PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Desmond Grey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elvin Ruez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruez has chosen Face Breaker - Poison Pen as his entrance music. Elvin Ruez told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Grey
vs
Ruez

175 cm
23
166 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

178 cm
23
163 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Desmond Grey!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Elvin Ruez!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grey looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Grey throws a looping overhand right but Ruez ducks down to avoid it.

Ruez closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Grey to the mat! Grey manages to get full guard.
Grey trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Grey is controlling Ruez's posture.
Ruez wants to control from the top but Grey keeps moving.
Grey preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ruez trying to control but Grey is working from the bottom.
Grey on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Grey tries to get out of the position.
Grey seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruez trying to control but Grey is working from the bottom.
Grey looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Grey looks to score with a jab to the body but Ruez is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grey swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Ruez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Still in half guard, Ruez seems content to control.
It looks like Ruez is going to stand back up.
Grey is controlling Ruez's trapped leg to prevent Ruez from advancing to side control.
Grey tries to roll over but Ruez keeps him under control.
Grey controlling the position for now.
Ruez working Grey over with strikes.
Grey has his hands clasped together around Ruez's back. He's all about the action.
Grey is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ruez seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Ruez tries to pass to full mount but Grey defends it.
Grey wants to get back to his feet.
Grey blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruez.
Grey wants to improve his position but Ruez is controlling well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Grey shoots in but Ruez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Grey avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Desmond Grey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grey ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruez moves away.

Grey shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ruez tries to hold on but Grey postures up.
Ruez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ruez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grey looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ruez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruez tries to lock up and control but Grey gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ruez is trying desperately to improve position.
Ruez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Grey.
Ruez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Grey scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Grey thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Grey trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Elvin Ruez will probably get the nod.
That's time! Grey's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Grey loads up on a big right hand but Ruez slips the punch.
Ruez misses with the combination.
Grey stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Grey wants it to stay on the feet.
Grey keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd cheers as Grey lands an impressive looking overhand right. Ruez doesn't seem phased though.
Ruez throws out a leg kick but Grey moves out of range and Ruez only half commits.
Jab from Grey.
Ruez wants to clinch up but Grey keeps it at a distance.
Grey lands a slapping body shot.

Grey shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ruez is trying to defend but Grey finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ruez trying to control but Grey postures up.
Grey stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grey is looking to advance position but Ruez won't allow it.
Grey prevents Ruez from improving his position.
Grey not doing much here.
Ruez is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ruez tries to roll over but Grey keeps him under control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ruez is looking to clinch but Grey is avoiding it.
The fighters circling - Grey throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ruez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Grey misses the shot to the body.
Ruez misses with a body shot

and Grey counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ruez is looking for a sweep. Grey is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Grey is looking to take a break and control but Ruez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Grey stalling away here and it's allowed Ruez to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Grey trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ruez seems keen to control Grey's posture.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ruez scores with a jab to the jaw.

Ruez throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Grey was covering up waiting for the punch and Ruez finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruez trying to control but Grey is working from the bottom.
Grey throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Grey wants to sweep but no luck.
Ruez looking to pass the guard.

Ruez drops back looking for a leg! Grey is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Grey manages to kick Ruez off! Ruez jumps back into Grey's guard.
Grey is pulling down on Ruez's head to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Desmond Grey dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ruez tries to clinch but Grey moves out of range.

Grey looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ruez!
Ruez tries to lock up and control but Grey gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ruez is trying desperately to improve position.
Ruez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Grey.
Grey lands a heavy elbow.
Grey looking to finish with strikes here!
Ruez is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grey in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Desmond Grey overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ruez is looking to improve his position but Grey isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grey trying to control but Ruez is having none of it.
Grey scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ruez?
Grey looking to control but Ruez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ruez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ruez regains half guard.
Ruez gets back to full guard.
Grey tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruez is retaining full guard.
Ruez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Grey trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grey slips nicely into half guard.
Ruez wants to control but Grey is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruez tries to roll over but Grey keeps him under control.
Grey sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ruez defending well though.
Ruez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Grey has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Grey preventing the sweep.
Grey postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ruez wants to stand and escape but Grey is having none of it.
Grey lands a couple of digs.
Ruez looking for a sweep. Not yet Ruez, not yet.
Ruez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ruez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Grey looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Ruez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruez keeping moving, preventing Grey from controlling successfully.
Ruez is trying to keep Grey in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Desmond Grey clearly takes that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Grey takes a swing at Ruez's ribcage but misses.
Ruez has a takedown stuffed.
Ruez slips a jab and a cross from Grey.
Ruez blocks a jab.
Grey throws out a loose jab but Ruez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ruez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ruez fails in his attempt to clinch.
A big right from Grey misses.
Grey has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Grey there as he acknowledges the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grey misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Grey looks to land a combination but Ruez avoids it well.
A left and a right from Ruez both land. Nice combination.
Grey fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Ruez pushes Grey up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Ruez.
Ruez stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Ruez swings wildly with an uppercut but Grey uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ruez is struggling to control the position.

Ruez breaks from the clinch.
Grey keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ruez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Grey.
Ruez tries to bum rush Grey with a series of wild strikes but Grey uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Grey stuffs the takedown attempt from Ruez. Ruez gets slowly back to his feet.
Desmond Grey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elvin Ruez.
Ruez is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Grey falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ruez counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Grey closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Ruez tries to roll over but Grey keeps him under control.
Grey throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ruez trying to control but Grey postures up.
Grey seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Grey perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Ruez wants to get back to his feet.
Ruez is not content to let Grey control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grey lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ruez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Grey trying to control the action but Ruez is working from the bottom.
Grey looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ruez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ruez is not content to let Grey control the position.
Ruez trying to control from the bottom.
Grey prevents Ruez from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Grey content to control rather than advance.
Grey is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Grey trying to control from Ruez's half guard. Ruez has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Ruez is trying to keep Grey in close.
Grey wants to control from the top but Ruez keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Desmond Grey will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Grey cracks Ruez with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Ruez misses with a low kick as Grey jumps back.
Grey keeps the fight on the outside.
Ruez loads up on a big right hand but Grey slips the punch.
Ruez takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Grey changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ruez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ruez manages to work his way to half guard, despite Grey's best efforts.
Ruez trying to control here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Grey in particular looking to stall.
Ruez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruez controlling the position well.
Ruez is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Grey sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Ruez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Grey not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ruez has hold of Grey's hands but Grey slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Grey wants to pass the guard but Ruez is defending well.
Grey not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Grey controlling the action here.
Grey is trying to control. Ruez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Grey wants to take a breather but Ruez is having none of it.
Ruez wants to control but Grey is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Grey is looking to take a break and control but Ruez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Desmond Grey.
Ruez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grey paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ruez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Grey backs up against the cage.
Ruez with a poor takedown

and Grey decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ruez's guard.
Grey forces his way into half guard.
Grey missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Grey seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ruez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruez preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Ruez trying to hold on to Grey's head to control him but Grey postures up.
Elvin Ruez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Grey winds up and cracks Ruez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Grey looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ruez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ruez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Grey throws and elbow that misses. Ruez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Grey's guard. Nice move by Ruez!
Ruez is pushing down on Grey's leg trying to pass to half guard. Grey is fighting to maintain full guard but Ruez has managed to sneak the leg through.

And that's the end of the fight!
Desmond Grey showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Grey has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 50:45
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 49:46
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Desmond Grey!
Desmond Grey retains his lightweight title!