PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ville Apila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gustav Gustafsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Apila comes to the cage accompanied by Distance ( OF OUR SKILLS). Gustafsson has chosen Dark Tranquility - The Final Resistance as his entrance music. Ville Apila has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Apila
vs
Gustafsson

175 cm
29
146 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

165 cm
25
144 lbs
13 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique (prices $8 - $30)
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ville Apila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gustav Gustafsson!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Apila gets tackled into the cage by Gustafsson. Gustafsson maintains the clinch.

Gustafsson decides to pull guard.
Apila throwing strikes from guard but Gustafsson blocks nicely.
Apila throws a strike but Gustafsson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Gustafsson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Apila swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gustafsson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Apila shoots for a double leg takedown but Gustafsson sprawls well. He's pushed Apila's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Apila lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gustafsson circles away quickly and effectively.
Gustafsson throws a one two combo.

It looks like Ville Apila has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gustafsson throws an off balance right hand

so Apila counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Apila 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.
Apila postures up in Gustafsson's guard and throws a big left but Gustafsson blocks it.
Apila throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Apila trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gustafsson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Apila trying to control but Gustafsson is working from the bottom.
Gustafsson 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.
Gustafsson is pulling down on Apila's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Apila throwing strikes but missing.
Apila wants to control from the top but Gustafsson keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gustafsson moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gustafsson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Apila slips a jab and a cross from Gustafsson.
Gustafsson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Apila paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Apila avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gustafsson throws a right and a left that Apila avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson tries to clinch up but Apila circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gustafsson.
Apila closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gustafsson circles away.
Gustafsson scores with a body shot.
Gustafsson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Apila shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ville Apila. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gustafsson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Apila, pushing him back against the cage.

Gustafsson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gustafsson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Apila defends it nicely.
Apila misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Apila.
Apila in the domination position with Gustafsson hanging on.
Apila is looking to take a break and control but Gustafsson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Apila goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Gustafsson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Apila's guard! Nice work there by Gustafsson!
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Apila is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gustav Gustafsson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ville Apila's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gustafsson throws a shot from downtown. Apila moves away and avoids it.
Gustafsson throws a shot from downtown. Apila moves away and avoids it.
Apila fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A big left from Gustafsson misses.
Gustafsson lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gustafsson throws a right hand that Apila ducks under and follows up with a left that Apila also avoids with ease.

Gustafsson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Apila dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Gustafsson turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Gustafsson manages to end up in side control.
Gustafsson taking a breather here.
Apila is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apila seems a little lost for a moment, as Gustafsson dominates the positioning.
Apila is trying to get back to half guard.
Gustafsson controls the position from side control.
Apila is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Gustav Gustafsson.
Apila keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Apila wants to clinch up but Gustafsson keeps it at a distance.
Jab by Gustafsson.
Gustafsson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Apila tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gustafsson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Apila somewhat.
Gustafsson fails to land with a series of punches.
Gustafsson swings widly with a right hand

so Apila counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Gustafsson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apila wants to control from the top but Gustafsson keeps moving.
Apila throwing strikes but missing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Apila accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Apila won't allow Gustafsson to get back to his feet.
Apila trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Apila trying to control the position from guard on top but Gustafsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Apila is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gustafsson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Gustafsson is looking to stand up but Apila isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Apila throwing strikes but missing.
Apila wants to control from the top but Gustafsson keeps moving.
Apila content to stall in guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ville Apila just wasn't active enough.
Apila uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gustafsson.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gustafsson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Apila moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Apila misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gustav Gustafsson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ville Apila's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Gustafsson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gustav Gustafsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Apila shoots in but no luck this time.

Gustafsson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Apila was covering up waiting for the punch and Gustafsson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Apila is looking to stand up but Gustafsson isn't so interested in that idea.

Gustafsson gets to his feet. Apila looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Gustafsson looks to land a right hand but Apila moved out of range.
Gustafsson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson throws a combination that misses

and Apila counters with a single leg into guard. Gustafsson didn't expect that.
Apila trying to control the position from guard on top but Gustafsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gustafsson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Apila.
Gustafsson being controlled here, momentarily.
Apila missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Apila is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Ville Apila has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gustafsson misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gustafsson works Apila's body with a nice hook.

Gustafsson moves into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gustafsson taking a breather.

Gustafsson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gustafsson lands a really nice looking cross but Apila seems unphased.
Apila tries to clinch up.
Gustafsson misses with a looping right.
Apila moves in looking to clinch but Gustafsson pushes him off.
Nice shot lands for Gustafsson.
Gustafsson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gustafsson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown but Apila shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gustafsson keeps the fight on the outside.

Apila shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gustafsson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gustafsson parries the strikes from Apila easily there. Apila is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Gustafsson to escape.
Ville Apila has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Apila in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Gustafsson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Apila is controlling him well.
Apila wants to control but Gustafsson is keeping him busy.
Apila throwing strikes but Gustafsson manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
You can see the frustration on Apila's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apila manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gustafsson's best efforts.
Apila is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gustafsson not doing much here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ville Apila.
I think Gustafsson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Gustav Gustafsson!