PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gegard Mousasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chuck Liddell (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.

Mousasi
vs
Liddell

186 cm
22
210 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gegard Mousasi !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chuck Liddell !
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Valeri Chadov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mousasi wants to clinch up but Liddell keeps it at a distance.
Liddell defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mousasi .

Mousasi has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mousasi prevents Liddell from breaking the clinch.

Liddell decides to pull guard.
Mousasi slips nicely into half guard.

Liddell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mousasi tries to pass to full mount but Liddell defends it.

Mousasi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Liddell is defending against the submission attempts here by Mousasi .

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mousasi is working for a submission of some sort.

Mousasi is looking for a kimura but Liddell is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mousasi to get the leverage.
Mousasi is breathing heavily.
Mousasi wants to control but Liddell is keeping him busy.
Liddell trying to control from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Liddell drives through and clinches with Mousasi against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mousasi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Liddell walks away with a smile on his face. Mousasi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mousasi closes the distance but Liddell moves to the side

and Liddell counters by moving into the clinch.
Mousasi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Liddell prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gegard Mousasi . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Liddell lands a body shot.

Liddell manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Liddell scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Liddell moves into range and clinches up with Mousasi .
Liddell is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Liddell stalling.

Liddell jumps guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Liddell has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Mousasi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.

Liddell looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mousasi is trying to stand up here but Liddell is controlling him well.

Liddell decides to return to a standing position.
Some wild striking there from Liddell .
Mousasi on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Liddell gets a clinch.

Liddell breaks from the clinch.

Liddell moves into the clinch.

Liddell pulls Mousasi into guard.
Liddell bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mousasi 's guard.
Liddell controls from within his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mousasi is trying to keep Liddell in close.

Mousasi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Liddell dominated that round.
That's time! Mousasi 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Liddell drives through and clinches with Mousasi against the cage.
Liddell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mousasi has Liddell pressed against the cage, preventing Liddell from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Liddell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mousasi fails to pull guard.
Mousasi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Liddell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Mousasi misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Liddell .
Liddell tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mousasi just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Liddell breaks the clinch.
Liddell tries to bum rush Mousasi with a series of wild strikes but Mousasi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mousasi has his takedown stuffed

so Liddell counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gegard Mousasi . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell wants to pass the guard but Mousasi is keeping the position.
Liddell slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Let's hope that Liddell has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

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.

Mousasi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Liddell not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Mousasi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Liddell controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell wants to pass the guard but Mousasi is keeping the position.
Liddell is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Despite being in the dominant position, Chuck Liddell just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A left and a right from Liddell both land. Nice combination.

Liddell takes the fight into the clinch.

Liddell breaks the clinch.
Mousasi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Liddell counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddell prevents Mousasi from getting back to his feet.

Liddell gets to his feet. Mousasi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.

Liddell moves into the clinch.

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

Liddell moves into the clinch.
Mousasi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Liddell blocks it with crossed arms.

Liddell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mousasi misses with a takedown

and Liddell counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Liddell 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Liddell shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Liddell decides to return to a standing position.
Mousasi leaves Liddell with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Liddell throws a head kick that misses.
Mousasi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Liddell counters with a shoot takedown. Mousasi fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell trying to control the position from guard on top but Mousasi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mousasi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Mousasi is trying to control the position but Liddell postures up.
Liddell with a nice head shot there.
Chuck Liddell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mousasi looking for a sweep. Not yet Mousasi , not yet.

Liddell decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Liddell closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Liddell pulls Mousasi into guard.
Mousasi is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Liddell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mousasi is one step ahead there.

Liddell is looking for a triangle but Mousasi pushes his legs off easily.

Mousasi drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Liddell dives on top into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Liddell controls the pace.
Liddell wants to pass the guard but Mousasi is keeping the position.
Liddell connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Liddell trying to control the position from guard on top but Mousasi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mousasi controls Liddell momentarily but Liddell frees himself.
Liddell not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Liddell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mousasi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Liddell wants to control from the top but Mousasi keeps moving.
Chuck Liddell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mousasi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Liddell moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chuck Liddell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Liddell 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chuck Liddell !