PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Max Pain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emil Gustafsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gustafsson has chosen My Time as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Pain has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Max Pain could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Emil Gustafsson's chin.

Pain
vs
Gustafsson

179 cm
22
190 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

191 cm
19
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Max Pain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Emil Gustafsson!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gustafsson moves into the clinch successfully.
Gustafsson has Pain pressed against the cage, preventing Pain from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Gustafsson breaks from the clinch.

Gustafsson has taken the fight to the clinch.

Gustafsson breaks from the clinch.
Pain misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Gustafsson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pain is trying to stand back up but Gustafsson is controlling him
Pain is breathing heavily.
Gustafsson is looking to advance position but Pain won't allow it.
Pain tries to roll over but Gustafsson keeps him under control.
Gustafsson moves into full mount! Pain won't be happy about that!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Pain is holding on tight.
Gustafsson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Pain tries to lock up and control but Gustafsson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gustafsson controlling his opponent.
Pain is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gustafsson throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Pain because Gustafsson loaded up on that one.
Pain can't escape the position.

Gustafsson stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gustafsson throws a series of punches but Pain moves out of range.
Gustafsson lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

Gustafsson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pain sprawls well initially but Gustafsson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Gustafsson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Gustafsson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Pain sees it coming and defends easily.

Gustafsson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Pain trying to control but Gustafsson postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pain might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gustafsson is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Gustafsson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pain is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gustafsson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Gustafsson gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Gustafsson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Pain trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gustafsson's guard.

Gustafsson pushes Pain off and gets back to his feet.
Gustafsson shoots in but Pain avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pain moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Pain throws a shot from downtown. Gustafsson moves away and avoids it.
A swing and a miss from Pain.
Gustafsson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Gustafsson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pain misses with an uppercut.
Gustafsson slips under a jab from Pain.

Gustafsson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Pain is trying to defend but Gustafsson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gustafsson is looking to take a break and control but Pain is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pain trying to control here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pain is not content to let Gustafsson control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pain tries to get to full guard but Gustafsson has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson wants to free his trapped foot but Pain is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Pain trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gustafsson is trying to control the action in half guard but Pain is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

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

Gustafsson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Pain is trying to control the position but Gustafsson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gustafsson stopping the sweep attempt from Pain.

Gustafsson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pain looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gustafsson is looking to work some ground and pound but Pain has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gustafsson 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gustafsson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pain connects with a single shot there.
Pain scores with a jab. Gustafsson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A combination from Gustafsson does no damage.
Pain throws a series of punches but Gustafsson moves out of range.
Pain swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Gustafsson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pain's guard.
Pain wants to sweep but no luck.
Pain looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pain wants to control but Gustafsson passes easily into half guard.
Pain is not content to let Gustafsson control the position.
Pain is trying to control but can't.
Pain is positioning himself well to prevent Gustafsson advancing to mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pain regains full guard. Nicely done.
Pain trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Gustafsson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Pain's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Pain throws a lazy right hand but Gustafsson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gustafsson postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pain is on top in guard.
Pain wants to get up but he can't break Gustafsson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gustafsson pulls Pain in close to prevent any damage.
Gustafsson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pain. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Pain drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gustafsson dives on top into guard.
Pain is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson trying to control but Pain is working from the bottom.

Gustafsson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Pain looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Pain looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Pain!

Pain working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
An elbow from Pain crashes against the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Pain is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Gustafsson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Pain thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson manages to get back to half guard.

Pain is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gustafsson is trying to maintain the position but Pain is very close to passing his half guard.

Gustafsson pushes Pain off and gets back to his feet.
Pain throws a nice looking combination but Gustafsson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pain lands a head shot.
Pain will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Gustafsson gets a clinch.
Gustafsson landing knees to the head.

Gustafsson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Pain clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Pain tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Pain sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Emil Gustafsson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pain trying to control but Gustafsson postures up.
Pain controlling the position well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Emil Gustafsson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gustafsson 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emil Gustafsson!