PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Martin Gustavsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mark Henry acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Gustavsson
vs
Henry

191 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

197 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Martin Gustavsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mark Henry!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Saam Ante and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gustavsson fails to land the takedown.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gustavsson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gustavsson swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry.

Henry closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gustavsson tries to pull guard but Henry holds him up against the cage and eventually Gustavsson drops back down to his feet.
Henry is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Henry lands a takedown into guard.
Henry won't allow Gustavsson to sweep him here.

Gustavsson has his foot on Henry's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Henry works his way back into a safe position though.
Gustavsson keeping moving, preventing Henry from controlling successfully.
Gustavsson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gustavsson is really struggling to control Henry but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Henry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gustavsson is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustavsson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Henry gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gustavsson tries to pull guard but Henry holds him up against the cage and eventually Gustavsson drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Gustavsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henry is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Henry has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Gustavsson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gustavsson is trying to break the clinch but Henry has him pressed against the cage.
Henry stalling.

Henry has hold of one of Gustavsson's legs. Gustavsson is fighting the takedown attempt but Henry gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Gustavsson is trying to keep Henry in close.
Henry trying to control but Gustavsson is working from the bottom.
Henry trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gustavsson's guard.
Gustavsson throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry looking to pass the guard.
Henry wants to control from the top but Gustavsson keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gustavsson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Henry can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Henry drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gustavsson dives on top into guard.
Henry looks gassed!
Henry trying to keep a closed guard but Gustavsson is proving a slippery customer.
Henry keeping moving, preventing Gustavsson from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry has momentary wrist control but Gustavsson slips an elbow through the middle.
Henry is trying to keep Gustavsson in close.
Henry is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gustavsson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gustavsson trying to control but Henry is working from the bottom.
Gustavsson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gustavsson plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Mark Henry has been cut.

Henry closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson looking to throw knees to the head but Henry is blocking nicely.

Gustavsson pulls guard successfully.
Gustavsson keeping moving, preventing Henry from controlling successfully.
Gustavsson is looking to stand up but Henry isn't so interested in that idea.
Henry wants to pass the guard but Gustavsson is keeping the position.
Gustavsson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gustavsson looking to control.
Henry must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Henry is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Henry looking to sit in guard and control but Gustavsson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mark Henry will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mark Henry's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gustavsson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch but Gustavsson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Henry displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gustavsson.
Gustavsson feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Henry's calf.
Gustavsson dives in and grabs Henry's left leg, looking for a takedown. Henry pushes down on Gustavsson's head and hops out.
Nice takedown defense from Henry. No joy for Gustavsson on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Gustavsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gustavsson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Henry is looking to clinch but Gustavsson is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henry looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Henry forces Gustavsson back against the cage and clinches.

Henry wants the takedown. Gustavsson is fighting it off but Henry persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Gustavsson's guard against the cage.
Henry slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry is nestled in close to Gustavsson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Henry wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gustavsson keeps working.
Henry stalling away here and it's allowed Gustavsson to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Henry gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Henry swings for the body but Gustavsson moves out of range.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Henry tries to clinch but Gustavsson moves out of range.
No joy there for Gustavsson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Henry swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Henry stuffs the takedown attempt from Gustavsson. Gustavsson gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Henry stuffs the takedown.

Gustavsson tries to keep at a distance but Henry has taken the fight into the clinch.
Henry lands with a left to the head.
Henry lands a right hand.
A short body shot lands from Henry as the two fighters clinch.
Gustavsson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Henry drags the fight down to the ground.
Gustavsson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Henry is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Henry really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gustavsson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Henry throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Gustavsson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gustavsson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Henry is trying to control the position but Gustavsson postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gustavsson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gustavsson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Henry looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gustavsson is one step ahead there.
Henry is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gustavsson is controlling him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gustavsson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Henry tries to avoid it but Gustavsson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Henry to the ground. Henry escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Henry moves into the clinch successfully.

Henry jumps into guard, dragging Gustavsson to the mat.
Henry is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Henry tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Henry can't keep his opponent in guard - Gustavsson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gustavsson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gustavsson tries to pass to full mount but Henry defends it.
Henry wants to get back to his feet.
Gustavsson is looking to stall here but Henry recovers full guard.
Henry controls Gustavsson momentarily but Gustavsson frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Henry showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mark Henry's cut.
That's time! Gustavsson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gustavsson has a takedown stuffed.

Henry takes the fight into the clinch.
Henry is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gustavsson being controlled against the cage.

Henry escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gustavsson closes the distance and clinches up with Henry, looking for a takedown. Gustavsson pushes Henry against the cage but Henry circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Henry takes the fight into the clinch.

Henry's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Henry is looking to clinch.
Gustavsson shoots for a takedown but Henry saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Gustavsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gustavsson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gustavsson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Henry throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henry fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gustavsson, pushing him back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gustavsson tries to pull guard but Henry won't allow it.
Henry leaning his opponent against the cage.
Gustavsson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A frustrated look appears on Gustavsson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Henry cracks Gustavsson with a nice body shot.
Henry missing with knees to the body.
Gustavsson takes a shot to the head.

Henry pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gustavsson tries to close the distance and clinch but Henry swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Henry. That's going to slow Gustavsson down.
Henry fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henry connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry wants to clinch.
Gustavsson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Henry instigates a clinch.

Henry breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gustavsson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A low kick from Henry misses
and Gustavsson counters with a solid body kick.
Henry tries to clinch there but Gustavsson circles away.
Henry throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gustavsson shoots in for a takedown but Henry shows good takedown defense.
Gustavsson fails to land the takedown.
Henry is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gustavsson throws a head kick but Henry moves out of range.
Henry is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gustavsson darts in trying to clinch

and Henry moves into the clinch.
Gustavsson stalling in the clinch but Henry improves position.
Gustavsson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Henry just stands there and leans against the cage.

Henry breaks from the clinch.
Henry wants to clinch up but Gustavsson keeps it at a distance.
Gustavsson misses with a takedown attempt

and Henry counters by clinching up.
Gustavsson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Henry displaying some good clinch control by pressing Gustavsson up against the cage.

Gustavsson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Henry uses from the top position.
Gustavsson controls Henry momentarily but Henry frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustavsson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Henry is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Henry trying to control but Gustavsson is working from the bottom.
Gustavsson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Henry manages to get himself to full guard.
Henry looking for a sweep. Not yet Henry, not yet.
Mark Henry is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gustavsson forces his way into half guard.
Martin Gustavsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Henry wants to improve his position but Gustavsson is controlling well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Henry comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henry winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 28:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Henry!