PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jarkko Rautavaara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barnes kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be. Rautavaara is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by The Stranglers - No More Heroes. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Barnes
vs
Rautavaara

178 cm
26
159 lbs
15 - 12 - 2

169 cm
30
166 lbs
16 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Reaper Combatwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarkko Rautavaara!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rautavaara back to the cage. Barnes follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Rautavaara thows a body shot but no joy.
Barnes throws a sloppy head kick and Rautavaara moves out of range easily.
Barnes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barnes is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rautavaara.
Rautavaara avoids the body shot from Barnes.
Jarkko Rautavaara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barnes scores with a jab.
Rautavaara throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Barnes on the side of the head.
Rautavaara throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rautavaara punishes Barnes's body with a nice straight punch.
Rautavaara gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
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!
A big left from Rautavaara misses.
Rautavaara throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Barnes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rautavaara ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barnes moves away.
Barnes scores with a jab to the body.
Rautavaara waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Barnes.
Rautavaara takes a swing at Barnes's ribcage but misses.
Barnes connects with a right hand. Rautavaara shakes it off.
Barnes checks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Rautavaara blocks the leg kick.
Barnes thows a body kick. Rautavaara tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Rautavaara misses with a wild body shot.
Barnes swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rautavaara counters with a nice body shot.
Barnes tries a low kick but Rautavaara avoids it.
Rautavaara takes one to the chin there.
Rautavaara works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rautavaara takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Barnes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rautavaara is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Barnes rather than just go for the knockout.
Barnes connects with an inside leg kick.
Barnes throws a series of punches but Rautavaara moves out of range.
Rautavaara ducks right into an uppercut from Barnes.
Barnes lands a leg kick that knocks Rautavaara off balance momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rautavaara misses with a wild body shot.
Rautavaara slips a jab and a cross from Barnes.
Barnes scores with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara throws a shot from downtown. Barnes moves away and avoids it.
Barnes looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rautavaara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rautavaara swings for the body but Barnes moves out of range.
Rautavaara waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Barnes.
Barnes throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rautavaara throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barnes checks a low kick from Rautavaara.
Rautavaara takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Barnes tries to score with a low kick but Rautavaara moves his leg out of the way.
Rautavaara misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barnes.
Barnes lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rautavaara misses with a hook.
Barnes buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Barnes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barnes defending well as Rautavaara loads up on a big left hand.
Rautavaara dodges the punch combination from Barnes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara avoids the body shot from Barnes.
Barnes throws a nice looking combination but Rautavaara bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rautavaara misses the shot to the body.
Barnes throws a nice looking combination but Rautavaara bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Some wild striking there from Barnes.
Rautavaara tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barnes was well out of range. Poor timing from Rautavaara.
Rautavaara throws a right hand that Barnes ducks under and follows up with a left that Barnes also avoids with ease.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Barnes, right into the meat.
An inside leg kick lands from Barnes.
Barnes lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Barnes is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Rautavaara avoids the head kick by Barnes.
Barnes takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A telegraphed right hand from Rautavaara misses the target.
Barnes clobbers Rautavaara with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Barnes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes avoids the body shot from Rautavaara.
Barnes displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barnes defending well as Rautavaara loads up on a big left hand.
Rautavaara drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Rautavaara is rocked!
Jab from Barnes.
Rautavaara is still on wobbly legs! Can Barnes finish him?
Barnes drops Rautavaara with a huge uppercut! Rautavaara drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Barnes is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mike Barnes!
Mike Barnes managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Reaper Combatwear, into his post fight interview.