PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Ryan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rousimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Ryan
vs
Palhares

194 cm
20
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Ryan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rousimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palhares gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ryan counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palhares keeping moving, preventing Ryan from controlling successfully.
Palhares keeping full guard, as Ryan tries to pass.
Ryan trying to control but Palhares is working from the bottom.
Ryan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Palhares is keeping the position for now.

Ryan stands and steps away. Palhares gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Palhares is looking to clinch but Ryan is avoiding it.
Rousimar Palhares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ryan does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Palhares shoots in and drives through. Ryan sprawls well.

Ryan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ryan showed some decent athleticism there.
Palhares looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ryan stands up and beckons Palhares to join him on the feet.
Palhares shoots in and drives through. Ryan sprawls well.
Matt Ryan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rousimar Palhares.
Palhares has a takedown stuffed.

Ryan throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Palhares was covering up waiting for the punch and Ryan finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Palhares being controlled here, momentarily.
Ryan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Palhares on the ground.

Palhares is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ryan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Palhares tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ryan trying to control the position from guard on top but Palhares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Palhares should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Matt Ryan wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Ryan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ryan wants it to stay on the feet.
Palhares fails with the takedown

and Ryan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Palhares won't be happy with that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares is trying to escape the position but Ryan is controlling the position.
Ryan trying to control the action but Palhares is working from the bottom.

Ryan decides to stand up, so the ref orders Palhares to his feet.

Ryan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Palhares is trying to escape the position but Ryan is controlling the position.

Ryan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ryan is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Palhares being controlled for a moment.
Palhares is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
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.
Ryan lands strikes from half guard.

Ryan is looking for a kimura but Palhares is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ryan to get the leverage.
Ryan wants to take a breather but Palhares is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ryan closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Palhares's guard.
Ryan slips nicely into half guard.
Ryan looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Palhares tries to get to full guard but Ryan has control of the leg.
Ryan is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Palhares!
Palhares wants to control but Ryan is having none of it.
Ryan looking to control and managing it successfully.
Palhares is bucking up trying to escape but Ryan cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Palhares is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ryan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ryan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Palhares is looking to escape.
Ryan controlling the pace for now.
Matt Ryan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ryan seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Palhares for as long as he can get away with.
Palhares regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryan wants to free his trapped foot but Palhares is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Matt Ryan wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Palhares fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Ryan to the ground. Palhares is now in Ryan's guard.
Ryan is trying to keep Palhares in close.
Ryan is really struggling to control Palhares but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Ryan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Palhares trying to control the position from guard on top but Ryan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ryan is trying to keep Palhares in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Matt Ryan just wasn't active enough.

Ryan feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Ryan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Palhares looking for a guillotine here but Ryan defends easily.
Ryan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Palhares is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ryan defends well.
Ryan trying to control but Palhares is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Palhares has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ryan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ryan wanted to stand there but Palhares had control of the position.
Palhares keeping moving, preventing Ryan from controlling successfully.
Ryan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Matt Ryan has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Palhares shoots and misses

so Ryan counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Palhares has his foot on Ryan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ryan works his way back into a safe position though.
Ryan controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Ryan dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ryan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ryan lands in his opponent's guard.

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

Ryan scores with a takedown into Palhares's guard.
Ryan trying to control but Palhares is working from the bottom.
Palhares takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ryan looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Palhares has his foot on Ryan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ryan works his way back into a safe position though.
Ryan sitting in guard here, content to control.

Matt Ryan has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Palhares fails with the takedown
and Ryan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Ryan gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ryan stands up from half guard.
Palhares closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ryan circles away.
Ryan tries to close the distance and clinch but Palhares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Palhares with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ryan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Palhares's guard.
Matt Ryan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rousimar Palhares.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Palhares is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ryan wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.

Palhares is looking for a triangle but Ryan pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Palhares is working an open guard so Ryan takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Ryan drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ryan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Palhares can do to turn this around?
Ryan wants to control but Palhares is keeping him busy.
Palhares is trying to control Ryan's posture but Ryan avoids it.
Palhares is trying to work for a sweep but Ryan has mounted him!
Palhares working to try and regain half guard.
Ryan controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryan is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Palhares is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Ryan trying to control but Palhares is having none of it.
Ryan fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ryan controlling his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Ryan cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Ryan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ryan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Ryan!