PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Carl Gustav (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rich Piana (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.

Gustav
vs
Piana

188 cm
24
217 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

192 cm
25
204 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Carl Gustav!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rich Piana!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Sandra Marshall and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Gustav catches Piana right on the button with a cross.
Piana looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Gustav blocks a jab.
Piana misses with a jab to the body
and Gustav counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gustav jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gustav lands a lovely overhand right.
Gustav looks to score with a jab to the body but Piana is just out of range.
Gustav misses with an uppercut. Piana saw that one coming.
A looping hook to the body misses from Piana. Gustav does a little dance to reset his feet.
Piana throws a shot from downtown. Gustav moves away and avoids it.
Gustav has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gustav misses with a straight left.
Piana lands a nice hook to Gustav's body. Gustav takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gustav bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gustav throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Piana is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gustav.
Gustav is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Piana.
Gustav getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piana looks to land a right hand but Gustav moved out of range.
Gustav scores with a jab. Piana acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Piana misses with the combination.
Gustav lands with a right hand.
A swing and a miss from Piana.
Gustav swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Piana.
Piana waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gustav.
Gustav swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gustav misses with a hook.
Gustav throws an off balance right hand
and Piana counters with a right hand to the body.
Gustav throws an overhand right that lands on Piana's shoulder, as Piana tries to avoid the shot.
Piana fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gustav manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gustav slips a jab from Piana.
Piana keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Piana tries to counter by closing the distance.
Gustav throws a poor cross that misses

and Piana moves into the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Gustav scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gustav throws a punch but it's blocked by Piana.

Gustav escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gustav cracks Piana with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Piana scores with a jab to the head.
Piana connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Gustav looks to land a left hand but Piana moved out of range nicely.
A slow jab from Gustav misses its intended target.
Jab from Gustav.
Gustav ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Piana moves away.
Piana connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gustav works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piana uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gustav.
Gustav throws a body shot but no joy.
Piana ducks right into an uppercut from Gustav.
Piana slips under a jab from Gustav.
Gustav is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Gustav throws a hook but Piana avoids it easily.
Gustav misses with a straight right.
Piana misses with a series of wild punches.
Piana throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gustav on the side of the head.
Gustav lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Piana circles away quickly and effectively.
Carl Gustav seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Piana pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gustav was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Gustav avoids the body shot from Piana.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piana misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gustav.
Gustav lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
A jab from Gustav misses.
Gustav throws a body punch but Piana moves out of range.
Piana ducks under a wild hook from Gustav.
A shot to the body from Piana misses
and Gustav counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gustav misses with a hook. Piana ducked under it nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Piana moves out of range as Gustav strikes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Piana! But no joy.
Donk. Piana catches Gustav right on the button with a cross.
Gustav misses with a looping left.
Piana lands a right hook to the body.
Piana takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gustav throws a looping overhand right but Piana ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carl Gustav dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gustav moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gustav looks to throw the jab but Piana is out of range.
Piana scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gustav keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Piana moves out of range of the strikes.
Gustav misses with an uppercut.
Piana tries to counter by closing the distance.
Piana keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gustav.
Gustav throws an overhand right that lands on Piana's shoulder, as Piana tries to avoid the shot.
Piana misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Gustav connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Piana jabs Gustav right on the nose. Gustav blinks but takes it well.
Piana throws a poor cross that misses
and Piana takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Piana moves out of range of the strikes.
Gustav lands with a nice body punch.
Gustav with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piana scores with a sloppy right hand. Gustav should have avoided that one.
Piana is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gustav.
Piana lands a jab to the head.
Gustav throws a big shot that misses.
Piana misses the shot to the body.
Piana lands with a right hand.
Gustav needs to keep his hands up - Piana had a free shot at his head there.
The fighters circling - Piana throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Piana blocks a jab.
Piana moves away from the strike by Gustav.
A big left from Gustav misses.
Piana defending well as Gustav loads up on a big left hand.
A little jabbing left from Piana on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Piana misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gustav throws a poor cross that misses
and Piana counters with a three punch combo that has Gustav backing up. Gustav nods at Piana to acknowledge the strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Piana fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gustav is looking to counter punch.
Gustav throws a lazy right hand but Piana sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Piana ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gustav misses with a jab to the body
and Piana counters with a straight right hand.
Piana misses with a looping left.
Gustav misses with a jab to the body
and Piana counters with a straight right hand.
Piana misses with a right hand
and Gustav cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Piana bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Piana just misses with a punch to the body.
Gustav lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Piana at a distance.
Piana throws a lazy uppercut
and Gustav counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piana throws a sloppy body shot
and Piana takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gustav connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A swing and a miss from Piana.
Gustav pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gustav walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Piana moves out of range as Gustav strikes.
Gustav has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Piana finds it's way round the side to connect with Gustav's head.
Piana throws a body shot but no joy.
Piana takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Piana tries to clinch but Gustav is having none of it.
Gustav is looking to counter punch.
Piana waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gustav.
Gustav throws a lazy uppercut
letting Piana counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustav takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Gustav lands a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Piana is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Piana shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Piana looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Gustav staying out of range there.
Piana throws a poor cross that misses
and Gustav counters with a nice uppercut.
Piana lands a slapping body shot.
Gustav's corner calls for a 1-2. Gustav obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A jab from Gustav does it's job there.
Gustav misses with an uppercut. Piana saw that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Carl Gustav will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Piana moves out of range of the strikes.
A little jabbing left from Piana on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Piana tries to move into range but Gustav moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Piana tries to clinch
and Gustav counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Piana keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gustav.
Gustav looks to throw the jab but Piana is out of range.
Gustav swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Piana displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gustav throws out the jab.
Carl Gustav is winning the standup battle so far.
Piana uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gustav.
Gustav just misses with a punch to the body.
Piana appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Piana pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gustav misses with a looping left.
Piana uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gustav.
Gustav misses with a right hand

and Piana counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Piana.
A frustrated look appears on Gustav's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piana keeps control of Gustav as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gustav's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gustav misses with a hook
and Piana cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gustav throws a body shot but no joy.
A telegraphed right hand from Gustav misses the target.
Gustav misses with a hook
and Piana counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gustav looks to land a left hand but Piana moved out of range nicely.
Piana wants to counter the offense by Gustav and move into the clinch position.
Piana has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Piana takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gustav uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Piana.
Piana throws a body punch but Gustav moves out of range.
Piana bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Piana lands a nice shot to the body.
A jab lands there for Gustav.
Gustav throws a poor cross that misses
and Piana counters with a nice body shot.
Rich Piana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piana jabs Gustav to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gustav gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Piana looks to throw the jab but Gustav is out of range.
Piana jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Piana slips under a jab.
Piana tries to bum rush Gustav with a series of wild strikes but Gustav uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Piana misses with a wild body shot.
Gustav is looking to counter punch.
Gustav avoids the body shot from Piana.
A big right from Piana misses.
Piana slips under a jab from Gustav.
Piana misses the jab.
Piana avoids the body shot from Gustav.
Piana throws out a counter right but Gustav avoids it with no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Gustav misses its intended target.
A jab from Piana finds it's way through Gustav's defenses.
Piana tries to bum rush Gustav with a series of wild strikes but Gustav uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gustav keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Piana throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Gustav to counter with a crisp jab.
Gustav throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Piana sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gustav is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Piana.
Gustav staying out of range there.
Piana lands a hook that stumbles Gustav back into the cage. Piana follows up with a straight and another hook that land right on the button, dropping Gustav to the canvas! Piana pounces and lands several unanswered shots - Gustav has had enough and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Rich Piana!
An out of breath Rich Piana thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.