defending well though.

Kowalski wants to work for an arm triangle but Barbosa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Barbosa trying to control but Kowalski postures up.
Barbosa wants to improve his position but Kowalski is controlling well.
Kowalski lands strikes from half guard.

Barbosa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Barbosa is looking for a sweep. Kowalski is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Kowalski thows a huge punch but Barbosa dodges it nicely.
The fighters are battling for position here. Barbosa manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Kowalski loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kowalski slips nicely into half guard.
Kowalski misses with a head shot. Barbosa uses the momentum to regain guard.
Barbosa trying to control the position.
Kowalski trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski postures up in Barbosa's guard and throws a big left but Barbosa blocks it.
Barbosa trying to keep a closed guard but Kowalski is proving a slippery customer.
Kowalski missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Barbosa is on top in guard.
Barbosa working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kowalski's head.
Barbosa tries to free his leg and advance position but Kowalski is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barbosa trying to control the position from guard on top but Kowalski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barbosa lands a couple of decent looking shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Barbosa dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Barbosa is looking to clinch.
Kowalski tries to clinch but Barbosa moves out of range.
Kowalski wants to clinch up but Barbosa keeps it at a distance.
Barbosa will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Barbosa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Good leg kick by Barbosa there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Barbosa fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Kowalski checks it well.
Hector Barbosa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kowalski closes the distance and clinches.
Barbosa trying to land knees to the body.
Barbosa holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Barbosa missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kowalski takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kowalski being controlled against the cage.
Barbosa looking to slow down the pace here.
Kowalski misses with a punch on the inside.
Barbosa creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Barbosa trying to land knees to the body.
Kowalski on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Barbosa landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Barbosa takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Kowalski dodges an elbow strike from Barbosa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kowalski up against the cage.
Barbosa is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Hector Barbosa.
Kowalski checks a low kick from Barbosa.
Barbosa shoots and misses

and Kowalski counters with a single leg into guard. Barbosa didn't expect that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kowalski is pushing down on Barbosa's leg trying to pass to half guard. Barbosa is fighting to maintain full guard but Kowalski has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kowalski is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Barbosa makes his way to full guard, as Kowalski worked for a kimura.
Barbosa has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski postures up in Barbosa's guard and throws a big left but Barbosa blocks it.
Kowalski throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barbosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Barbosa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kowalski wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.
Kowalski working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Kowalski thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Kowalski trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kowalski looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barbosa has his foot on Kowalski's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kowalski works his way back into a safe position though.
Barbosa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kowalski throwing strikes but missing.
Barbosa trying to control the position.
Kowalski trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kowalski in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Barbosa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barbosa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jacek Kowalski will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Barbosa tries to clinch up but Kowalski circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kowalski looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barbosa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kowalski.
Barbosa fails with the takedown.
Barbosa scores with a kick to the body.
Barbosa scores with a kick to the midsection.
A low kick from Barbosa is predictable there
and Kowalski counters with a stiff right hand.
Kowalski wants to clinch.
Barbosa throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa thows a leg kick but Kowalski checks it
and Kowalski cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Barbosa throws a body kick that misses.
Barbosa fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Kowalski is out of range.
Barbosa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kowalski's waist but Kowalski gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Barbosa off to one side.
Kowalski wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kowalski looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barbosa scoring well with a low kick there.
Kowalski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kowalski was well out of range. Poor timing from Barbosa.
A leg kick checked by Kowalski.
Barbosa with a poor takedown

and Kowalski counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hector Barbosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kowalski scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Kowalski is looking for a kimura here.
Barbosa moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kowalski accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kowalski postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Barbosa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kowalski.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski throwing strikes from guard but Barbosa blocks nicely.
Kowalski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kowalski missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Barbosa wants to sweep but no luck.
Barbosa is looking to stand up but Kowalski isn't so interested in that idea.

Barbosa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kowalski doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kowalski manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kowalski scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kowalski chips away with some ground and pound.

Kowalski is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Barbosa is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Barbosa has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa wants to pass the guard but Kowalski is keeping the position.
Kowalski is trying to control the position but Barbosa postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barbosa is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Barbosa throws an elbow that misses. Kowalski uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Barbosa's guard. Nice move by Kowalski!

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacek Kowalski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kowalski 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacek Kowalski!
Jacek Kowalski decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.