PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johan Gustafsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raymond Carver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raymond Carver has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gustafsson
vs
Carver

187 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
220 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johan Gustafsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Raymond Carver!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gustafsson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Carver trying to control but Gustafsson is working from the bottom.
Carver stops Gustafsson from standing up.
Gustafsson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Carver postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gustafsson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gustafsson lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Carver passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Gustafsson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Carver is trying to control. Gustafsson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carver wants to stand up but Gustafsson manages to regain full guard.
Gustafsson wants to stand up but Carver is controlling him.
Carver showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Raymond Carver has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gustafsson tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Carver takes the fight into the clinch.

Carver pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Carver moves into the clinch.

Gustafsson breaks the clinch.
Gustafsson tries to clinch up.
Gustafsson fails with a takedown attempt.
Gustafsson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Carver.

Carver closes the distance and clinches.

Carver manages to break the clinch.
Gustafsson stuffs the takedown attempt from Carver. Carver gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Carver.
Gustafsson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gustafsson wants it to stay on the feet.
Johan Gustafsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raymond Carver.
Gustafsson feints and then cracks Carver's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Carver down.
Carver looks gassed!
Carver takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Carver keeps the fight on the outside.
Carver digs a good body shot into Gustafsson's ribs.
Gustafsson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Carver.
Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Carver sprawls well. Carver wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gustafsson gets slowly back to his feet.
Gustafsson throws a sloppy head kick

and Carver counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Carver stalling against the cage.
Carver tries to pull guard but Gustafsson won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carver taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Carver blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Carver is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Gustafsson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Carver tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gustafsson's elbow.
Carver tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Gustafsson manages to break the clinch.
Gustafsson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Carver.
Some bone on bone action there as Carver checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Carver dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Carver looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gustafsson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Carver defends it nicely.
Carver defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gustafsson.
Carver shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gustafsson throws a head kick that misses.
Gustafsson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Carver sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gustafsson somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johan Gustafsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carver fails with an attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Carver ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gustafsson moves away.
Horrible takedown by Carver or perhaps it was just good defense by Gustafsson which made him look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson dodges the punch combination from Carver.
Gustafsson wants to clinch.
Carver misses with a leg kick
and Gustafsson counters with a body kick.
Carver lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gustafsson circles away quickly and effectively.
Gustafsson throws a head kick that misses.
Johan Gustafsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gustafsson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Carver swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johan Gustafsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gustafsson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Carver as he jumps to the side.
Carver fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carver stuffs the takedown attempt from Gustafsson. Gustafsson gets slowly back to his feet.

Gustafsson clinches up with Carver and pushes him back against the cage.
Carver stalling.
Carver drops down looking for an ankle pick but Gustafsson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gustafsson is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gustafsson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Carver tries to clinch there but Gustafsson circles away.

Carver fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gustafsson, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carver blocks the elbow strike.
Carver goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gustafsson prevents it.

Carver jumps guard and drags Gustafsson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Carver has a closed guard, preventing Gustafsson from standing up.
Gustafsson advances position into side control!
Gustafsson working the ground and pound but Carver is defending the strikes.
Gustafsson is putting a hurting on Carver here, landing some big shots from side control.
Gustafsson throws a strike aimed at the side of Carver's head but Carver avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carver is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gustafsson stands up and beckons Carver to his feet.
Carver goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Gustafsson gets a takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gustafsson is looking to advance position but Carver won't allow it.
Gustafsson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gustafsson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Carver wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Gustafsson dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gustafsson wants to clinch.
Gustafsson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gustafsson closes the distance and clinches up with Carver, looking for a takedown. Gustafsson pushes Carver against the cage but Carver circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Carver has a takedown stuffed.
Gustafsson misses with a double jab.
Carver tries to close the distance and clinch but Gustafsson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gustafsson looks for a takedown but Carver sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown but Carver shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johan Gustafsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carver fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gustafsson, pushing him back against the cage.
Gustafsson tries to break the clinch but Carver is controlling the position.
Gustafsson gets underhooks to prevent Carver's takedown attempt.

Carver escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carver blocks a head kick by Gustafsson.
Gustafsson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Carver swivels and escapes.

Carver scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Carver lands some shots froms side control.
Carver scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Gustafsson to see if he's OK.
Carver in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Gustafsson is not content to let Carver control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carver tries to score with some ground and pound. Gustafsson controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Carver decides to take the fight back to the feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Carver shoots for a double leg takedown but Gustafsson sprawls well. He's pushed Carver's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Gustafsson is looking to clinch.
Gustafsson slaps away a takedown attempt from Carver, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gustafsson is defended easily by Carver.
Carver shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gustafsson as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carver avoids the head kick by Gustafsson.

Carver has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gustafsson is trying to break free.
Carver tries to score a body lock takedown but Gustafsson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Carver is working for takedown but Gustafsson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Carver prevents a body shot from Gustafsson.
Carver drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gustafsson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Carver pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gustafsson is looking to land body kicks.
Gustafsson is looking to clinch.
Gustafsson shoots in but no luck this time.

Carver closes the distance and clinches.

Carver pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carver misses with a takedown attempt - Gustafsson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Gustafsson manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Carver on his heels. He'll look to pass Carver's guard now, I'm sure.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Carver is trying to keep Gustafsson in close.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raymond Carver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Carver 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raymond Carver!