PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mo Washington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hugo Ibarra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ibarra is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Dropkick Murphys - "I'm Shipping Up to Boston". Hugo Ibarra is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Washington
vs
Ibarra

197 cm
22
188 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mo Washington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hugo Ibarra!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Washington cracks a nice hook into Ibarra's ribs.
Washington doesn't manage to clinch there - Ibarra circles away.

Washington thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Washington seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Washington really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Ibarra has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Washington can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ibarra looks gassed!

Ibarra looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Washington is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Washington makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Washington has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Washington is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Washington stands up and waves to Ibarra to follow him.

Washington feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Washington is stalling in the full guard.
Washington wants to control from the top but Ibarra keeps moving.
Washington will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ibarra working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Washington doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Washington manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Washington trying to control but Ibarra is working from the bottom.
Ibarra looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Ibarra working for a triangle but Washington defends it easily.
Washington is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Washington trying to control the position from guard on top but Ibarra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Washington sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mo Washington just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Washington.
Washington is looking to clinch.

Washington shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Washington pushing down on Ibarra's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ibarra tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Washington has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Ibarra is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington content just to control the position here.
Ibarra is looking to get to half guard.
Washington trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Washington avoids the attempt from Ibarra to control.
Ibarra is trying to escape the mount.
Washington takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Washington wants to control the pace but Ibarra is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Washington changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ibarra looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Washington working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ibarra is looking for a sweep.
Ibarra regains half guard.

Washington decides to stand up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Washington.

Washington stands up and beckons Ibarra to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Washington throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington looks for a takedown but Ibarra sprawls well.
Ibarra avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Washington will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Ibarra changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Washington looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Washington regains half guard.
Washington wants to get back to his feet.
Ibarra works his way into side control.
Ibarra working the head and body with strikes.
Washington can't do much from the bottom here.
Ibarra blocks the strikes from Washington.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Washington is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Washington can't do much from the bottom here.
Washington is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ibarra is thwarting Washington's attempts to control the position.
Washington is pressing down on Ibarra's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Washington 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.
Ibarra wants to stand and escape but instead Washington has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Washington slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ibarra can't keep his opponent in guard - Washington advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ibarra taking some punishment here, with Washington in his half guard.
Ibarra gets full guard.
Washington with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Ibarra looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Washington is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Ibarra looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Washington passes into half guard.
Washington wants to pass the guard but Ibarra is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington controlling the action here.
Ibarra has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Washington is working away from the top position though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Ibarra looking for submissions off his back.
Washington working over Ibarra with some ground and pound. Ibarra looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Ibarra is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Washington pulls his head out easily.
Mo Washington overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Washington takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mo Washington dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Washington is looking to clinch.
Ibarra doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Washington counters with a takedown into side control.
Ibarra trying to remain calm as Washington controls from the top position.
Ibarra is looking to regain half guard here but Washington keeps moving and retains side control.
The referee asks Washington politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Washington prefers to stall for the moment though.
Ibarra tries to bench press Washington off him but Washington keeps the position.
Ibarra is not content to let Washington control the position.
Ibarra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ibarra is letting Washington control him for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington landing a few strikes.
Washington cracks Ibarra with a big elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Washington wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ibarra keeps working.
Ibarra is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Washington creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Washington advances nicely into full mount.
Ibarra can't escape the position.
Washington content just to control the position here.
Washington lands with some strikes.
Washington sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mo Washington just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Ibarra gets a takedown into half guard.
Washington looks like he's trying to stand up.
Washington is pressing down on Ibarra's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Washington holds on and takes a little breather.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ibarra accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Washington keeping full guard, as Ibarra tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ibarra is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Washington is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Washington has escaped and now he's on top!
Washington trying to control the position from guard on top but Ibarra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Washington is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ibarra is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Ibarra looking for a sweep. Not yet Ibarra, not yet.

Ibarra has his foot on Washington's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Washington works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four 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.
Ibarra can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Washington controls the pace.
Washington's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Ibarra throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Washington showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ibarra tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Ibarra is looking for a triangle but Washington pushes his legs off easily.
Ibarra lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Washington!

And that's the end of the fight!
Mo Washington showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Washington has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mo Washington!