PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gegard Mousasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Ryan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gegard Mousasi has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mousasi
vs
Ryan

192 cm
20
218 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

194 cm
20
210 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gegard Mousasi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Ryan!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mousasi gets a double leg takedown into Ryan's guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Mousasi stays in close to Ryan's body and controls the position.
Mousasi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ryan is keeping the position for now.
Mousasi stopping the sweep attempt from Ryan.
Ryan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mousasi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mousasi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ryan's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mousasi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ryan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Ryan working for a triangle but Mousasi defends it easily.
Ryan being controlled here, momentarily.
Ryan is looking to stand up but Mousasi isn't so interested in that idea.
Ryan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mousasi controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mousasi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Ryan tries to roll over but Mousasi keeps him under control.
Mousasi lands with a punch from half guard.
Mousasi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Mousasi is looking for a kimura but Ryan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mousasi to get the leverage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mousasi thows a huge punch but Ryan dodges it nicely.
Mousasi lands strikes from half guard.
Ryan is looking to improve his position.
Mousasi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ryan knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi is working hard here to advance position.
Mousasi is taking a breather. Ryan says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ryan is trying to stand up here but Mousasi is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mousasi performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Ryan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mousasi wants to pass the guard but Ryan is defending well.
Well, if Mousasi is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gegard Mousasi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ryan shoots in looking for a takedown but Mousasi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ryan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Ryan enables Mousasi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Ryan manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Mousasi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mousasi has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
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!

Ryan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gegard Mousasi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mousasi scores with a head kick.

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

Mousasi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ryan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Mousasi takes a little break here. Ryan wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Mousasi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ryan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Mousasi is looking to take a break and control but Ryan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mousasi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mousasi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Mousasi tries to advance to mount but can't.

Mousasi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ryan knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mousasi slows the pace down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi is looking to take a break and control but Ryan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mousasi moves into full mount!
Ryan can't escape the position.
Mousasi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryan tries to reverse the position but Mousasi maintains control.
Mousasi raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Mousasi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Mousasi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Mousasi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ryan can do to turn this around?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mousasi avoids the attempt from Ryan to control.
Ryan is breathing heavily.
Mousasi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mousasi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Mousasi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ryan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mousasi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mousasi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Ryan for as long as he can get away with.

Mousasi moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Ryan has worked his arm free - good work by Ryan!
Ryan is looking to regain half guard here but Mousasi keeps moving and retains side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mousasi controls the position from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gegard Mousasi dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Mousasi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ryan to the mat! Ryan manages to get full guard.
Ryan is trying to keep Mousasi in close.
Mousasi advances position into side control!
Mousasi in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Ryan is trying to control Mousasi's posture but Mousasi avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Gegard Mousasi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Gegard Mousasi.

Mousasi closes the distance and pushes Ryan back into the cage.

Mousasi lands a takedown into guard.
Ryan is trying to control the position but Mousasi postures up.
Mousasi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mousasi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gegard Mousasi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Mousasi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ryan fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A knee to the head by Mousasi.
Ryan can't get the takedown.
Mousasi slows down the pace here.
Mousasi landing knees to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi working Ryan over with knees to the body.
Ryan is trying to pull guard but Mousasi turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Gegard Mousasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Ryan.
A short right from Mousasi on the inside.
Ryan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mousasi walks away with a smile on his face. Ryan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mousasi is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ryan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Mousasi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Ryan on his heels. He'll look to pass Ryan's guard now, I'm sure.
Mousasi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ryan's guard.
Mousasi controlling the pace.
Mousasi wants to pass to mount but Ryan is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi is taking a breather. Ryan says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ryan is in trouble now - Mousasi has advanced to mount!
Ryan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mousasi controlling from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ryan working to try and regain half guard.
Matt Ryan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mousasi content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gegard Mousasi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mousasi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gegard Mousasi!
During a confident post fight interview, Gegard Mousasi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.