PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dan Ruska (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henry Hardcore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Henry Hardcore struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 156.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ruska
vs
Hardcore

170 cm
18
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Syndicate Drugs
XXX Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dan Ruska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Henry Hardcore!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardcore fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ruska misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ruska stuffs the takedown.
Hardcore looks gassed!

Ruska closes the distance and clinches.
Ruska lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ruska lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Ruska escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A left and a right from Ruska both land. Nice combination.
Hardcore has a takedown stuffed.
Dan Ruska has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henry Hardcore.

Ruska takes the fight into the clinch.
Ruska gets through Hardcore's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Ruska.

Ruska breaks from the clinch.

Ruska drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Ruska stands up and beckons Hardcore to his feet.

Ruska fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hardcore, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruska tries to break the clinch but Hardcore is controlling the position.
Hardcore tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ruska smiles and moves away.
Hardcore with a poor takedown

and Ruska moves into the clinch.
Ruska lands a shot to the body.

Ruska breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ruska fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hardcore slips a straight right by Ruska.

Ruska darts in and clinches Hardcore up against the cage.
Ruska lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ruska crunches a lovely knee into Hardcore's ribcage.
Hardcore wants a takedown.
Hardcore tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ruska smiles and moves away.

Ruska fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hardcore, pushing him back against the cage.
Ruska stalling.
Hardcore prevents Ruska from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ruska.

Hardcore gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Hardcore scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ruska is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardcore 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.
Hardcore postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ruska is on top in guard.
Ruska has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hardcore is proving hard to escape from.
Ruska postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Hardcore looking for a guillotine here but Ruska defends easily.

Hardcore throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Ruska escapes and throws Hardcore's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruska working the head with strikes.
Hardcore manages to work his way to half guard, despite Ruska's best efforts.
Hardcore is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Hardcore looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ruska lands strikes from half guard.
Ruska prevents Hardcore from improving his position.
Ruska wants to free his trapped foot but Hardcore is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ground and pound from Ruska.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ruska throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ruska throws out a powerful jab.
Ruska misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardcore misses with a takedown
and Ruska counters with a series of strikes. Hardcore will be more careful next time no doubt.

Hardcore shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Hardcore was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ruska tries to reverse the position but Hardcore maintains control.
Hardcore is landing with some decent strikes but Ruska is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

It looks like Dan Ruska has been cut.

Hardcore goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Ruska is on top in guard.
Hardcore has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ruska pushing down on Hardcore's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hardcore is not content to let Ruska control the position.
Ruska lands with a punch from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Ruska dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Ruska's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ruska scores with a kick to the midsection.

Ruska scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ruska lands a nice short elbow.
Hardcore has a hand on Ruska's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Ruska takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Ruska punishing his opponent with strikes.
Ruska punishing his opponent with strikes.
BOOM! Ruska connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ruska cracks Hardcore with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
A nice elbow there by Ruska.
Hardcore can't escape the position.
Ruska looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hardcore working to try and regain half guard.
Dan Ruska overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruska tries to control but Hardcore wriggling away.
Ruska has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hardcore's face.
Hardcore is working to get back to half guard.
Hardcore is in a horrible position here. Ruska smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Hardcore bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Hardcore trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Hardcore drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ruska dives on top into guard.
Hardcore tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ruska stands and throws Hardcore's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardcore sneaks back into half guard.
Ruska lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ruska prevents Hardcore from improving his position.
Ruska thows a huge punch but Hardcore dodges it nicely.
Hardcore works his way to full guard. Good work.

Ruska is posturing up here but Hardcore has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Ruska tries to roll out but it's too tight and Ruska has to tap! Slick submission there by Hardcore!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Henry Hardcore!