PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Henrique Gusmao (ranked 415 p4p, 22697 weight class) and Tang Maul (ranked 56 p4p, 481 weight class). Maul has chosen Somewhere I Belong as his entrance music. 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.

Gusmao
vs
Maul

179 cm
34
155
31 - 11 - 2

165 cm
24
135
15 - 2 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Altitude Clothing
Voodoo Nutrition

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Henrique Gusmao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tang Maul!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maul throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Maul checks a leg kick nicely.
Maul let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
We've been told by Gusmao's head coaches at Fairtex MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Maul fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gusmao checks it well.
Gusmao checks a leg kick.
Gusmao moves out of range of the strikes.
A left lands for Maul.
Gusmao's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Maul connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gusmao scrambles back to his feet.
Maul uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gusmao.
Jab by Gusmao.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maul darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Maul lands the left hand.

Gusmao closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Maul presses Gusmao against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short uppercut from Gusmao.
Gusmao lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Gusmao lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Tang Maul has been cut.
Gusmao cracks Maul with a nice body shot.
Maul misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Maul scores with a knee to the head.
Gusmao stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Gusmao throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Gusmao - that landed with a thud.
Gusmao lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusmao can't find room to land a body shot as Maul controls the action.
Maul tries a body shot but Gusmao blocks it.
Maul tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Gusmao lands an elbow inside that Maul shrugs off.
Maul landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Gusmao blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gusmao tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gusmao creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Maul's defenses.
Gusmao misses with a punch to the body.
Maul tries to work over Gusmao's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Maul pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Gusmao is leaning against Maul and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Gusmao tries to work over Maul's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gusmao lands a right hand.
Maul working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Gusmao fails to land.
Gusmao tries a body shot but Maul blocks it.
Maul is trying to stall.
Gusmao avoids a wild elbow strike from Maul.
Maul comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gusmao digs a right hand into Maul's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Maul's gas tank.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A body shot lands from Gusmao.
Gusmao misses with a punch to the body.
Gusmao blocking some punches.
Maul tries to land a knee to the head but Gusmao blocks with his arms.
Maul misses with a knee strike.
Gusmao pushes Maul back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gusmao tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Maul tries to land knees in the clinch but Gusmao avoids the damage to the body.
Gusmao lands a damaging elbow.
Nice body punch from Gusmao - that landed with a thud.
Maul looks winded!
Gusmao lands an elbow just above Maul 's eye.
Maul trying to land knees to the body.
Gusmao gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Gusmao can't find room to land a body shot as Maul controls the action.
Gusmao stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Maul prevents a body shot from Gusmao.
Gusmao lands a right hand that snaps the head of Maul backwards.
A nice left hand lands by Gusmao.
Gusmao blocks a body shot from Maul.
Gusmao lands a nice uppercut.
Gusmao lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Maul with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maul goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A body shot lands from Gusmao.
Gusmao goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gusmao misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gusmao struggles to land a body shot inside as Maul controls his hands.
Gusmao misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gusmao tries to throw a body punch but Maul avoids it by throwing Gusmao back against the ropes.
Maul tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gusmao tries to work over Maul's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gusmao tries a body shot but Maul blocks it.
Gusmao lands an uppercut.
Maul lands a nice uppercut.
Maul pushes off an throws an elbow but Gusmao leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Gusmao comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Maul tries to land knees in the clinch but Gusmao avoids the damage to the body.
Gusmao scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Gusmao doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Maul trying to land knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Gusmao.
Maul lands a nice uppercut.
Maul throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gusmao blocks it with crossed arms.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maul with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maul blocks an elbow strike from Gusmao.
Maul cracks Gusmao with a nice body shot.
Maul blocks a body shot from Gusmao.
Gusmao doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gusmao takes an elbow to the temple.
Gusmao misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gusmao's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gusmao throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Gusmao swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gusmao comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gusmao lands a body punch.
Maul's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gusmao lands with a short shot to the head.
A shot in the inside from Gusmao.
Maul has a couple of punches blocked by Gusmao.
Maul tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gusmao avoids it.
Gusmao lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maul backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maul misses with an elbow over the top.
Nice elbow from Maul.
Gusmao pushes off an throws an elbow but Maul leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Gusmao misses with a punch on the inside.
Gusmao lands on the inside with an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Henrique Gusmao dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tang Maul's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Maul walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gusmao throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Maul sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maul throws a jab when Gusmao was well out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Maul checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Maul was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
A slow jab from Maul misses its intended target.
Maul takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Gusmao rushes Maul and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Gusmao pushes Maul back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gusmao blocks an elbow strike from Maul.
Gusmao lands a body shot.
Gusmao misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gusmao is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maul can do to turn this around?
Gusmao lands a damaging elbow.
Gusmao goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gusmao works on Maul's body with a couple of short punches.
Maul takes an elbow to the temple.
Gusmao struggles to land a body shot inside as Maul controls his hands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maul takes an elbow to the temple.
Gusmao lands a body shot in the clinch.
Maul tries to throw a body punch but Gusmao avoids it by throwing Maul back against the ropes.
A left hand lands to the body for Gusmao.
Maul blocks a body shot from Gusmao.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusmao tries a body shot but Maul blocks it.
Nice elbow from Gusmao.
Gusmao lands with a short shot to the head.
Maul goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gusmao tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gusmao lands a body shot.
Maul is breathing heavily.
A short right from Gusmao on the inside.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Gusmao.
Maul tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gusmao's elbow.
Gusmao avoids the elbow strike from Maul, against the ropes.
Maul working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Gusmao.
Gusmao lands a nice elbow.

Maul is rocked!
Gusmao tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Maul is still on wobbly legs! Can Gusmao finish him?
Maul prevents a body shot from Gusmao.
Gusmao misses with an elbow strike.
Gusmao lands with a short head shot on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gusmao avoiding damage as Maul throws knees to the body.
Gusmao tries to throw a body punch but Maul avoids it by throwing Gusmao back against the ropes.
Gusmao lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Maul blocks a body shot from Gusmao.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gusmao lands a shoulder strike.
Gusmao lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Maul throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gusmao blocks an uppercut.
Gusmao pushes Maul back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Maul tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gusmao cracks Maul with a nice body shot.
Maul throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gusmao blocks it with crossed arms.
Gusmao can't find room to land a body shot as Maul controls the action.
A right handed body shot lands from Gusmao.
Maul's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Maul tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gusmao avoids it.
Gusmao lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Maul backwards.
Gusmao lands with a light punch inside.
Maul working aggressively here.
Maul with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gusmao doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Maul throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gusmao blocks it with crossed arms.
Gusmao stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Gusmao lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Maul.
Henrique Gusmao has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusmao digs a right hand into Maul's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Maul's gas tank.
A hook to the body from Gusmao.
Maul blocks a body shot from Gusmao.
Gusmao lands a hook that snaps the head of Maul backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Gusmao creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Gusmao lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maul backwards.
Gusmao cracks Maul with a big elbow, right in the eye socket! Maul drops to his knees in obvious pain! The referee starts the count but it's plainly obvious that Maul isn't going to get back to his feet. The referee counts none the less and Gusmao struts around the mat, safe in the knowledge that this one is over. A big win for Gusmao!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Elbows). Henrique Gusmao!
After the fight, Henrique Gusmao was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.