PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gerald Bryant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dawid Kownacki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dawid Kownacki has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bryant
vs
Kownacki

156 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gerald Bryant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dawid Kownacki!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, David Schapiro and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bryant stuffs the takedown attempt from Kownacki. Kownacki gets slowly back to his feet.
Bryant shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kownacki as he jumps to the side.

Kownacki manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bryant on his heels. He'll look to pass Bryant's guard now, I'm sure.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Bryant is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kownacki defends well.
Bryant on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bryant tries to get out of the position.
Bryant is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bryant trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Bryant looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kownacki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bryant controls Kownacki momentarily but Kownacki frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kownacki trying to control the position from guard on top but Bryant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kownacki is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Bryant has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kownacki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kownacki looking to sit in guard and control but Bryant gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Bryant could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Bryant wanted to stand there but Kownacki had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kownacki throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Bryant is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kownacki wants to control but Bryant passes easily into half guard.
Bryant is trying to control. Kownacki wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Bryant is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kownacki is just riding it out for now. Bryant eventually gives up the hold.
Kownacki wants to control but Bryant is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant trying to pass the guard but Kownacki defending well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bryant wants to take a breather but Kownacki is having none of it.
Kownacki trying to control here.
Kownacki missing with punches from the bottom.
Kownacki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bryant. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kownacki wants to improve his position but Bryant is controlling well.
Kownacki trying to hold on to Bryant's head to control him but Bryant postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bryant lands a nice short elbow.
Bryant prevents Kownacki from improving his position.
Kownacki wants to control but Bryant is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kownacki is refusing to be controlled, as Bryant sits in half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kownacki misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kownacki scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dawid Kownacki will probably get the nod.
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.

Kownacki goes for a double leg but Bryant avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bryant continues to drive forward.
Bryant stops a takedown attempt from Kownacki.

Kownacki jumps guard and drags Bryant to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kownacki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Bryant has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kownacki is proving hard to escape from.
Dawid Kownacki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kownacki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bryant working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Bryant wants to control from the top but Kownacki keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kownacki is trying to keep Bryant in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bryant shoots in looking for a takedown. Kownacki tries to sprawl out of it but Bryant keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kownacki manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Bryant shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kownacki is trying to defend but Bryant finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Bryant not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Bryant seems content to control.

Bryant gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Bryant throws a right hand that Kownacki ducks under and follows up with a left that Kownacki also avoids with ease.
Kownacki tries to close the distance and clinch but Bryant swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kownacki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gerald Bryant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dawid Kownacki.
Kownacki is breathing heavily.

Bryant fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kownacki sprawls well initially but Bryant persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kownacki trying to control but Bryant postures up.
Bryant seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kownacki trying to get back to full guard but Bryant takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Bryant tries to control but Kownacki wriggling away.

Bryant looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kownacki tries to control Bryant's body but Bryant pushes him off. Kownacki squirms to his side and now Bryant has his back!
Bryant just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Bryant tightening his grip on Kownacki, looking for the choke.

Bryant is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Kownacki has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerald Bryant dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kownacki bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Kownacki is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bryant sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bryant.
Bryant wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kownacki keeps working.
Bryant tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Bryant is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kownacki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kownacki is being controlled here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bryant wants to stand but Kownacki is controlling his arm.
Bryant wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kownacki keeps working.
Bryant working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
A control attempt from Kownacki but he's now mounted!
Kownacki is trying desperately to improve position.
Kownacki is squirming around, avoiding Bryant's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kownacki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Bryant controlling the pace for now.
Bryant wants to control the pace but Kownacki is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant breaks from Kownacki's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Bryant avoids the attempt from Kownacki to control.
Kownacki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Bryant is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Kownacki has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Kownacki is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Kownacki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryant can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kownacki is looking to escape.
Bryant controlling the position easily from mount.
Bryant dominating with strikes here.
Kownacki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Bryant moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Kownacki has worked his arm free - good work by Kownacki!

And that's the end of the fight!
Gerald Bryant showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bryant has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerald Bryant!