PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rayful Edmond (ranked 1574 p4p, 661 weight class) and Magnus Gunnarsson (ranked 214 p4p, 90 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Edmond
vs
Gunnarsson

190 cm
36
215
19 - 11 - 0

190 cm
31
213
15 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Fantasy Threads
Champion Apparel

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 19 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rayful Edmond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Magnus Gunnarsson!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Winston Howard and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gunnarsson missing with a left hand there. Edmond was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Gunnarsson tries to keep at a distance but Edmond has taken the fight into the clinch.

Gunnarsson lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Gunnarsson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gunnarsson trying to pass the guard but Edmond defending well.
Gunnarsson thows a huge punch but Edmond dodges it nicely.
Gunnarsson trying to control the action but Edmond is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edmond has hold of Gunnarsson's hands but Gunnarsson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gunnarsson trying to mount his opponent but Edmond defends it.
Edmond tries to kick Gunnarsson off but Gunnarsson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edmond keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gunnarsson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gunnarsson throwing shots but Edmond is blocking nicely.
Edmond wants to get back to his feet.
Gunnarsson is trying to control the action in half guard but Edmond is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gunnarsson thows a huge punch but Edmond dodges it nicely.
Edmond tries to kick Gunnarsson off but Gunnarsson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Edmond blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson with the ground and pound but Edmond uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Edmond keeping moving, preventing Gunnarsson from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson preventing the sweep.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Magnus Gunnarsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Edmond lands with a slapping head kick.
Gunnarsson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Edmond dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Gunnarsson tries to keep at a distance but Edmond has taken the fight into the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Edmond swings wildly with an uppercut but Gunnarsson uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Edmond.
Gunnarsson has had enough of the clinch but Edmond keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edmond swings wildly with an uppercut but Gunnarsson uses good head movement to avoid it.

Gunnarsson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Edmond sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Edmond seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Gunnarsson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Edmond sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Edmond tries to bum rush Gunnarsson with a series of wild strikes but Gunnarsson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Gunnarsson drives through with a takedown into Edmond's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gunnarsson looking to sit in guard and control but Edmond gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gunnarsson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gunnarsson controls Edmond momentarily but Edmond frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edmond advances to half guard.
Gunnarsson is trying to get back to full guard.
Gunnarsson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Gunnarsson gets full guard.
Gunnarsson working a defensive guard but Edmond passes into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Edmond seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Gunnarsson punching from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rayful Edmond will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gunnarsson misses with the body kick
and Edmond makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gunnarsson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Edmond scoring well with a low kick there.
Gunnarsson avoids the body shot from Edmond.
Edmond looks to score with a jab to the body but Gunnarsson is just out of range.

Edmond closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Edmond breaks the clinch.
Nice cross by Gunnarsson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gunnarsson misses with a hook to the body
and Edmond counters with a good low kick that Gunnarsson was not able to check.
Gunnarsson misses with a leg kick
and Edmond counters with a left and a right that stings Gunnarsson.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gunnarsson misses with the body kick
and Edmond counters with a thumping low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson wants to clinch.
Edmond fails in his attempt to clinch.

Gunnarsson clinches with his opponent.
Edmond throws a head punch that misses.
Edmond lands a body punch.
Gunnarsson jumps guard but Edmond stands there with Gunnarsson around his waist. Gunnarsson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Edmond throws a punch but it's blocked by Gunnarsson.

Gunnarsson breaks the clinch.

Edmond has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edmond tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Edmond breaks the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Edmond. No joy for Gunnarsson on that attempt.
Gunnarsson just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromEdmond.
Edmond tries a head kick but it misses.
Gunnarsson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A decent looking cross lands there for Gunnarsson.
Rayful Edmond is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gunnarsson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Gunnarsson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gunnarsson looks for a takedown but Edmond sprawls well.
Rayful Edmond has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Magnus Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson cracks Edmond with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gunnarsson cracks Edmond with an open hand slap.
Gunnarsson misses with a leg kick
and Edmond makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Edmond is looking to clinch.
Gunnarsson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Edmond.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Gunnarsson! But no joy.
Rayful Edmond is winning the standup battle so far.
Edmond tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gunnarsson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gunnarsson is looking to chop away at Edmond's legs.
Gunnarsson tries to close the distance and clinch but Edmond swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Edmond avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Edmond on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson checks a low kick from Edmond.
Edmond tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Edmond takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Gunnarsson has managed to clinch.

Gunnarsson breaks the clinch.
Gunnarsson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Edmond went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Gunnarsson takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Edmond lands with a hook. Gunnarsson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
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!
Gunnarsson misses with an attempted mid kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rayful Edmond dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gunnarsson bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Gunnarsson misses with a takedown attempt
and Edmond connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gunnarsson shoots in looking for a takedown but Edmond manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gunnarsson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Edmond throwing a counter right hand but Gunnarsson manages to avoid it.
Gunnarsson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Edmond is looking to clinch.
Edmond throws a right hand that Gunnarsson ducks under and follows up with a left that Gunnarsson also avoids with ease.
Edmond tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edmond is looking to clinch.
Gunnarsson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gunnarsson throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Edmond appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edmond swats away the attempt to clinch by Gunnarsson.
Edmond swings for the body but Gunnarsson moves out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gunnarsson.

Edmond rushes Gunnarsson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gunnarsson wants to take the fight to the mat but Edmond manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rayful Edmond has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Magnus Gunnarsson.
Edmond tries a body shot but Gunnarsson blocks it.
Edmond gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson blocks an uppercut.
Come on Edmond - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gunnarsson.

Gunnarsson manages to break the clinch.
Gunnarsson throws a sloppy head kick and Edmond moves out of range easily.
Gunnarsson on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Gunnarsson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Edmond is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gunnarsson can do to turn this around?
Edmond gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gunnarsson shoots in but Edmond avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Edmond fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edmond throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A head kick misses from Edmond.
Gunnarsson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Rayful Edmond is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gunnarsson lands a nice looking body kick.
Edmond displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gunnarsson throws out the jab.
It looked like Edmond was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Edmond wants to clinch.
Gunnarsson throws a body kick that misses.
Edmond throws a big counter combination but Gunnarsson scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Gunnarsson missing with a left hand there. Edmond was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson wants to clinch but Edmond slips to the side

and Edmond counters with a head kick that drops Gunnarsson to the mat! Gunnarsson scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

It looks like Magnus Gunnarsson has been cut.
Edmond tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gunnarsson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gunnarsson tries to clinch but Edmond is having none of it.
Edmond fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gunnarsson throws the left hand but Edmond avoids the punch easily.
Gunnarsson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Edmond doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gunnarsson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Edmond swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Magnus Gunnarsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A head kick misses from Edmond.
Edmond avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

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 Rayful Edmond.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Edmond, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:28
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rayful Edmond!
An out of breath Rayful Edmond thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.