PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Barbera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muhammad Ariffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muhammad Ariffin has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Barbera
vs
Ariffin

172 cm
20
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
18
131 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Antonio Barbera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Muhammad Ariffin!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barbera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Barbera cracks Ariffin with a solid left hand.
Ariffin thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Barbera has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ariffin seems keen to control Barbera's posture.
Ariffin keeping moving, preventing Barbera from controlling successfully.
Ariffin wants to sweep here but Barbera controlling him for the moment.
Ariffin wants to stand up but Barbera is controlling him.

Barbera gets to his feet - Ariffin follows without any prompting.

Barbera scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barbera perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Barbera decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Barbera closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Ariffin's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ariffin trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barbera controlling from the top position.
Ariffin wants to stand up but Barbera is controlling him.
Ariffin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Barbera passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Barbera tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barbera decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Sloppy strikes from Ariffin. Those never looked like landing.

Barbera has managed to clinch.
Ariffin wants to break the clinch but can't.

Barbera turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Barbera manages to end up in side control.

Barbera stands up and beckons Ariffin to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barbera misses with a few strikes there.
Ariffin darts in trying to clinch

so Barbera counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Barbera is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbera stops Ariffin from standing up.
Ariffin looks gassed!
Barbera stopping the sweep attempt from Ariffin.
Barbera trying to control the position from guard on top but Ariffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Barbera postures up and lands a big shot to Ariffin's brow.
Ariffin wants to stand up but Barbera is controlling him.
Barbera showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbera scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Barbera wants to pass the guard but Ariffin is keeping the position.
Barbera showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Antonio Barbera.
A big right from Ariffin misses.

Barbera darts in and clinches Ariffin up against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ariffin misses with a knee to the head.
Ariffin lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ariffin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Barbera dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ariffin tries to close the distance and clinch but Barbera swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Barbera changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ariffin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ariffin manages to get back to half guard.
Ariffin is looking to control Barbera's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ariffin avoid being mounted?
Antonio Barbera overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barbera throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Barbera tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ariffin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Barbera keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Barbera postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Ariffin to stand up.
Barbera will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Barbera throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Ariffin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ariffin.

Ariffin drags the fight down to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barbera trying to control the position from guard on top but Ariffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barbera gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ariffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Barbera circles away.
Ariffin swats away the attempt to clinch by Barbera.
Ariffin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ariffin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barbera swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Barbera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ariffin is breathing heavily.
Barbera can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ariffin is looking to escape.
Barbera controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin tries to reverse the position but Barbera maintains control.
Barbera controlling from the full mount.
Barbera seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Ariffin for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antonio Barbera wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Barbera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Barbera rushes Ariffin and presses him up against the cage.

Barbera pulls guard effortlessly.
Barbera wants to stand up but Ariffin is controlling him.
Ariffin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Barbera 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.
Barbera trying to control the position here.
Barbera trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barbera kicks Ariffin off and gets to his feet.
Barbera misses with a leg kick
and Ariffin counters with an inside leg kick.

Barbera looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ariffin!
Barbera cracks Ariffin with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Barbera working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Barbera controlling the position easily from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barbera lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Barbera dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Barbera drives through and clinches with Ariffin against the cage.
Ariffin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Barbera can't break the clinch.
Barbera is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ariffin can do to turn this around?
Barbera is trying to pull guard but Ariffin has him pressed against the cage.
Ariffin is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Barbera is defending well.
Barbera drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ariffin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Barbera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ariffin is looking for a takedown.

Barbera manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Ariffin decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Barbera, up you get!
Ariffin lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barbera throws the left hand but Ariffin avoids the punch easily.
Ariffin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ariffin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barbera moves into range and clinches up with Ariffin.
Ariffin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ariffin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barbera has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Barbera drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ariffin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ariffin misses with an elbow strike.
Barbera is trying to pull guard but Ariffin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ariffin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ariffin tries for a takedown but Barbera manages to get underhooks.
Ariffin landing knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Ariffin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barbera manages to break the clinch.
Barbera tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ariffin swivels and escapes.
Barbera swats away the attempt to clinch by Ariffin.
Barbera shoots in but no luck this time.
Ariffin tries to clinch up but Barbera circles away and keeps his distance.

Barbera throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Ariffin tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Barbera is in Ariffin's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barbera trying to control the position from guard on top but Ariffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barbera landing with the ground and pound.
Ariffin keeping moving, preventing Barbera from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbera working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ariffin wants to stand and escape but Barbera is having none of it.
Ariffin being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Antonio Barbera just wasn't active enough.
Barbera misses with a takedown attempt - Ariffin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Barbera throws a right and a left that Ariffin avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbera fails with an attempt to clinch.

Barbera gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Barbera avoids the elbow strike from Ariffin, against the cage.

Barbera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barbera throws a head kick that misses.
Barbera tries to close the distance and clinch but Ariffin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ariffin fails in his attempt to clinch.

Ariffin moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Barbera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Antonio Barbera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barbera fails to land the takedown.
Muhammad Ariffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Antonio Barbera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ariffin takes a swing at Barbera's ribcage but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Barbera showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Barbera 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Barbera!