PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raul Gonzalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dragan Davydenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gonzalez
vs
Davydenko

180 cm
21
222 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

189 cm
20
205 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raul Gonzalez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dragan Davydenko!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Davydenko moves in looking to clinch but Gonzalez pushes him off.

Gonzalez gets the takedown into side control.
Davydenko stops Gonzalez from passing to mount.
Davydenko parries the strikes from Gonzalez easily there. Gonzalez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Davydenko to escape.
Gonzalez is looking to take a break and control but Davydenko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Davydenko is trying to control Gonzalez's posture but Gonzalez avoids it.
Gonzalez throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Davydenko works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davydenko is looking to control Gonzalez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Davydenko avoid being mounted?
Gonzalez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gonzalez lands an overhand right.
Gonzalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Davydenko.
Gonzalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Davydenko.
Gonzalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Davydenko.
Davydenko wants to clinch.
Davydenko wants to clinch.
Gonzalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Davydenko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Gonzalez there.

It looks like Dragan Davydenko has been cut.
Gonzalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Davydenko.
Gonzalez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gonzalez keeps the fight on the outside.
Davydenko tries to clinch there but Gonzalez circles away.
Davydenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Gonzalez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Davydenko misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gonzalez.
Davydenko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gonzalez is defending well for now.
Gonzalez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Davydenko backwards.
Davydenko tries to land knees in the clinch but Gonzalez avoids the damage to the body.
Davydenko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gonzalez is defending well for now.
Davydenko misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gonzalez.

Gonzalez manages to break the clinch.

Davydenko gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gonzalez to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Davydenko really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gonzalez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Davydenko keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez throwing strikes but missing.
Davydenko keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.
Gonzalez 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.
Davydenko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Davydenko might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gonzalez kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gonzalez looking to pass the guard.
Gonzalez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gonzalez trying to control the action but Davydenko is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Davydenko tries to clinch but Gonzalez moves away

and Gonzalez counters with a shoot takedown. Davydenko fights it but they end up in guard.
Davydenko looks gassed!
Davydenko keeping full guard, as Gonzalez tries to pass.
Gonzalez advances position into side control!
Gonzalez content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Gonzalez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dragan Davydenko's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Davydenko closes the distance but Gonzalez moves to the side

and Gonzalez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Davydenko is not content to let Gonzalez control the position.
Gonzalez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Davydenko's head.
Davydenko is in trouble now - Gonzalez has advanced to mount!
Gonzalez tries to control but Davydenko wriggling away.
Gonzalez looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gonzalez lands a nice shot to the head.
Davydenko is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gonzalez is working for a guillotine from mount but Davydenko frees his head quite easily.

Gonzalez jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Davydenko manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Gonzalez connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Davydenko some visible discomfort.
Gonzalez working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Gonzalez postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Gonzalez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Gonzalez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Davydenko knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Davydenko prevents Gonzalez from moving into mount.
Gonzalez postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez tries to advance to mount but Davydenko denies him.
Davydenko is trying to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Davydenko tries to clinch but Gonzalez moves away

and Gonzalez moves into the clinch.
Davydenko missing with knees to the body.
Davydenko misses with a knee strike.
Davydenko misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Gonzalez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Gonzalez lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Gonzalez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Davydenko is staying active underneath Gonzalez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez content to control rather than advance.

Gonzalez wants to work for an arm triangle but Davydenko is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Davydenko wants to get back to his feet.
Gonzalez controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Gonzalez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dragan Davydenko's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Davydenko tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Gonzalez counters by clinching up.
Davydenko missing with knees to the body.
Gonzalez tries to land knees in the clinch but Davydenko avoids the damage to the body.
Davydenko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Davydenko misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gonzalez.
Gonzalez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gonzalez managing to block the knees to the body from Davydenko.
A right hook to the body lands for Davydenko.
Davydenko looking to throw knees to the head but Gonzalez is blocking nicely.
Gonzalez avoiding damage as Davydenko throws knees to the body.

Gonzalez has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Davydenko clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Gonzalez has good solid back control here.
Davydenko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Gonzalez looking to break Davydenko's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Davydenko remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Gonzalez will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davydenko has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Gonzalez.
Davydenko covering up well and avoiding damage.
Gonzalez trying to control momentarily.
Gonzalez has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Davydenko's body.

Davydenko preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Davydenko taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Gonzalez.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:04 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Raul Gonzalez!