PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Belle Sebastian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicolas Barcos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sebastian
vs
Barcos

178 cm
25
200 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

165 cm
26
196 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Belle Sebastian!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicolas Barcos!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Anthony Taglia and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sebastian tests Barcos's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sebastian lands a front kick.
Barcos will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sebastian feinted with a counter takedown.
Barcos darts in looking for a takedown but Sebastian gets double underhooks and turns Barcos into the cage.
Barcos shoots in but Sebastian avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sebastian appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Belle Sebastian has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nicolas Barcos.
Sebastian lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Barcos shoots in and drives through. Sebastian sprawls well.
Barcos has his takedown stuffed

and Sebastian counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sebastian.
Sebastian with a nice head shot there.
Sebastian loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sebastian throwing strikes but missing.
We've been hearing that Sebastian has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Sebastian throws a big right hand that misses.
Barcos lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barcos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barcos tries to free his leg and advance position but Sebastian is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sebastian tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sebastian working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barcos.
Sebastian 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.
Barcos stands up over Sebastian, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sebastian is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Barcos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sebastian sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barcos defending well though.
Barcos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barcos works his way to full guard. Good work.
Barcos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barcos looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sebastian in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sebastian passes into half guard.
Sebastian not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sebastian 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.
Sebastian drops an elbow to the side of Barcos's head.
Barcos looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Barcos has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sebastian is working away from the top position though.
Sebastian slips a nice elbow through Barcos's hands, connecting with Barcos's forehead.
Barcos slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Barcos looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sebastian puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Barcos taking some punishment here, with Sebastian in his half guard.
Sebastian lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barcos misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Sebastian is taking a breather. Barcos 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.
Barcos is pressing down on Sebastian's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sebastian working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sebastian throwing strikes but missing.
Sebastian stopping the sweep attempt from Barcos.
Sebastian trying to control but Barcos is working from the bottom.
Sebastian with a nice head shot there.
Sebastian stopping the sweep attempt from Barcos.
Barcos bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sebastian's guard.

Barcos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barcos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barcos scoring with punches to the head and body.
Barcos connects with a couple of short punches.
Sebastian not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sebastian preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Barcos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barcos stopping the sweep attempt from Sebastian.
Barcos throwing strikes from guard but Sebastian blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barcos wants to control from the top but Sebastian keeps moving.
Sebastian looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sebastian keeping full guard, as Barcos tries to pass.
Sebastian wants to sweep but no luck.
Barcos trying to control but Sebastian is working from the bottom.
Barcos with a flurry of punches that miss.
Barcos with a flurry of punches that miss.
Barcos sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sebastian's guard.
Barcos slips a nice elbow through Sebastian's hands, connecting with Sebastian's forehead.
Sebastian wants to control but Barcos is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Belle Sebastian dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Barcos tries for a takedown but Sebastian circles away easily

and Sebastian counters with a nice double leg into side control. Barcos won't be happy with that.
Sebastian cracks Barcos with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Barcos throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sebastian working the head and body with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Barcos's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Barcos tries to buck Sebastian off but Sebastian is having none of it.
Barcos keeps trying to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sebastian lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Barcos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sebastian trying to control the action but Barcos is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barcos is trying to control Sebastian's posture but Sebastian avoids it.
Barcos is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sebastian's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nice strikes from Sebastian there.
Sebastian trying to mount his opponent but Barcos defends it.
Sebastian trying to control the action but Barcos is working from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sebastian lands a nice short elbow.
Barcos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sebastian lands a nice short elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sebastian stalling.
Barcos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sebastian blocks the strikes from Barcos.
Barcos trying to hold on to Sebastian's head to control him but Sebastian postures up.
Sebastian thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sebastian working the head and body with strikes.
Barcos is looking for a sweep. Sebastian is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Barcos is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sebastian's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sebastian's back!
Sebastian tries to escape the position.
Sebastian takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Sebastian tries to escape but Barcos has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barcos lands shots from the back.
Barcos lands a shot to the body.
Sebastian wants to escape the position.
Barcos is looking to control Sebastian but Sebastian is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Barcos looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Sebastian is in bad spot here.
Sebastian covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Barcos softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Sebastian turns into Barcos and is now in his guard.
Barcos has control of Sebastian's left arm, preventing Sebastian from doing any damage.
Sebastian wants to control from the top but Barcos keeps moving.
Sebastian is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sebastian preventing the sweep.
Sebastian with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sebastian lands a couple of elbows.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barcos 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.
Sebastian has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sebastian is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Barcos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sebastian postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sebastian loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sebastian stopping the sweep attempt from Barcos.
Sebastian postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sebastian missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sebastian with a nice head shot there.
Sebastian tries to free his leg and advance position but Barcos is retaining full guard.
Barcos wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Belle Sebastian dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Barcos.
Sebastian feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Barcos shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sebastian pinned against the cage. Sebastian gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Sebastian dives in and scores a takedown into Barcos's guard.
Barcos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barcos keeping moving, preventing Sebastian from controlling successfully.
Barcos looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sebastian stopping the sweep attempt from Barcos.
Sebastian postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sebastian throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barcos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sebastian throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sebastian missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sebastian is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sebastian accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sebastian working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Barcos's head.
Sebastian with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sebastian won't allow Barcos to sweep him here.
Barcos lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Barcos postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Barcos postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Barcos missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Barcos is in close to Sebastian's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Barcos throwing strikes but missing.
Sebastian looking for a sweep. Not yet Sebastian, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barcos chips away with some ground and pound.
Barcos with a flurry of punches that miss.
Barcos landing some decent shots from guard.
Barcos scoring with some ground and pound.
Barcos throws a strike but Sebastian rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Barcos wants to sweep here but Sebastian controlling him for the moment.
Barcos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sebastian scoring with some ground and pound.
Barcos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sebastian wants to control from the top but Barcos keeps moving.
Nicolas Barcos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sebastian won't allow Barcos to sweep him here.
Sebastian wants to control from the top but Barcos keeps moving.
Sebastian with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barcos lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Barcos is in close to Sebastian's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sebastian managing to control the position.
Sebastian is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Barcos tries to roll over but Sebastian keeps him under control.
Barcos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sebastian scores with a couple of nice shots.
Barcos is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barcos is pressing down on Sebastian's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Belle Sebastian is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barcos scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Belle Sebastian overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sebastian looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sebastian working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sebastian stopping the sweep attempt from Barcos.
Sebastian is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barcos can do to turn this around?
Sebastian trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sebastian trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Barcos wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sebastian lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Barcos lands a good elbow from the bottom.

Barcos has his foot on Sebastian's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sebastian works his way back into a safe position though.
Barcos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sebastian lands a couple of elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Belle Sebastian showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sebastian 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Belle Sebastian!