PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Shouse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Bryan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Shouse
vs
Bryan

162 cm
30
116 lbs
30 - 26 - 1

179 cm
28
135 lbs
15 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

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 30 - 26 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joshua Shouse !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Bryan!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Shouse successfully pulls guard.
Shouse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bryan wants to pass the guard but Shouse is keeping the position.
Bryan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Shouse pulls Bryan in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shouse wants to sweep here but Bryan controlling him for the moment.
Shouse knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bryan on the ground.
Shouse is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bryan works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Bryan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shouse does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bryan working the head and body with strikes.
Shouse is looking to improve his position.
Bryan wants to stand but Shouse has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Bryan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Bryan is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bryan has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Shouse works to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bryan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Shouse is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bryan is controlling him.
Bryan sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Shouse closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shouse holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shouse pulls guard.
Bryan is looking to stand up but Shouse won't let him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bryan tries to free his leg and advance position but Shouse is retaining full guard.
Shouse working a defensive guard here.
Bryan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bryan stopping the sweep attempt from Shouse .
Shouse keeping moving, preventing Bryan from controlling successfully.
Shouse trying to control the position.

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.
Shouse is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Bryan is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bryan misses with a wild body shot.
Shouse dives in for a single leg takedown but Bryan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Shouse lands a nice shot to the body.
Shouse shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bryan sprawls well. Bryan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Shouse gets slowly back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shouse goes for a double leg but Bryan avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bryan continues to drive forward.
Bryan looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Shouse . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shouse changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bryan tries to avoid it but Shouse manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bryan to the ground. Bryan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Shouse drives through and clinches with Bryan against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joshua Shouse will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bryan looking to score a takedown here. Shouse is defending well but Bryan drives through and ends up in Shouse 's guard.
Bryan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bryan landing some decent shots from guard.
Bryan wants to get up but he can't break Shouse 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bryan is working Shouse over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shouse is trying to keep Bryan in close.
Shouse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bryan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Shouse 's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shouse looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Bryan is stalling in the full guard.
Bryan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shouse swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shouse has a closed guard, preventing Bryan from standing up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Shouse blocks a head kick by Bryan.
Shouse misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Shouse looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bryan is fending him off so far but Shouse persists. Nope, Bryan circles away and we're back to standing.
Bryan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Bryan tries to keep at a distance but Shouse has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bryan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shouse just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bryan wants to get back to striking at distance but Shouse won't allow it.
Bryan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Shouse walks away with a smile on his face. Bryan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Shouse will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Shouse . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shouse tries a head kick but it misses.
Shouse avoids the body shot from Bryan.
Shouse misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bryan is looking for the big counter here.

Shouse shoots in and gets a takedown into Bryan's guard.
Bryan controlling the position.

Bryan has his foot on Shouse 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shouse works his way back into a safe position though.
Shouse has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryan trying to keep a closed guard but Shouse is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shouse in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Shouse trying to control the position from guard on top but Bryan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shouse is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Bryan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bryan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shouse controls the pace.
Shouse trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Bryan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Shouse would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Shouse shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bryan but Bryan pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bryan tries to clinch but Shouse moves out of range.
Shouse tries to clinch up but Bryan circles away and keeps his distance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bryan throws a body shot but no joy.
Bryan has his takedown stuffed

and Shouse counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shouse .
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Bryan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bryan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shouse misses with a low kick.
Shouse shoots in but Bryan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bryan keeps the fight on the outside.

Shouse gets a clinch.
Shouse fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Shouse looking to slow down the pace here.
Shouse has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bryan avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Shouse . That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shouse tries to pull guard but Bryan holds him up against the cage and eventually Shouse drops back down to his feet.
Shouse gets underhooks to prevent Bryan's takedown attempt.

Shouse drags the fight down to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bryan stopping the sweep attempt from Shouse .
Shouse looking to control but Bryan passes into half guard.
Bryan is trying to control. Shouse wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Shouse is trying to control but can't.
Shouse moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Shouse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Shouse on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Shouse tries to get out of the position.

Shouse has his foot on Bryan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bryan works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bryan is in close to Shouse 's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Bryan controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bryan slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
A lull in the action here.
Bryan wants to control but Shouse is keeping him busy.

Bryan decides to stand back up.
Shouse stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shouse wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shouse leaves Bryan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Bryan drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Shouse keeping full guard, as Bryan tries to pass.
Bryan controlling from the top position.
Shouse is trying to keep Bryan in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryan trying to control the position from guard on top but Shouse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shouse working a defensive guard here.
Shouse wants to sweep here but Bryan controlling him for the moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bryan prevents Shouse from getting back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shouse misses with a takedown attempt - Bryan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Bryan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bryan 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Bryan!
Post fight, an emotional Daniel Bryan said 'YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! '.