PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Julius Schoonover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Gustavsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Schoonover comes into the arena with Daylight - Matt and Kim blaring out of the sound system. Gustavsson has chosen Shotgun Blues as his entrance music. This should be a great matchup!

Schoonover
vs
Gustavsson

185 cm
23
195 lbs
10 - 2 - 1

200 cm
24
200 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Julius Schoonover!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alex Gustavsson!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gustavsson slaps away a takedown attempt from Schoonover, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gustavsson misses with a shot to the body

and Schoonover counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gustavsson won't be happy with that.
Gustavsson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Schoonover has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Schoonover prevents Gustavsson from getting the reversal.
Schoonover wants to take his opponent's back but Gustavsson doesn't allow it.
Gustavsson has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

Gustavsson showing good submission defense here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Schoonover thows a strike but Gustavsson uses the opportunity to reverse the position! Great move by Gustavsson as he ends up in Schoonover 's guard!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustavsson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Schoonover keeping moving, preventing Gustavsson from controlling successfully.
Schoonover has a closed guard, preventing Gustavsson from standing up.
Schoonover throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Gustavsson is stalling in the full guard.
Gustavsson wants to pass the guard but Schoonover is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Schoonover throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gustavsson escapes and throws Schoonover's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Schoonover sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Schoonover looking for submissions off his back.
Schoonover gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson trying to control but Schoonover is working from the bottom.
Gustavsson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gustavsson looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gustavsson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson trying to control but Schoonover is working from the bottom.
Gustavsson stopping the sweep attempt from Schoonover.
Schoonover working a defensive guard but Gustavsson passes into half guard.
Schoonover works his way to full guard. Good work.
Gustavsson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Schoonover works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Schoonover manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gustavsson manages to get himself to full guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Schoonover trying to control the position from guard on top but Gustavsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gustavsson can't keep his opponent in guard - Schoonover advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Schoonover is looking to advance position but Gustavsson won't allow it.
Gustavsson wants to get back to full guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gustavsson.
Gustavsson keeping moving, preventing Schoonover from controlling successfully.
Schoonover stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gustavsson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gustavsson keeping moving, preventing Schoonover from controlling successfully.
Gustavsson wants to improve his position but instead Schoonover has moved into half guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson trying to control but Schoonover postures up.

Schoonover is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Gustavsson sees it coming and defends easily.
Well, if Schoonover is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Schoonover is pressing down on Gustavsson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gustavsson is holding on for now.
Schoonover stops Gustavsson from getting back to his feet.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson is not content to let Schoonover control the position.

Schoonover is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gustavsson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Schoonover wants to take a breather but Gustavsson is having none of it.
Schoonover is thwarting Gustavsson's attempts to control the position.
Gustavsson tries to roll over but Schoonover keeps him under control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover controlling the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gustavsson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Schoonover ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gustavsson moves away.
The fighters circling - Gustavsson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gustavsson stuffs the takedown attempt from Schoonover. Schoonover gets slowly back to his feet.
Schoonover throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gustavsson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julius Schoonover dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Schoonover takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gustavsson throws the kick towards the body but Schoonover avoids it.
Gustavsson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Schoonover drives through with a takedown into guard.
Schoonover wants to control from the top but Gustavsson keeps moving.

Schoonover drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gustavsson looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gustavsson looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gustavsson!
Julius Schoonover overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Schoonover is not content to let Gustavsson control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schoonover is trying to escape the position but Gustavsson is controlling the position.
Schoonover gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Schoonover is refusing to be controlled, as Gustavsson sits in half guard.
Schoonover trying to hold on to Gustavsson's head to control him but Gustavsson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gustavsson is looking for a kimura but Schoonover is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gustavsson to get the leverage.
Gustavsson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Schoonover is not content to let Gustavsson control the position.
Schoonover moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Schoonover wants to sweep here but Gustavsson controlling him for the moment.
Schoonover might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gustavsson manages to get himself to full guard.
Schoonover wants to control from the top but Gustavsson keeps moving.
Schoonover slips nicely into half guard.
Schoonover has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover looking to finish Gustavsson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gustavsson!
Schoonover trying to control but Gustavsson is having none of it.
Gustavsson is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Schoonover has taken his back.

Schoonover looking for the RNC.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Gustavsson tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gustavsson is trying desperately to improve position.
Gustavsson prevents Schoonover from taking his back.

Schoonover looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Schoonover wants to finish this one by submission but Gustavsson is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Schoonover.
Gustavsson is working to get back to half guard.

Schoonover is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Gustavsson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Schoonover trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson tries to lock up and control but Schoonover gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gustavsson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Schoonover controlling the position easily from mount.

Schoonover looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Alex Gustavsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gustavsson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Schoonover. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Schoonover has hold of Gustavsson's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gustavsson manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gustavsson manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Gustavsson, under a barage of strikes from Schoonover.
Gustavsson tries to kick Schoonover off but Schoonover keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Schoonover jumps into side control!
Gustavsson tries to buck Schoonover off but Schoonover is having none of it.
Gustavsson is breathing heavily.

Schoonover wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gustavsson, who protects the arm well.
Schoonover trying to control the position but Gustavsson is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Schoonover is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gustavsson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Julius Schoonover showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Schoonover 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Julius Schoonover!
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Julius Schoonover!
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for Julius Schoonover!

Julius Schoonover wins by unanimous decision!