PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dragic Moniko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Itamar Barbosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Moniko
vs
Barbosa

178 cm
27
185 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

185 cm
27
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Black Belt Nutrition #=========||=========#

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dragic Moniko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Itamar Barbosa!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moniko cracks Barbosa with a right hand to the side of the head.
Barbosa shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Barbosa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Barbosa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Moniko.

Moniko has closed the distance and engaged Barbosa in a clinch.
Barbosa is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Moniko is trying to break the clinch but Barbosa is controlling him.
Barbosa jumps guard but Moniko turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Moniko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Moniko can't break the clinch.
Barbosa has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Moniko avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Moniko is looking to break free of the clinch but Barbosa has double underhooks.
Moniko stops a takedown attempt from Barbosa.
Dragic Moniko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Itamar Barbosa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa jumps guard but Moniko stands there with Barbosa around his waist. Barbosa gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Moniko avoids a wild elbow strike from Barbosa.
A frustrated look appears on Moniko's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Moniko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Moniko tries to break free but Barbosa pushes him back against the cage.
Moniko wants to break free but Barbosa has control.
Moniko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Barbosa is looking to control Moniko's arms but Moniko gets an underhook and turns him. Now Barbosa has his back to the cage.

Barbosa gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Moniko wants to get back to his feet.
Moniko on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Barbosa sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Moniko is staying active underneath Barbosa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Moniko haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Barbosa wants to pass the guard but Moniko is defending well.
Moniko knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Barbosa on the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barbosa is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Moniko is looking to escape.
Moniko trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Barbosa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barbosa lands strikes from half guard.

Barbosa is trying for a kimura here. Moniko looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Barbosa wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Itamar Barbosa!
After winning the bout, Itamar Barbosa thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.