PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Luke Tankard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steffa Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tankard
vs
Rutten

177 cm
25
180 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

182 cm
21
171 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Broken Halo Pride Nutrition
Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luke Tankard!
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, Steffa Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tankard takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rutten checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Tankard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tankard moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Tankard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rutten was well out of range. Poor timing from Tankard.
Tankard looks to land a right hand but Rutten moved out of range.
Tankard scores with a jab to the body.

Tankard moves into the clinch.
A short right from Tankard on the inside.
Rutten is looking to break free of the clinch but Tankard has double underhooks.
Nice body punch from Tankard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tankard misses with some punches.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rutten wants to break the clinch but can't.
Tankard misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tankard working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rutten has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Tankard throws a head punch that misses.
A body shot lands from Tankard.
Tankard drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tankard tries a body shot but Rutten blocks it.
Rutten is trying to force a seperation but Tankard has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tankard has Rutten pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Tankard pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Rutten tumbling to the mat - Tankard dives into Rutten's guard.
Tankard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tankard loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rutten keeping moving, preventing Tankard from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rutten wants to get back to his feet but Tankard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tankard drops back looking for a leg! Rutten is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rutten manages to kick Tankard off! Tankard jumps back into Rutten's guard.
Tankard is pushing down on Rutten's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rutten is fighting to maintain full guard but Tankard has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten has hold of Tankard's hands but Tankard slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rutten pushes Tankard off looking to stand but Tankard dives back in and keeps control.
Tankard content to control rather than advance.
Tankard throwing shots but Rutten is blocking nicely.
Rutten blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tankard.
Tankard working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tankard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tankard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rutten keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tankard is trying to control. Rutten wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tankard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tankard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rutten's head.
Tankard is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Tankard keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rutten's head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rutten can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tankard is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Tankard thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rutten preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

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.
Tankard landing some decent shots from guard.
Tankard passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rutten struggling a bit here.
Rutten is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Tankard asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tankard scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Rutten to see if he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Tankard dominated that round.
That's time! Tankard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tankard lunges at Rutten with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rutten's hand.
Tankard moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rutten misses with a combination
enabling Tankard to counter with a crisp jab.
Rutten throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Rutten thows a leg kick but Tankard checks it
and Tankard counters with a nice low kick that buckles Rutten's knee momentarily.
Rutten shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rutten throws a jab but it's blocked by Tankard.
Tankard moves out of range of the strikes.
Tankard lands with a kick to the temple. Rutten shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
A looping hook to the body misses from Tankard. Rutten does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rutten tests Tankard's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rutten misses with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Rutten misses
and Tankard cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rutten misses with a double jab
and Tankard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rutten scores with a hook.
Rutten throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tankard lands a jab to the nose.
Tankard cracks the inside of Rutten's front leg.
Tankard throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rutten.
The fighters circle momentarily. Tankard darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Tankard punishes Rutten's body with a nice straight punch.
Tankard looks to score with a jab to the body but Rutten is just out of range.
Tankard lands a jab to Rutten's midsection.
Rutten is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tankard tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tankard lands a really nice looking cross but Rutten seems unphased.
Rutten misses with a two punch combination.
Steffa Rutten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rutten attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rutten rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tankard moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tankard looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tankard changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tankard misses with a leg kick
and Rutten connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Tankard finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Rutten dodges the punch combination from Tankard.
Tankard throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rutten stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Tankard uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rutten.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tankard throws a nice looking combination but Rutten bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tankard throws a leg kick which misses Rutten's front leg but catches the back leg as Rutten tries to avoid it.
Tankard buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rutten on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A swing and a miss from Tankard.
Tankard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rutten swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rutten dips to his left and cracks Tankard with an uppercut!
Nice jab there from Tankard.
Tankard clobbers Rutten with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Rutten leaves Tankard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rutten closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten thows a leg kick but Tankard checks it
and Tankard counters with a stiff right hand.
Rutten takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Tankard looks to score with a jab to the body but Rutten is just out of range.
Rutten fails to land with a series of punches.
Rutten throws a leg kick that is checked

and Tankard counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rutten's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tankard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tankard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tankard with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Tankard prevents Rutten from getting back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tankard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tankard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rutten swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Tankard dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A nice inside leg kick there by Tankard. That's going to slow Rutten down.
Tankard misses with a combination
and Rutten counters with a straight right hand.
Tankard shoots in looking for a takedown. Rutten tries to sprawl out of it but Tankard keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rutten manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rutten misses with a hook to the body

and Tankard counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rutten is looking to escape.

Tankard is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Rutten is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Luke Tankard!
Luke Tankard retains his welterweight title!