PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dane Rowley (ranked 3053 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dantas Barao (ranked 4566 p4p, 367 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rowley
vs
Barao

180 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
148 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dane Rowley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dantas Barao!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rowley shoots in looking for a takedown. Barao tries to sprawl out of it but Rowley keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barao manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Barao gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rowley swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Barao trying to land knees to the body.
Barao stalling against the cage.
Barao is pushing Rowley up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barao avoids the elbow strike from Rowley, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowley avoiding damage as Barao throws knees to the body.
Rowley has had enough of the clinch but Barao keeps him there for the moment.

Rowley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rowley throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barao raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Rowley is trying hard to land a takedown here. Barao sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Barao forces Rowley back against the cage and clinches.

Barao manages to break the clinch.
Rowley tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barao counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Rowley tries to clinch there but Barao circles away.
Barao throws a sloppy head kick and Rowley moves out of range easily.
As Barao tries to get set, Rowley tries to push him back and clinch up but Barao manages to avoid the attempt.

Barao drives through and clinches with Rowley against the cage.
Rowley blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barao landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rowley jumps guard but Barao turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dane Rowley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barao misses with a knee to the head.

Barao's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barao checks a low kick from Rowley.
Rowley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Barao.
Barao counters with a body kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rowley.
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!

Barao gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Barao as Rowley tries to tie him up.

Barao manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
No luck for Rowley with that takedown attempt.
Barao dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rowley. That did some damage!
Barao throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barao takes a swing at Rowley's ribcage but misses.

Barao forces Rowley back against the cage and clinches.
Rowley wants a takedown but no success here.
Rowley is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Barao is defending well.
Rowley is trying to break free.
Rowley wants to break free but Barao has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barao landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rowley lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rowley is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rowley has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Barao is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Barao's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Barao.
Barao lands a head kick. Rowley smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Rowley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barao thinks about the counter body kick.

Barao rushes Rowley and presses him up against the cage.
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!
Barao trying to land knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Barao is defending well against a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dantas Barao dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rowley trying to stall but Barao improves his position.
Rowley jumps guard but Barao turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Rowley breaks from the clinch.
Barao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barao feints and then cracks Rowley's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rowley down.
Rowley shoots in looking for a takedown but Barao manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rowley's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rowley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barao's waist but Barao gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rowley off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dane Rowley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Barao drives through and clinches with Rowley against the cage.
Rowley letting Barao take a breather here.
Barao keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rowley's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowley is trying to push Barao away but Barao has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rowley tries to pull guard but Barao holds him up against the cage and eventually Rowley drops back down to his feet.
Rowley jumps guard but Barao turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Barao's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rowley misses with a takedown attempt
and Barao counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rowley is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Dantas Barao seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rowley fails with a takedown attempt.

Barao has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowley wants a takedown.
The referee is keeping an eye on Barao - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Rowley wants to stall.
Barao throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rowley is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rowley on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Barao obliges.
Barao is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rowley is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barao pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Barao effectively controlling the action here.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Barao breaks the clinch.

Barao clinches up against the cage.
Dantas Barao seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rowley jumps guard but Barao stands there with Rowley around his waist. Rowley gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Barao pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barao keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A thudding body kick lands there by Barao!
Dantas Barao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barao stuffs the takedown attempt from Rowley. Rowley gets slowly back to his feet.
Rowley keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Barao instigates a clinch.

Barao manages to break the clinch.
Dantas Barao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Barao has taken the fight to the clinch.
Barao is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barao misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rowley.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dantas Barao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rowley takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Rowley shoots and misses
and Barao counters with a nice leg kick.
Barao moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rowley is defended easily by Barao.
Barao throws a push kick but Rowley slaps the foot to one side.

Rowley tries to keep at a distance but Barao has taken the fight into the clinch.
Barao with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barao taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rowley trying to control the position but instead, Barao has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rowley into the cage.
Rowley drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dane Rowley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Barao takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rowley managing to block the knees to the body from Barao.
Barao controlling the action here for a moment.
Rowley tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rowley working hard to break the clinch.
Rowley fails to pull guard.
Barao managing to block the knees to the body from Rowley.

Barao breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Barao gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rowley tries to work over Barao's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barao has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rowley misses with an elbow strike.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rowley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barao pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Dantas Barao is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Barao controlling the action here for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowley tries to circle away but Barao has him pinned against the cage.

Barao escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Barao pushes Rowley up against the cage in a clinch.
Barao scores a nice knee to the body.
Rowley jumps guard but Barao turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Barao breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rowley is defended easily by Barao.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barao closes the distance and clinches.
Rowley is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Barao is keeping busy.
Rowley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Barao scores a nice knee to the body.

Barao manages to break the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Barao has managed to clinch.
Rowley jumps guard but Barao turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Dane Rowley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rowley wants a takedown but no success here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dantas Barao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Barao has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 25:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 25:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dantas Barao!
A very excited looking Dantas Barao made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.