PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yaya Makabuku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Gustafsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Makabuku
vs
Gustafsson

187 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
27
205 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 London, Yaya Makabuku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Alexander Gustafsson!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Richard Clark and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makabuku fails with a takedown attempt.
Gustafsson closes the distance but Makabuku moves to the side

and Makabuku counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Makabuku.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gustafsson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Makabuku wants to control from the top but Gustafsson keeps moving.
Makabuku looking to sit in guard and control but Gustafsson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gustafsson stays in close to Makabuku's body and controls the position.

Makabuku looking for a guillotine here but Gustafsson defends easily.
Makabuku tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Makabuku is trying to control the position but Gustafsson postures up.
Makabuku wants to sweep but no luck.
Gustafsson looking to sit in guard and control but Makabuku gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gustafsson looking for a sweep. Not yet Gustafsson, not yet.

Gustafsson looking for a guillotine here but Makabuku defends easily.
Gustafsson trying to keep a closed guard but Makabuku is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Makabuku decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Gustafsson gets caught flat footed, as Makabuku shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gustafsson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Makabuku being controlled here momentarily.
Makabuku postures up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Gustafsson isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Makabuku stacks Gustafsson on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Makabuku!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makabuku working away.
Gustafsson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gustafsson struggling a bit here.

Makabuku decides to stand up, so the ref orders Gustafsson to his feet.
A jab lands there for Gustafsson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Makabuku moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gustafsson looks gassed!
Gustafsson stuffs the takedown.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gustafsson.
Makabuku can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Makabuku throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Makabuku seems a little lost for a moment, as Gustafsson dominates the positioning.
Gustafsson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
You can see the frustration on Makabuku's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Gustafsson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Yaya Makabuku will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gustafsson wants to clinch.
Makabuku shoots for a takedown but Gustafsson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gustafsson connects with an inside leg kick.
A head kick by Makabuku misses

and Gustafsson counters by clinching up.
Makabuku tries to score a body lock takedown but Gustafsson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Makabuku is trying to pull guard but Gustafsson has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yaya Makabuku. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gustafsson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Makabuku tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gustafsson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Makabuku somewhat.
Alexander Gustafsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson has a takedown stuffed.
Gustafsson pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Makabuku back to the cage. Gustafsson follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gustafsson misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gustafsson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Makabuku but Makabuku pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gustafsson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Gustafsson dives in and scores a takedown into Makabuku's guard.
Makabuku working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gustafsson.
Makabuku is trying to keep Gustafsson in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Gustafsson stopping the sweep attempt from Makabuku.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gustafsson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gustafsson looking to pass the guard.
Gustafsson is in close to Makabuku's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Makabuku wants to get back to his feet but Gustafsson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gustafsson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gustafsson is working Makabuku over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson trying to control but Makabuku is working from the bottom.
Gustafsson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alexander Gustafsson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Makabuku is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Gustafsson dives into side control.
Gustafsson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Gustafsson lands a few punches from side control.
Gustafsson trying to control the position but Makabuku is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson working the ground and pound.
Gustafsson controlling from side mount.
Gustafsson lands an elbow.
Gustafsson works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gustafsson is putting a hurting on Makabuku here, landing some big shots from side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
You can see the frustration on Makabuku's face as Gustafsson controls the position.

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

Gustafsson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Gustafsson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Gustafsson clinches up with Makabuku and pushes him back against the cage.
Makabuku trying to stall but Gustafsson improves his position.
Gustafsson tries to pull guard but Makabuku won't allow it.
Gustafsson wants to get back to striking at distance but Makabuku won't allow it.
Makabuku lands a hook to the side of the head.
A frustrated look appears on Makabuku's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gustafsson is pressed up against the cage. Makabuku has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gustafsson down to the mat. Gustafsson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gustafsson scores with a head kick. Makabuku tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Gustafsson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gustafsson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gustafsson advances position into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson moves into full mount!
Gustafsson wants to control the action but instead Makabuku gets a body lock and reverses into Gustafsson's guard! Nice work!

Gustafsson pushes Makabuku off and scrambles back to his feet.
Gustafsson throws a head kick that misses.
Makabuku scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gustafsson closes the distance looking to clinch

and Makabuku counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Makabuku.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gustafsson wants to control the position but Makabuku says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Makabuku wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gustafsson keeps working.
Gustafsson is pressing down on Makabuku's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Gustafsson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Makabuku has picked Gustafsson up and slammed him! Gustafsson can't keep hold of the triangle and Makabuku manages to pass to side control!
Gustafsson tries to buck Makabuku off but Makabuku is having none of it.
Makabuku trying to control the position but Gustafsson is working away.
Makabuku taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makabuku wants to control but Gustafsson is keeping him busy.

Makabuku is trying to get an arm triangle but Gustafsson is defending well.
Gustafsson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Makabuku has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Gustafsson lands with a nice body punch.
Gustafsson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Gustafsson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Makabuku tries to avoid it but Gustafsson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Makabuku to the ground. Makabuku escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gustafsson throws a series of punches but Makabuku moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gustafsson stuffs the takedown attempt from Makabuku. Makabuku gets slowly back to his feet.
Gustafsson moves in looking to clinch but Makabuku pushes him off.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexander Gustafsson.
Well Gustafsson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

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