PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Frank Barba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Waits (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barba
vs
Waits

188 cm
33
203 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

183 cm
24
193 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Frank Barba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Waits!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Steven Brown and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barba sizes up Waits with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Barba fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Barba connects with a jab.
Barba throws a right and a left that Waits avoids nicely.
Waits lands with a nice body punch.
Waits throws a body punch but Barba moves out of range.
Barba throws a shot from downtown. Waits moves away and avoids it.
Waits smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Waits fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barba manages to avoid it.
Waits is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Waits rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Barba moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barba on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Waits is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Barba.
Some wild striking there from Waits.
Waits misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Waits takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Waits slips a straight right by Barba.
Barba throws a jab when Waits was well out of range.
Waits staying out of range there.
Barba lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Waits circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waits lands a body shot.
Barba takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Waits ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Waits misses with a combination
and Barba counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Barba with a nice cross.
Waits ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barba moves away.
Barba wants to clinch up but Waits keeps it at a distance.
Barba throws a big shot that misses.
Waits looks to land a right hand but Barba moved out of range.
Waits tries to score with a low kick but Barba moves his leg out of the way.
Waits throws a nice outside leg kick.
Barba misses with a double jab
and Waits counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Waits throws a series of punches but Barba avoids them all with ease.
Barba misses with a series of wild punches.
Barba throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Barba misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Waits.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Waits staying out of range there.
Barba lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Barba throws a combination. Waits tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Waits is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Barba rather than just go for the knockout.
Waits changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Barba takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Waits scores with a head kick. Barba tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Frank Barba has been cut.
Waits fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barba manages to avoid it.
Waits fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Barba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Waits throws a looping overhand right but Barba ducks down to avoid it.
Barba on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Waits moves away from the strike by Barba.
Waits throws a combination that misses
and Barba counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waits looks to score with a jab to the body but Barba is just out of range.
Waits scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Barba walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Waits has Barba up against the cage in a clinch.
Waits lands a nice shot to the body.
Waits lands a left hand.
Barba tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Waits's elbow.
Barba tries to stall but Waits uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Barba blocks an elbow strike from Waits.
Barba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Waits.
Barba is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Waits is stalling here.
Barba working aggressively here.
Waits scores with a knee to the head.

Barba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barba waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Waits.
Barba is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Barba will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Waits throws a jab when Barba was well out of range.
Waits throws a body punch but Barba moves out of range.
Waits defending well as Barba loads up on a big left hand.
Barba will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Waits misses with a body shot.
Barba doesn't manage to clinch there - Waits circles away.
Barba tries to bum rush Waits with a series of wild strikes but Waits uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barba is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Waits.
A nice leg kick lands there from Waits.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Barba looks to throw the jab but Waits is out of range.
Frank Barba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Waits throws a head kick that misses.
Barba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Barba throws a shot from downtown. Waits moves away and avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Waits dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Frank Barba's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Barba lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Waits pivots, looking for a leg kick but Barba is out of range and Waits settles back down.
Barba misses with a right hand
and Waits counters with a body kick that stops Barba in his tracks momentarily.
Waits fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Waits misses with an uppercut. Barba saw that one coming.
Barba throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A slow jab from Waits misses its intended target.
Waits cracks Barba with a right hand to the side of the head.
Barba throws a sloppy head kick and Waits moves out of range easily.
Frank Barba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Waits has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Barba finds it's way round the side to connect with Waits's head.
Barba pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Barba moves in looking to clinch but Waits pushes him off.
Waits lands with a nice body punch.
Waits is looking to land body kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barba on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Barba misses with a body shot.
Barba throws a jab when Waits was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barba scores with a decent looking hook.

Waits drops Barba with a beautiful combination! Barba stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Waits is looking for the KO!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barba throws the left hand but Waits avoids the punch easily.
Tom Waits seems to be getting the better of the standup.
That kick from Waits tenderised Barba's leg. Barba is trying to keep his angry face on.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A jab from Barba misses.
Waits scores with a jab to the head.

Barba is rocked!
Waits blocks a head kick by Barba.
Oh Barba is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Waits scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Waits swings for the body but Barba moves out of range.
Barba seems to have got his legs back now.
Waits fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Barba has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Waits tries to clinch up.
Waits turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Waits walks into a stiff left hand from Barba.

Waits cracks Barba with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Waits has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Barba to stand back up!

Waits clinches up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Waits throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Barba blocks it with crossed arms.
Barba is looking to control Waits's arms but Waits gets an underhook and turns him. Now Barba has his back to the cage.
Waits lands an elbow that stopped Barba in his tracks for a moment.
Waits stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Waits with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Waits missing with knees to the body.
Waits has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Waits trying to land knees to the body.
Barba swings wildly with an uppercut but Waits uses good head movement to avoid it.
Waits lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Barba takes an elbow to the forehead.
Waits gets through Barba's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Waits scores with a knee to the head.
Barba is looking to control Waits's arms but Waits gets an underhook and turns him. Now Barba has his back to the cage.
Barba is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Waits landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Knees in the clinch landing for Waits.
Waits tries to stall but Barba uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waits lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Barba or not.
A short right from Waits.
Barba takes a knee to the side of the body.
Barba avoiding damage as Waits throws knees to the body.
Waits is struggling to control the position.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Waits as Barba tries to tie him up.
Barba takes a knee right on the jaw!
Barba working hard to break the clinch.
Waits stalling the fight.
Waits gets underhooks to prevent Barba's takedown attempt.
Barba working hard to break the clinch.
Barba misses with a hook from the clinch.
Waits comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Waits utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Waits creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barba's defenses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Waits landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Barba's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Barba misses with a short punch on the inside.
Barba takes an elbow to the temple.
Barba letting Waits take a breather here.
Waits lands a left hand.
Waits creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Waits lands an elbow that stopped Barba in his tracks for a moment.
Barba takes a knee to the side of the body.
Barba takes a knee to the side of the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Waits.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A right handed body shot lands from Waits.
Waits lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Waits lands a good knee to the midsection. Barba won't want to take too many of those.
Waits landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Waits lands a nice knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Waits showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Frank Barba's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Waits throws a nice outside leg kick.
Barba lunges at Waits with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Waits's hand.
Barba fails with an attempt to clinch.
Waits scores with a jab. Barba acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Waits scoring well with a low kick there.
Waits thows a body shot but no joy.
Barba walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Waits darts in and clinches Barba up against the cage.
Waits missing with knees to the body.
Barba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Waits tries to land knees in the clinch but Barba avoids the damage to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Waits throws an elbow but misses.
Waits tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Barba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short right from Barba.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Waits blocks an uppercut.
Barba avoids a wild elbow strike from Waits.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Waits obliges.
Waits lands a nice elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barba is trying to break the clinch but Waits has him pressed against the cage.
Barba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Barba misses with a punch on the inside.
Waits landing knees to the head.
Waits tries a knee to the head but Barba blocks it.
Waits prevents Barba from breaking the clinch.
Tom Waits seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Barba lands with a short shot to the head.
Barba blocks an elbow strike from Waits.
Waits lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Waits lands a nice knee to the body.
Barba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Waits lands an elbow just above Barba 's eye.
Waits prevents Barba from breaking the clinch.
Barba avoids the elbow strike from Waits, against the cage.
Waits doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barba is trying to push Waits away but Waits has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barba displaying some good clinch control by pressing Waits up against the cage.
Waits misses with a knee strike.
Waits is looking to control Barba's arms but Barba gets an underhook and turns him. Now Waits has his back to the cage.
Barba prevents a body shot from Waits.
Barba wants to break free but Waits has control.
Waits is pressed up against the cage. Barba has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Waits down to the mat. Waits avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Barba misses the target.
Barba throws a series of punches but Waits moves out of range.
Waits fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barba manages to avoid it.
Waits throws a right hand that Barba ducks under and follows up with a left that Barba also avoids with ease.
Waits jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barba rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Waits moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barba throws a combination that misses
and Waits makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Barba swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waits fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barba manages to avoid it.
Barba lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Barba.
Waits slips a jab and a cross from Barba.
Barba connects with a crisp jab.
Barba slips under a jab from Waits.
A jab lands there for Waits.
Barba dodges the punch combination from Waits.
Waits tries to clinch but Barba moves out of range.
Waits lands a right hook to the body.
Waits throws a hook but Barba blocks it.
Frank Barba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Waits fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Barba is out of range.
Barba lands a head kick. Waits smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Barba blocks a low kick nicely.

Waits moves into the clinch.
Tom Waits is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barba can't get the takedown.
Barba is trying to force a seperation but Waits has the dominant position.

Barba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
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!
Barba throws a hook but Waits blocks it.
Waits lands a lovely overhand right.
Barba throws the left hand but Waits avoids the punch easily.
Waits throws a shot from downtown. Barba moves away and avoids it.
Barba takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Waits lands a slapping body shot.
Barba takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Waits looks to score with a jab to the body but Barba is just out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A nice leg kick lands there from Waits.
Barba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Waits scores with a leg kick.
Barba throws an overhand right that lands on Waits's shoulder, as Waits tries to avoid the shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Waits comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Waits has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Waits!
After winning the bout, Tom Waits thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.