PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tony O Rangers (ranked 1100 p4p, 123 weight class) and Qasim Barakat (ranked 1319 p4p, 145 weight class). O Rangers's entrance music is Hold on to you. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

O Rangers
vs
Barakat

195 cm
30
265 lbs
17 - 9 - 1

195 cm
32
250 lbs
23 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

FORCEE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Tony O Rangers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Qasim Barakat!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barakat closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
O Rangers throws a jab but it's blocked by Barakat.
Barakat lands a nice shot to the body.
O Rangers misses with a combination
letting Barakat counter with a right hand.
Barakat looks for the body kick but O Rangers saw that one coming.
O Rangers avoids a punch combination nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from O Rangers misses the target.
Barakat takes one to the side of the head.
Barakat ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
O Rangers jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Barakat dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A jab from Barakat finds it's way through O Rangers's defenses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barakat blocks a jab.
Barakat will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Qasim Barakat seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barakat drops his hands momentarily and O Rangers takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Barakat throws a hook to the side of O Rangers's head but O Rangers sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
O Rangers swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And Barakat responds with a good body kick, but O Rangers manages to step out the way in time.
Barakat ducks down and throws a hook to the body but O Rangers moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Rangers tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barakat was well out of range. Poor timing from O Rangers.
O Rangers swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Good exchange - Barakat coming out on top.
Barakat lands with a thumping leg kick.
Barakat dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
O Rangers wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
O Rangers goes for a double leg but Barakat avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Barakat continues to drive forward.
O Rangers swings and misses with a hook to the body.
O Rangers blocks a head kick by Barakat.
O Rangers tries to close the distance and clinch but Barakat swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
O Rangers takes one to the side of the head.
O Rangers misses with a right hand
and Barakat counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
O Rangers throws a hook but Barakat avoids it easily.
An inside leg kick lands from Barakat.
Barakat steps to the side to avoid the strikes from O Rangers.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barakat moves out of range of the strikes.
Barakat goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Barakat keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barakat scores with a body shot.
A big left from O Rangers misses.
O Rangers blocks a head kick by Barakat.
Barakat misses with a body shot.
Barakat lands a nice hook to O Rangers's body. O Rangers takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

O Rangers is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Barakat's half guard.

Barakat makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
O Rangers scores with a shot to the body.
O Rangers throws a looping overhand right but Barakat ducks down to avoid it.
O Rangers fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Barakat is looking to score with low kicks.
O Rangers feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Barakats jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
O Rangers loads up on a big right hand but Barakat slips the punch.
O Rangers takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Rangers lands a lovely overhand right.
O Rangers throws a hook but Barakat blocks it.
Barakat is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down O Rangers rather than just go for the knockout.
O Rangers paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Barakat sizes up O Rangers with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
O Rangers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barakat.
O Rangers walks into a straight right hand from Barakat.

O Rangers dives in and scores a takedown into Barakat's guard.
O Rangers trying to control the position from guard on top but Barakat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
O Rangers looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Barakat keeping full guard, as O Rangers tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barakat keeping moving, preventing O Rangers from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barakat controlling O Rangers's posture.
Barakat keeping moving, preventing O Rangers from controlling successfully.
O Rangers passes into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
O Rangers stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Qasim Barakat will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice shot lands for O Rangers.
O Rangers dives in for a single leg takedown but Barakat sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
O Rangers takes a swing at Barakat's ribcage but misses.
Some wild striking there from O Rangers.
A jab from O Rangers does it's job there.
Barakat scores with a nice right hand.
A swing and a miss from O Rangers.
O Rangers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Barakat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barakat misses the shot to the body.
Barakat throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Barakat with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Barakat misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from O Rangers.
Barakat tries to land a front kick but O Rangers steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
O Rangers scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Rangers scores with a shot to the body.
Barakat avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barakat swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

O Rangers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
O Rangers performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
O Rangers wants to pass the guard but Barakat is defending well.
O Rangers moves nicely into side control.
O Rangers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barakat keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Rangers taking a breather here.
Tony O Rangers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barakat is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but O Rangers is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
O Rangers punishing his opponent with strikes.
Barakat is looking to get to half guard.
Barakat really doesn't want to stay on the ground with O Rangers. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
O Rangers tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Rangers lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Barakat tries to reverse the position but O Rangers maintains control.
O Rangers content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barakat tries to reverse the position but O Rangers maintains control.
O Rangers looking to control but Barakat is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
O Rangers is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Barakat is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
O Rangers tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony O Rangers 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. And we move into the final round!

Barakat misses with a straight right.
O Rangers is looking to counter punch.
O Rangers closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barakat circles away.
Barakat cracks O Rangers with a good jab.
O Rangers connects with a body shot that sends Barakat's belly button to the back.
Barakat takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Barakat misses with a leg kick

and O Rangers counters with a takedown into side control.
O Rangers trying to control the position but Barakat is working away.
O Rangers sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Barakat is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Barakat is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
O Rangers controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Rangers wants to control but Barakat is keeping him busy.
O Rangers tries to move to mount but Barakat blocks the move with his legs.
Barakat struggling a bit here.
O Rangers trying to control the action but Barakat is working from the bottom.
O Rangers misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

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.
Barakat is looking to regain half guard here but O Rangers keeps moving and retains side control.
O Rangers wants to control but Barakat is keeping him busy.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
O Rangers on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Barakat fakes high and swings low for a body shot but O Rangers manages to avoid it.
Barakat lands a lovely overhand right.
O Rangers lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barakat uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from O Rangers.
O Rangers lands a right hook to the body.
Barakat comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Barakat throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
O Rangers jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

O Rangers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
O Rangers moves nicely into side control.
O Rangers trying to control the action but Barakat is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barakat tries to get back to half guard but can't.
O Rangers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barakat keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
O Rangers just content to control the position.
Barakat is trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony O Rangers showed his dominance in that final round.
I think O Rangers 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony O Rangers!
A victorious Tony O Rangers thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.