PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Brandt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gonna Slapaho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Brandt
vs
Slapaho

183 cm
21
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ryan Brandt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gonna Slapaho!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slapaho misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Brandt tries for a takedown but Slapaho sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Brandt fails in his attempt to clinch.
Brandt lands a high kick!

Brandt clinches up against the cage.
Brandt is pressed up against the cage. Slapaho has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Brandt down to the mat. Brandt avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Some bone on bone action there as Slapaho checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Slapaho with a lazy takedown attempt

so Brandt counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Ryan Brandt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gonna Slapaho.
Brandt wants to control from the top but Slapaho keeps moving.

Brandt 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.

Slapaho is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slapaho is trying to control the position but Brandt postures up.
Brandt trying to control but Slapaho is working from the bottom.
Slapaho tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Brandt tries to free his leg and advance position but Slapaho is retaining full guard.

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

Brandt shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Slapaho's guard.
Brandt trying to control the position from guard on top but Slapaho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Brandt is breathing heavily.
Brandtis looking to pass into half guard but Slapaho pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Slapaho is in guard.
Brandt has Slapaho pulled in close to control his posture.
Slapaho stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Brandt swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Brandt is on top in guard.
Slapaho wants to stand up but Brandt is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brandt preventing the sweep.
Brandt with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slapaho is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Brandt passes into half guard.
Slapaho is trying to get back to full guard.
Brandt stalling.
Slapaho has hold of Brandt's hands but Brandt slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Brandt trying to control the action but Slapaho is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Brandt not doing much here.
Brandt is looking to take a break and control but Slapaho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brandt is nestled in close to Slapaho, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Brandt trying to control from half guard but Slapaho is working away.
Slapaho preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Brandt controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Brandt dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Brandt gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Slapaho counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Slapaho distracts Brandt with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Slapaho gets to his feet - Brandt follows without any prompting.
Slapaho has his takedown stuffed

and Brandt counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Brandt.
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!
Brandt trying to control the position from guard on top but Slapaho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Brandt stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Slapaho fails with the takedown

and Brandt counters with a takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Slapaho manages to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slapaho is looking to control Brandt's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Slapaho avoid being mounted?
Slapaho moves into full guard.
Slapaho bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Brandt's guard.
Slapaho trying to control but Brandt is working from the bottom.
Brandt looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Slapaho puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Brandt is looking to improve his position.
Slapaho throwing shots but Brandt is blocking nicely.

That's two 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.
Brandt keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Brandt wants to control but Slapaho is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Slapaho thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Slapaho is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Brandt is just riding it out for now. Slapaho eventually gives up the hold.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Brandt looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandt loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Brandt passes Slapaho's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Brandt throwing shots but Slapaho is blocking nicely.
Brandt throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Brandt tries to stand and escape but Slapaho actually recovers to full guard.
Brandt postures up.
Slapaho is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Slapaho keeping moving, preventing Brandt from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Slapaho is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Brandt works over Slapaho with some ground and pound from guard.

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

Brandt closes the distance and clinches.
Brandt drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Slapaho pulls guard effortlessly.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Brandt postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Slapaho working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Brandt dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Slapaho fails with the takedown

and Brandt counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Brandt loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Slapaho being controlled here, momentarily.
Slapaho manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Brandt manages to get himself to full guard.
Brandt trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Brandt looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Slapaho puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Brandt tries to roll over but Slapaho keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slapaho trying to mount his opponent but Brandt defends it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Slapaho missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Slapaho is working for a kimura but Brandt is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slapaho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Brandt does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Brandt makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Slapaho throws a head kick that misses

and Brandt counters with a shoot takedown. Slapaho fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandt wants to control from the top but Slapaho keeps moving.
Slapaho trying to strike off his back.
Slapaho looking to control.
Brandt lands a couple of elbows.
Brandt is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Brandt thows a big elbow that misses.
Brandt preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Brandt closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Brandt changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Slapaho fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Brandt closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Slapaho manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Slapaho working a defensive guard here.
Brandt has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Brandt seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Brandt working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slapaho striking off his back but it's not causing Brandt any problems.
Slapaho keeping moving, preventing Brandt from controlling successfully.
Brandt thows a big elbow that misses.
Slapaho is trying to control the position but Brandt postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Slapaho throws a head kick but Brandt moves out of range.
Ryan Brandt is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gonna Slapaho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Brandt fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Slapaho, pushing him back against the cage.
Slapaho gets underhooks to prevent Brandt's takedown attempt.
Gonna Slapaho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Slapaho is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Brandt is keeping busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Brandt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Brandt 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Brandt!