PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jethro Rusted (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kobus Barnard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rusted
vs
Barnard

185 cm
32
200 lbs
21 - 11 - 1

189 cm
31
201 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Lion Fightwear

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 21 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jethro Rusted!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kobus Barnard!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rusted tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Barnard throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rusted looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Barnard goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rusted displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barnard throws out the jab.
Rusted throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Barnard slips a jab from Rusted.
Rusted avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barnard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rusted throws a hook to the side of Barnard's head but Barnard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Barnard feints a jab promting Rusted to slip. Barnard then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rusted slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Barnard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Barnard blocks a leg kick.
Rusted avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barnard tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusted scores with a jab to the body.
Rusted misses with a body kick.
Rusted misses with a low kick.
Barnard takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rusted.
Barnard throws a counter combo.
Rusted lands a leg kick that knocks Barnard off balance momentarily.
Kobus Barnard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barnard with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Rusted to score with a decent uppercut.
Rusted seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Rusted shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Barnard eats them both and turns towards Rusted to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Barnard throws a right and a left that Rusted avoids nicely.
Barnard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Rusted shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Rusted was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
This has been an exciting period of action!
You can see the frustration on Barnard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnard gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Barnard is trying to get back to full guard.
Rusted wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barnard keeps working.
Barnard is trying to get back to full guard.
Rusted thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rusted thows a huge punch but Barnard dodges it nicely.
Rusted not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barnard trying to control but Rusted postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusted looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Barnard with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Rusted is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Barnard is just riding it out for now. Rusted eventually gives up the hold.
Rusted wants to take a breather but Barnard is having none of it.
Well, if Rusted 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.
Barnard wants to get back to full guard.
Barnard tries to kick Rusted off but Rusted keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rusted throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Barnard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rusted.
Barnard is trying to control but can't.
Barnard tries to roll over but Rusted keeps him under control.
Rusted looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Barnard tries to roll over but Rusted keeps him under control.
Rusted trying to control the pace.
Rusted scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jethro Rusted will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rusted throws a front kick aimed at Barnard's knee but Barnard avoids it well.
Rusted throws a hook to the side of Barnard's head but Barnard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rusted checks a leg kick.
Barnard connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Barnard lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Barnard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rusted throws a right hand that misses
and Barnard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Barnard takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Barnard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rusted showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barnard.
Rusted misses with a kick to the body.
Rusted scores with a jab to the body.
Barnard blocks the body kick.
Barnard has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rusted.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rusted jabs at Barnard's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rusted fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Barnard to the ground. Rusted is now in Barnard's guard.
Barnard controls Rusted momentarily but Rusted frees himself.
Rusted is in close to Barnard's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnard keeping moving, preventing Rusted from controlling successfully.
Barnard wants to stand up but Rusted is controlling him.
Rusted controls from within his opponent's guard.
Barnard has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Rusted loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rusted is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
No joy there for Barnard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Barnard looks to land a combination but Rusted avoids it well.
An attempted straight right counter from Rusted misses the target.
Rusted throws a low kick but Barnard avoids it.
Rusted thows a left - swing and a miss!
Barnard looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rusted moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Rusted moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
A jab from Rusted misses.
Barnard staying out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusted throws a quick inside leg kick.
Jethro Rusted seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rusted getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Rusted throws a head kick but Barnard moves out of range.
Rusted's jab looks to have found its range, popping Barnard under the eye.
Rusted fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Barnard goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rusted misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barnard.
Rusted avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rusted throws a body shot but no joy.
Rusted lands a front kick.
Barnard throws a right hand that Rusted ducks under and follows up with a left that Rusted also avoids with ease.
It looked like Rusted wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Jethro Rusted is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rusted throws a leg kick
and Barnard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Rusted is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Barnard's half guard.
Barnard regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rusted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnard keeping moving, preventing Rusted from controlling successfully.
Rusted being controlled here momentarily.
Rusted with a nice head shot there.
Barnard keeping moving, preventing Rusted from controlling successfully.
Rusted throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jethro Rusted dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Barnard will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A head kick from Rusted lands but Barnard takes it in his stride.
Rusted misses with a body shot.
Barnard looks to land a combination but Rusted avoids it well.
Barnard takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Barnard misses with a two punch combination.
Rusted takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Barnard throws a right and a left that Rusted avoids nicely.
Rusted fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barnard manages to avoid it.
Barnard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Barnard moves out of range of the body kick.
As Rusted backs off Barnard throws a huge counter combo but Rusted manages to avoid it all.
Barnard throws a combination that misses
and Rusted counters with an inside leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rusted connects with a solid leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rusted.
Rusted defending well as Barnard loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusted throws a wild body kick that Barnard sees coming a mile off.
Barnard is looking for the big counter here.
Barnard takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rusted takes a swing at Barnard's ribcage but misses.
Barnard appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Rusted connects with a nice looking jab.
Barnard pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rusted throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Rusted misses with a combination
enabling Barnard to counter with a crisp jab.
Rusted is looking to slow Barnard down with leg kicks.
Barnard has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rusted.
Rusted displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barnard throws out the jab.
Rusted turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rusted looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Barnard rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rusted moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kobus Barnard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Rusted misses its intended target.
Barnard moves out of range of the body kick.
A leg kick checked by Barnard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barnard throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Barnard fails to land with a series of punches.
Barnard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rusted is looking to slow Barnard down with leg kicks.
Barnard takes a swing at Rusted's ribcage but misses.
No joy there for Barnard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rusted throws a big counter combination but Barnard scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Barnard thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rusted misses with a wild body shot.
Rusted misses with a body shot.
Barnard's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Rusted looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Barnard misses with a two punch combination.
Rusted takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Jethro Rusted is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Rusted does it's job there.
Rusted ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barnard moves away.
Rusted buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Barnard throws a leg kick that is checked

and Rusted counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Barnard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rusted is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barnard content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Barnard thows a huge punch but Rusted dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rusted preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Rusted is refusing to be controlled, as Barnard sits in half guard.
Rusted trying to control but Barnard postures up.
Barnard is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Barnard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jethro Rusted.
Well Rusted 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jethro Rusted!
A relieved looking Jethro Rusted thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.