PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harry Callahan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommaso Baroni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Callahan
vs
Baroni

200 cm
27
222 lbs
21 - 11 - 0

191 cm
26
208 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 21 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harry Callahan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tommaso Baroni!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baroni moves away from the strike by Callahan.
A low kick from Baroni is predictable there

and Callahan counters with a single leg into guard. Baroni didn't expect that.
Callahan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Callahan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Callahan looking to sit in guard and control but Baroni gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Callahan keeping moving, preventing Baroni from controlling successfully.

Callahan throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Baroni escapes and throws Callahan's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Callahan 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Callahan is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Baroni is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Baroni looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baroni trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Callahan gets back to half guard.
Callahan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Baroni wants to take a breather but Callahan is having none of it.
Well, if Baroni is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's two 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.
Callahan wants to get back to full guard.
Callahan tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Baroni has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Baroni controlling the pace for now.
Callahan manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Baroni is taking a breather. Callahan says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Callahan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Baroni is controlling the pace.
Callahan wants to control but Baroni is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baroni is looking to advance position but Callahan won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Baroni performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Baroni throws a body punch but Callahan moves out of range.
Tommaso Baroni is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Callahan throws a leg kick
and Baroni counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Callahan shoots in looking for a takedown. Baroni tries to sprawl out of it but Callahan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Baroni manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Callahan throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Callahan pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tommaso Baroni will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Callahan misses with a looping right.
Baroni does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Callahan lands with a cross.
Callahan lands a nice looking body kick.
Baroni bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Callahan misses with a hook
and Baroni counters with a stiff right hand.
Callahan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Callahan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Baroni blocks a low kick nicely.
Baroni misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baroni misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Callahan lands with a straight right. Baroni didn't see that one coming.
Baroni tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Callahan was well out of range. Poor timing from Baroni.
Callahan slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baroni throws an overhand right that lands on Callahan's shoulder, as Callahan tries to avoid the shot.
Callahan avoids the body shot from Baroni.
Callahan finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A left lands for Baroni.
Baroni scores with a crisp jab that stopped Callahan in his tracks.
Callahan scores with a nice body kick.
Baroni closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Callahan cracks Baroni with a good jab.
Baroni moves out of range as Callahan throws a body kick.
Callahan misses with a body shot.
Callahan avoids the body shot from Baroni.
Baroni lands with a right hand.
A swing and a miss from Callahan.
Callahan lands a nice looking body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baroni moves out of range of the body kick from Callahan.
Callahan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Callahan connects with a looping right hand.
Callahan misses with a shot to the body
and Baroni counters with a good low kick that Callahan was not able to check.
Callahan pivots, looking for a leg kick but Baroni is out of range and Callahan settles back down.
Baroni uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Callahan misses with a hook

and Baroni holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Baroni.
Baroni lands a body shot in the clinch.
Callahan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Baroni prevents it.
A short right from Callahan.
Baroni lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Callahan misses with a hook from the clinch.
I was talking to Callahan's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Baroni is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Callahan gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baroni avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Callahan.
Baroni is refusing to be controlled, as Callahan sits in half guard.
Baroni tries to roll over but Callahan keeps him under control.
Baroni is not content to let Callahan control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Callahan is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Callahan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Callahan is pressing down on Baroni's thigh, looking to free his foot. Baroni is holding on for now.
Callahan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Callahan slows the pace down in half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Callahan is just content to waste time from the top position. Baroni takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Baroni keeping moving, preventing Callahan from controlling successfully.
Callahan stopping the sweep attempt from Baroni.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harry Callahan dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Good work by Baroni as he checks the leg kick.
Baroni looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A good leg kick by Callahan.
Callahan throws a hook to the side of Baroni's head but Baroni sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Decent striking displayed by Baroni there.
Baroni keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A big right from Baroni misses.
Callahan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jab, jab by Baroni - just one landing.
Baroni throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Callahan counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Baroni trying to control the position.
Baroni keeping moving, preventing Callahan from controlling successfully.
Callahan looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Callahan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Callahan passes Baroni's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Baroni is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Callahan slows the pace down in half guard.
Callahan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baroni does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Callahan passes to side control.
Baroni gets back to half guard.
Callahan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baroni keeps working.
Callahan prevents Baroni from improving his position.
Callahan thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Baroni's head.
Baroni avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Callahan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baroni is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Callahan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baroni does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Callahan scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Baroni is looking to clinch.
Baroni throws the left hand but Callahan avoids the punch easily.
Baroni misses with a straight left.
Baroni takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Callahan shoots in and bounces Baroni off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Baroni managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Callahan looking to sit in guard and control but Baroni gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Callahan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Baroni's guard.

Baroni keeping moving, preventing Callahan from controlling successfully.
Baroni working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Callahan.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Callahan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Callahan looking to sit in guard and control but Baroni gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baroni preventing the sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harry Callahan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Callahan has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harry Callahan!
An out of breath Harry Callahan thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.