PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kian Kushiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kushiel comes to the cage accompanied by Welsh National Anthem. Rutten is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: You Call My Name. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kushiel
vs
Rutten

194 cm
23
198 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

186 cm
23
205 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Bio-Tech Industries
Das Labor

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kian Kushiel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bas Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kushiel rushes Rutten and presses him up against the cage.
Rutten fails to pull guard.

Kushiel breaks the clinch.
Kushiel moves out of range of the body kick from Rutten.

Kushiel clinches up with Rutten and pushes him back against the cage.

Kushiel gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Rutten regains guard.
Kushiel wants to control from the top but Rutten keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rutten controls Kushiel momentarily but Kushiel frees himself.
Kushiel wants to pass the guard but Rutten is keeping the position.
Kushiel stands up out of Rutten's guard for a moment - Rutten manages to land a nice upkick.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kushiel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kushiel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kushiel passes Rutten's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ground and pound from Kushiel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushiel is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Kushiel looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Kushiel trying to control but Rutten is having none of it.
Rutten can't escape the position.
Kushiel lands with some strikes.
Kushiel thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kushiel landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rutten is looking to get to half guard.
Kushiel thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Kushiel landing punches.
Rutten is squirming around, avoiding Kushiel's attempts to control the action.
Kushiel sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rutten taking shots to the head.
Rutten really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel trying to control but Rutten is having none of it.

Rutten defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Kushiel.
Kushiel working the ground and pound effectively.
Rutten is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rutten is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Kushiel is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rutten is surviving well by controlling Kushiel's body position as best he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten taking shots to the head.
Kushiel lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kushiel fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Kushiel with a couple of short strikes.
The referee warns Rutten that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Rutten is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kushiel is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rutten can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rutten is still in real trouble! Can Kushiel finish him?
Rutten wants to control but Kushiel is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rutten is looking to improve his position but Kushiel isn't that keen on the idea.
Kushiel lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rutten hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kian Kushiel dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kushiel avoids the head kick by Rutten.
Rutten seems to have recovered his senses.
Rutten catches Kushiel with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rutten shoots in and drives through. Kushiel sprawls well.

Kushiel looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Kushiel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rutten is keeping the position for now.

Rutten scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Kushiel feints and as Rutten raises his hands in defense, Kushiel changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rutten looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kushiel trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kushiel postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rutten is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kushiel, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten trying to control but Kushiel is working from the bottom.
Rutten might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kushiel kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Rutten trying to move into half guard but instead Kushiel has managed to sweep!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kushiel with a nice head shot there.
Kushiel pushes down on Rutten's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kushiel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rutten's head.
Kushiel content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kushiel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rutten keeps working.
Rutten is looking to control Kushiel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rutten avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel is trying to control. Rutten wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rutten has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kushiel is working away from the top position though.
Kushiel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rutten keeps working.
Kian Kushiel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Rutten is defending against the submission attempts here by Kushiel.

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

Kushiel drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kushiel pushing down on Rutten's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rutten trying to hold on to Kushiel's head to control him but Kushiel postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kushiel is trying to control. Rutten wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kushiel working the head and body with strikes.
Rutten is staying active underneath Kushiel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rutten wants to control but Kushiel passes into side.
Kushiel is working Rutten over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rutten is looking to regain half guard here but Kushiel keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kian Kushiel dominated that second round.
That's time! Kushiel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kushiel takes the fight into the clinch.
Rutten is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rutten goes for a takedown attempt but Kushiel pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rutten tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kushiel.
Rutten pushes Kushiel away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Kushiel gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Kushiel lands a nice forearm strike.
Rutten takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kushiel scoring with punches from side control.
Kushiel working the body and head with strikes.

Kushiel decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rutten to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushiel lands with a right hand.

Rutten scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kushiel manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Kushiel wants to control but Rutten is keeping him busy.
Kushiel perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kushiel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rutten defending well though.
Kushiel lands with a punch from half guard.
Kushiel lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Kushiel is trying to work for a kimura but Rutten is defending well.
Rutten won't allow Kushiel to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten is in trouble now - Kushiel has advanced to mount!
Kushiel scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rutten?
The referee warns Rutten that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kushiel trying to control but Rutten is having none of it.

Kushiel looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Kushiel can't control as he wanted to and Rutten manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel wants to take a breather but Rutten is having none of it.

Kushiel stands up out of the half guard.
Kian Kushiel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kushiel fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rutten checks it well.

Kushiel gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Kushiel gets control of Rutten's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kushiel will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Kushiel keeping moving, preventing Rutten from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel lands with a heel strike from the guard.

Kushiel looking for a guillotine here but Rutten defends easily.
Kushiel 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.
Bas Rutten has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kian Kushiel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kushiel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rutten can do to turn this around?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kushiel had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rutten defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kian Kushiel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kushiel 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kian Kushiel!