PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Emil Gustafsson (ranked 3373 p4p, 2212 weight class) and Marquis Chriss (ranked 387 p4p, 265 weight class). Emil Gustafsson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Gustafsson
vs
Chriss

191 cm
21
186
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
27
220
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

020 Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Emil Gustafsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marquis Chriss!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Gustafsson misses.
Gustafsson swinging wildly here.
Gustafsson throws a jab but it's blocked by Chriss.
Gustafsson throws a body shot but no joy.

Chriss manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gustafsson on his heels. He'll look to pass Gustafsson's guard now, I'm sure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chriss trying to control the position from guard on top but Gustafsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gustafsson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Gustafsson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gustafsson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chriss wants to sweep but no luck.
Gustafsson is looking to work some ground and pound but Chriss has wrist control.
Chriss preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gustafsson throws a big right hand that misses.
Chriss keeping moving, preventing Gustafsson from controlling successfully.
Gustafsson preventing the sweep.
Chriss working a defensive guard here.
Gustafsson looking to sit in guard and control but Chriss gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Chriss pushes down on Gustafsson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chriss tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gustafsson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Chriss is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Chriss wants to control but Gustafsson is keeping him busy.
Gustafsson looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Chriss wants to work for an arm triangle but Gustafsson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Chriss wants to control but Gustafsson is keeping him busy.
Gustafsson trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chriss trying to pass the guard but Gustafsson defending well.
Gustafsson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Chriss trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gustafsson managing to control the position.
Gustafsson wants to control the position but Chriss says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Gustafsson is looking for a sweep. Chriss is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gustafsson manages to get to full guard.
Chriss pushes down on Gustafsson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson trying to hold on to Chriss's head to control him but Chriss postures up.
Chriss performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Chriss trying to control from Gustafsson's half guard. Gustafsson has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Gustafsson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chriss passes into half guard.

Chriss seems to be looking for submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marquis Chriss dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Chriss slips a straight right by Gustafsson.
We've been informed that Chriss has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Marquis Chriss is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Chriss misses with a looping left.
Gustafsson appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Chriss closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Chriss tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Chriss goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Gustafsson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Chriss's guard! Nice work there by Gustafsson!
Gustafsson throwing strikes but missing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gustafsson trying to control but Chriss is working from the bottom.
Chriss wants to sweep here but Gustafsson controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chriss lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Chriss trying to move into half guard but instead Gustafsson has managed to sweep!

Gustafsson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gustafsson preventing the sweep.
Chriss controls Gustafsson momentarily but Gustafsson frees himself.
Marquis Chriss has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gustafsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Chriss is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Chriss looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gustafsson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chriss trying to control the position here.

Chriss is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gustafsson is aware though and is defending well.
Chriss looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gustafsson is one step ahead there.
Gustafsson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gustafsson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gustafsson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gustafsson cracks Chriss with a solid left hand.

Chriss throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson stands up over Chriss, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gustafsson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Chriss working for a triangle but Gustafsson defends it easily.
Gustafsson scoring with some ground and pound.
Gustafsson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Chriss looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson won't allow Chriss to sweep him here.
Gustafsson lands a couple of elbows.

Chriss escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gustafsson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gustafsson with a nice head shot there.
Gustafsson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gustafsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Chriss is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Chriss has an active guard here but Gustafsson has managed to pass into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gustafsson misses with a head shot. Chriss uses the momentum to regain guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Gustafsson dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gustafsson misses the shot to the body.
Gustafsson sets himself, and Chriss steps forward looking for the clinch! Gustafsson avoids it this time.
Gustafsson looks to score with a jab to the body but Chriss is just out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gustafsson.

Chriss clinches up against the cage.
Chriss tries to pull guard but Gustafsson won't allow it.
Gustafsson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Chriss gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Chriss has Gustafsson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gustafsson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chriss tries to circle away but Gustafsson has him pinned against the cage.
Gustafsson looking to slow down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Gustafsson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Chriss has had enough of the clinch but Gustafsson keeps him there for the moment.
Chriss misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Chriss's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gustafsson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chriss feints the counter takedown.
A shot to the body from Gustafsson misses

and Chriss counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Gustafsson!

Chriss tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Chriss has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gustafsson tries to buck Chriss off but Chriss is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chriss working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Chriss is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gustafsson has escaped the position, nice work there.
I wouldn't like to be where Gustafsson is right now.
Gustafsson is trying to improve his position.
Gustafsson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Chriss is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Chriss controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chriss tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gustafsson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Chriss uses his free foot to push down on Gustafsson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gustafsson.

Chriss goes for an armbar but Gustafsson turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Gustafsson.
Chriss lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gustafsson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chriss trying to control the position from guard on top but Gustafsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chriss might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gustafsson haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Chriss is stalling in the full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chriss is fighting to break Gustafsson's control of his arms but Gustafsson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marquis Chriss comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Chriss 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marquis Chriss!
Marquis Chriss seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.