PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pasquale Barra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daiki Yamaguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barra comes to the cage accompanied by Barriera Armata. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Barra
vs
Yamaguchi

185 cm
27
205 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

185 cm
27
215 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Decent elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
Urban Fighter

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pasquale Barra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daiki Yamaguchi!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Paul Tew and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barra takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Pasquale Barra seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barra moves away from the strike by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
It seemed like Yamaguchi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Yamaguchi takes one to the side of the head.
Yamaguchi scores with a punch to the head.
Yamaguchi connects with a body shot.
Yamaguchi's coach down at Better Alternative ($800/week) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Yamaguchi's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
A jab from Barra misses.
Yamaguchi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamaguchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yamaguchi connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Barra's hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barra avoids a punch combination nicely.
It looked like Barra wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Barra takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Barra bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Yamaguchi's head backwards.
Barra throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Barra lands with a hook. Yamaguchi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Yamaguchi shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Barra eats them both and turns towards Yamaguchi to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi looks to land a combination but Barra avoids it well.
Barra throws a jab but it's blocked by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi throws out a counter right but Barra avoids it with no problem.
Barra looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Yamaguchi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barra moves away.
Barra is looking to clinch but Yamaguchi is avoiding it.
Decent striking displayed by Yamaguchi there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barra wants to clinch up but Yamaguchi keeps it at a distance.
Barra takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Yamaguchi throws a body punch but Barra moves out of range.
Barra jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Yamaguchi does no damage.
Yamaguchi throws an off balance right hand
and Barra counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Barra takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A jab from Yamaguchi finds it's way through Barra's defenses.
Yamaguchi misses the jab.
It looked like Barra wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Barra throws a looping overhand right but Yamaguchi ducks down to avoid it.
Barra walks into a jab.
Barra throws a hook but Yamaguchi blocks it.
A countering left hand to the body from Yamaguchi misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barra takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Yamaguchi defending well as Barra loads up on a big left hand.
Yamaguchi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Barra has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Barra there as he acknowledges the shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Yamaguchi lands a big right hand that sends Barra crashing to the mat! Yamaguchi stays standing though and waves Barra back to his feet!

Barra is rocked!
Yamaguchi misses with a wild combination.
Oh Barra is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Yamaguchi drops Barra with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Barra looks back up at him and smiles so Yamaguchi waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Yamaguchi falls off balance throwing a combination
and Barra counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daiki Yamaguchi dominated that round.
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.

Barra throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barra seems to have got his legs back now.
Barra cracks Yamaguchi with a right hand to the side of the head.
Yamaguchi throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barra stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Barra lands an overhand right.
Yamaguchi jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Barra takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Barra is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamaguchi works Barra's body with a nice hook.
Barra misses with a lunging right hand
and Yamaguchi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
No joy there for Yamaguchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barra misses with an uppercut
and Yamaguchi counters with a nice uppercut.
Barra throws a jab when Yamaguchi was well out of range.
Yamaguchi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Barra fails in his attempt to clinch.
Good exchange - Yamaguchi coming out on top.
Yamaguchi lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Barra is rocked!
Pasquale Barra is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barra misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yamaguchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Yamaguchi lands a left and a right that send Barra crashing to the mat, dazed. Yamaguchi thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Oh Barra is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yamaguchi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barra takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Yamaguchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barra seems to have got his legs back now.
Yamaguchi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Barra throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Yamaguchi counters with a nice body shot.
Barra walks into a straight right hand from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi cracks Barra with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Barra tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Yamaguchi pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Barra is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Daiki Yamaguchi!
Daiki Yamaguchi really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Voodoo Nutrition logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.
Pasquale Barra was interviewed post fight and said 'T'accid a famigl'.