PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Conan Barbaro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Gaarlandt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Barbaro
vs
Gaarlandt

190 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

197 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Conan Barbaro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kevin Gaarlandt!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Wagner Zegers and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaarlandt shoots in for a double leg but Barbaro sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Barbaro shoots in and drives through. Gaarlandt sprawls well.

Barbaro shoots in and gets a takedown into Gaarlandt's guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gaarlandt looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gaarlandt is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Barbaro trying to control but Gaarlandt is working from the bottom.
Barbaro has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gaarlandt is proving hard to escape from.
Gaarlandt seems keen to control Barbaro's posture.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gaarlandt moves in looking to clinch but Barbaro pushes him off.
Barbaro will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaarlandt scores with a shot to the body.
Barbaro tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gaarlandt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Barbaro tries to clinch up but Gaarlandt circles away and keeps his distance.

Barbaro gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gaarlandt to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Barbaro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gaarlandt trying to control but Barbaro is working from the bottom.
Barbaro is trying to control the position but Gaarlandt postures up.
Gaarlandt wants to stand and escape but instead Barbaro has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaarlandt working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Barbaro doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Barbaro manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gaarlandt wants to stand but Barbaro is controlling the position.
Barbaro trying to control but Gaarlandt is working from the bottom.
Barbaro stays in close to Gaarlandt's body and controls the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

We're going to have a standup here because Conan Barbaro wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gaarlandt throws a leg kick but Barbaro moved away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbaro shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Conan Barbaro. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gaarlandt drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gaarlandt must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gaarlandt postures up.
Gaarlandt landing with the ground and pound.
Barbaro bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gaarlandt's guard.
Gaarlandt keeping full guard, as Barbaro tries to pass.
Gaarlandt keeping moving, preventing Barbaro from controlling successfully.
Gaarlandt trying to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaarlandt is trying to keep Barbaro in close.
Barbaro looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Barbaro trying to control the position from guard on top but Gaarlandt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

We're going to have a standup here because Conan Barbaro wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Barbaro fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gaarlandt to the ground. Barbaro is now in Gaarlandt's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Gaarlandt can do anything to dispel that myth.
Barbaro with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Conan Barbaro will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Barbaro gets caught napping as Gaarlandt dives in and scores a takedown. Barbaro manages to retain guard.
Barbaro is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gaarlandt pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barbaro is keeping the position for now.
Barbaro wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Gaarlandt is now in half guard.

Gaarlandt postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Barbaro to stand up.
Barbaro shoots in and drives through. Gaarlandt sprawls well.

Gaarlandt throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Barbaro tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gaarlandt is in Barbaro's guard.
Gaarlandt won't allow Barbaro to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gaarlandt wants to control from the top but Barbaro keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaarlandt scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Barbaro is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Barbaro working for a triangle but Gaarlandt defends it easily.
Gaarlandt passes Barbaro's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Barbaro is staying active underneath Gaarlandt, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gaarlandt wants to stand up but Barbaro has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaarlandt is trying to control the action in half guard but Barbaro is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gaarlandt tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Barbaro.
Kevin Gaarlandt has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbaro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gaarlandt.
Barbaro is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gaarlandt really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barbaro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gaarlandt working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gaarlandt prevents Barbaro from improving his position.
Barbaro has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gaarlandt is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaarlandt seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gaarlandt throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barbaro takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Gaarlandt tries to keep at a distance but Barbaro has taken the fight into the clinch.

Barbaro manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Gaarlandt wants to control from the top but Barbaro keeps moving.
Gaarlandt is in close to Barbaro's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaarlandt has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Barbaro is proving hard to escape from.
Gaarlandt wants to pass the guard but Barbaro is keeping the position.
Gaarlandt stopping the sweep attempt from Barbaro.
Barbaro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gaarlandt lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gaarlandt trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbaro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Barbaro looking for a guillotine here but Gaarlandt defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Gaarlandt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Gaarlandt slaps away a takedown attempt from Barbaro, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Gaarlandt drives through with a takedown into Barbaro's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gaarlandt lands a couple of elbows.
Barbaro wants to sweep here but Gaarlandt controlling him for the moment.
Gaarlandt stands and throws Barbaro's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Barbaro on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbaro stops Gaarlandt from passing to mount.
Gaarlandt working the ground and pound from side control.
Gaarlandt advances to full mount.
Barbaro is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gaarlandt tries to control but Barbaro wriggling away.
Barbaro is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gaarlandt scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Barbaro?
BOOM! Gaarlandt connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaarlandt working for a guillotine from mount but Barbaro is in no mood to give up.
Gaarlandt sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Gaarlandt jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Barbaro manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barbaro tries to buck Gaarlandt off but Gaarlandt is having none of it.

Gaarlandt tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaarlandt is working Barbaro over with some ground and pound from side control.
Barbaro is trying to get back to half guard.
Gaarlandt is looking to take a break and control but Barbaro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gaarlandt tries for a kimura but Barbaro is defending well.
Barbaro is trying to control Gaarlandt's posture but Gaarlandt avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Gaarlandt working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barbaro is looking to regain half guard here but Gaarlandt keeps moving and retains side control.
Barbaro is working hard here to advance position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin Gaarlandt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gaarlandt 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Gaarlandt!