PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wilbur Bickell (ranked 4302 p4p, 4132 weight class) and Kody Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bickell
vs
Ruiz

160 cm
25
175
0 - 0 - 1

188 cm
18
177
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Wilbur Bickell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kody Ruiz!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruiz shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Bickell has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ruiz is working away from the top position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruiz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bickell defending well though.
Bickell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bickell tries to get out of the position.
Ruiz prevents Bickell from improving his position.
Ruiz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bickell with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bickell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruiz.
Ruiz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ruiz working Bickell over with strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bickell looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ruiz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ruiz keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bickell regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ruiz lands a couple of elbows.
Bickell is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ruiz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ruiz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bickell keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Ruiz landing with the ground and pound.

Ruiz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ruiz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ruiz scoring with punches to the head and body.

Bickell working for submissions but it's allowed Ruiz to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bickell is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ruiz stands up from half guard.

Bickell has closed the distance and engaged Ruiz in a clinch.
Ruiz wants a takedown.

Bickell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ruiz lands with a nice body kick.

Bickell looking to score a takedown here. Ruiz is defending well but Bickell drives through and ends up in Ruiz's guard.
Bickell controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ruiz wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bickell trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
Ruiz looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

Bickell stands and steps away. Ruiz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

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.
Ruiz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Bickell shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ruiz napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Ruiz sneaks out the side door and pushes Bickell away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Bickell closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ruiz to the mat! Ruiz manages to get full guard.

Ruiz manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Ruiz manages to break the clinch.

Bickell closes the distance and clinches.
Bickell gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ruiz.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bickell closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Bickell working hard to break the clinch.
Bickell stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Bickell pulls guard.
Ruiz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kody Ruiz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ruiz content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bickell trying to keep a closed guard but Ruiz is proving a slippery customer.

Bickell has his foot on Ruiz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ruiz works his way back into a safe position though.
Bickell looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruiz 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.
Bickell wants to sweep here but Ruiz controlling him for the moment.
Ruiz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ruiz chips away with some ground and pound.
Bickell wants to stand up but Ruiz is controlling him.
Ruiz stays in close to Bickell's body and controls the position.

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

That's two 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.
Bickell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ruiz goes for a double leg but Bickell avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bickell continues to drive forward.

Ruiz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Bickell bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bickell closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ruiz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bickell pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bickell digs a right hand underneath Ruiz's ribcage. Ruiz let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Bickell putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Ruiz in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Bickell comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bickell scores with a hook to the body.
Ruiz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bickell fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Wilbur Bickell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kody Ruiz.

Ruiz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bickell sprawls well initially but Ruiz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bickell has hold of Ruiz's hands but Ruiz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Bickell is trying to stand.
Ruiz is nestled in close to Bickell, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
We've been informed that Ruiz has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Ruiz scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Ruiz seems to be working for a kimura but Bickell defends the submission attempt.
Bickell on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bickell flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ruiz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Bickell might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ruiz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bickell with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bickell is trying to stand.
Bickell throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ruiz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Bickell is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ruiz scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ruiz working Bickell over with strikes.
Bickell tries to roll over but Ruiz keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruiz is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ruiz working over Bickell with some ground and pound. Bickell looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Wilbur Bickell will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ruiz closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ruiz lands in his opponent's guard.

Bickell scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Ruiz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

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

Bickell successfully pulls guard.
Ruiz scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ruiz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bickell working a defensive guard here.
Ruiz scoring with some ground and pound.
Ruiz landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Ruiz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ruiz postures up and lands a big shot to Bickell's brow.
Ruiz content to stall in guard here.
Bickell is trying to control the position but Ruiz postures up.

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.

Bickell had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ruiz defends it easily.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Wilbur Bickell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A punch combination from Ruiz misses.
Ruiz throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kody Ruiz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Bickell closes the distance and clinches.
Bickell gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ruiz.

Bickell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bickell takes the fight into the clinch.

Bickell has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Ruiz uses from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz stands up over Bickell, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ruiz landing with the ground and pound.
Bickell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ruiz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ruiz working some strikes from top position.
Ruiz postures up and lands a big shot to Bickell's brow.
Ruiz stays in close to Bickell's body and controls the position.

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.
Ruiz is continuing to stall.

Bickell is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ruiz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Bickell being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bickell looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Ruiz!
Ruiz tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kody Ruiz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kody Ruiz!