PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lukas Hanak (ranked 788 p4p, 93 weight class) and Sala Barbo (ranked 672 p4p, 84 weight class). Hanak's entrance music is Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal. A fine choice. Barbo is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Nissim. 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?

Hanak
vs
Barbo

172 cm
38
164 lbs
31 - 16 - 1

172 cm
27
155 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars
Pit Bull Development

Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lukas Hanak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of London, Sala Barbo!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Glass and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hanak misses with a hook. Barbo ducked under it nicely.
Barbo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Hanak is out of range.
Barbo checks the leg kick nicely there.
Hanak misses with a hook.
A jab from Hanak does it's job there.
Hanak takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Hanak closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Barbo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hanak landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hanak connects with a nice short shot to Barbo's temple.
Hanak thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barbo trying to hold on to Hanak's head to control him but Hanak postures up.
Barbo wants to sweep but Hanak has passed to side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hanak throws a strike aimed at the side of Barbo's head but Barbo avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbo takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Hanak tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hanak scores with punches from side control.
Barbo is holding Hanak down, trying to stall.
Hanak trying to control the action but Barbo is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Barbo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanak misses with the ground and pound.
Barbo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hanak scoring with punches from side control.
Barbo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hanak wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Barbo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Barbo wants to control but Hanak postures up.
Barbo is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Barbo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hanak trying to control the action but Barbo is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanak in side control, throwing shots but Barbo defends.
Barbo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Hanak scores with punches from side control.
Barbo is looking to reverse the position.
Hanak working the ground and pound.
Hanak cracks Barbo with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Hanak has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Hanak with the ground and pound from mount.
Hanak is landing with some decent strikes but Barbo is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbo in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
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!
Hanak avoids the attempt from Barbo to control.
Hanak lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hanak lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Barbo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barbo tries to hold on but Hanak pushes him away.
Barbo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Barbo is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lukas Hanak dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barbo tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A solid leg kick lands there for Hanak.
Hanak checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hanak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barbo throws a leg kick that misses.
Barbo looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Barbo looks to throw the jab but Hanak is out of range.
Barbo throws a push kick but Hanak slaps the foot to one side.
Hanak was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Barbo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hanak on the side of the head.
Hanak scores with a nice strike.

Barbo has closed the distance and engaged Hanak in a clinch.
Barbo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hanak successfully pulls guard.
Hanak 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.
Barbo wants to control from the top but Hanak keeps moving.
Barbo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Hanak has his foot on Barbo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Barbo works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbo is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Barbo won't allow Hanak to sweep him here.
Hanak is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hanak tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Barbo content to stall in guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hanak tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Barbo scores with a jab to the body.
Hanak pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barbo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Barbo takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Barbo tries to score with a low kick but Hanak moves his leg out of the way.
Hanak missing with a left hand there. Barbo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Barbo checks a leg kick nicely.
Hanak moves out of range as Barbo strikes.
Barbo slips under a jab from Hanak.
Hanak rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Barbo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A big right from Hanak misses.
Hanak doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanak dips to his left and cracks Barbo with an uppercut!
Hanak throws a body shot but no joy.
Sala Barbo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barbo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hanak scores with a jab to the body.
Barbo misses with a body punch
and Hanak finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Hanak shoots in looking for a takedown. Barbo tries to sprawl out of it but Hanak keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barbo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Barbo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hanak.
Barbo chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Barbo scores with a nice strike.
Hanak throws a right and a left that Barbo avoids nicely.
Hanak keeps Barbo at a distance using the push kick.
Hanak throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hanak throws a hook but Barbo avoids it easily.
A big right from Barbo misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barbo slaps away a takedown attempt from Hanak, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Barbo tries to counter with a clinch but Hanak shakes him off and moves away.
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!
Hanak ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barbo moves away.
A cross from Barbo lands.
Barbo tries to land a leg kick but Hanak saw it coming and moves away.
Hanak appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Hanak looks to land a left hand but Barbo moved out of range nicely.
Barbo takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Hanak with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Barbo to score with a decent uppercut.
Barbo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hanak.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Barbo.
Hanak changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Barbo checks the leg kick nicely there.
Barbo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Barbo throws a push kick but Hanak slaps the foot to one side.
Hanak scores with a jab to the jaw.
Barbo moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Hanak is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barbo can do to turn this around?
Hanak ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barbo moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sala Barbo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hanak misses with a low kick as Barbo jumps back.
Barbo moves forwards but Hanak connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Barbo moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A good leg kick by Barbo.
Hanak throws a body punch but Barbo moves out of range.
Hanak throws a push kick but Barbo slaps the foot to one side.
Barbo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hanak misses the shot to the body.
Barbo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hanak finds it's way round the side to connect with Barbo's head.
Barbo lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hanak defending well as Barbo loads up on a big left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hanak moves away.
Barbo takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A slow jab from Barbo misses its intended target.
A shot to the liver by Hanak. Beautiful body shot.
Barbo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hanak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Hanak avoids the body shot from Barbo.
Hanak throws a head kick that misses
and Barbo counters with a left to the body.
A clash of legs there as Hanak blocks the low kick.
Hanak misses with an uppercut.
Hanak steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Barbo. That one must have hurt.
Hanak misses with an uppercut. Barbo saw that one coming.
Barbo lands a nice hook to Hanak's body. Hanak takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Hanak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hanak lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Barbo circles away quickly and effectively.
Barbo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hanak moves away.
Barbo takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Barbo scores with a shot to the body.
Hanak with a nice cross.
Hanak looks to land a right hand but Barbo moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbo ducks under a wild hook from Hanak.
Sala Barbo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hanak uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Barbo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A good leg kick by Barbo.
Barbo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Hanak blocks a low kick nicely.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Barbo enables Hanak to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Barbo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Barbo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Barbo keeping moving, preventing Hanak from controlling successfully.
Hanak throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hanak's guard.

Barbo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Hanak is looking for a triangle but Barbo pushes his legs off easily.
Lukas Hanak overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Barbo stays in close to Hanak's body and controls the position.
Hanak working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barbo wants to control from the top but Hanak keeps moving.
Barbo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hanak wants to sweep but no luck.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Barbo controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hanak scores with a takedown into Barbo's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sala Barbo.
I think Barbo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sala Barbo!
Our winner, Sala Barbo, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.