PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Rugg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Kositzky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kositzky has chosen Schwarz zu Blau as his entrance music. Paul Kositzky has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Rugg
vs
Kositzky

174 cm
23
155 lbs
7 - 5 - 1

173 cm
29
140 lbs
18 - 16 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Elite Nutrition
Cage Wars Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Rugg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Kositzky!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kositzky swats away the attempt to clinch by Rugg.
Nice defenses there by Rugg.
Rugg throws a push kick but Kositzky slaps the foot to one side.
Kositzky cracks Rugg with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Rugg throws a body kick that misses.

Kositzky clinches.
Rugg keeps control of Kositzky as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kositzky is trying to stall.
Rugg tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kositzky avoids it.
Kositzky trying to stall but Rugg improves his position.
A short right from Rugg on the inside.
Kositzky is pushing Rugg up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Paul Kositzky.
Rugg tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kositzky counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kositzky on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Rugg moves into the clinch.
Rugg throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kositzky blocks it with crossed arms.
Rugg with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rugg misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kositzky will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rugg up against the cage.
Rugg is looking to control Kositzky's arms but Kositzky gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rugg has his back to the cage.
Rugg misses with a knee strike.
Kositzky letting Rugg take a breather here.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kositzky is looking to control Rugg's arms but Rugg gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kositzky has his back to the cage.
Rugg just leaning against Kositzky, taking a breather.
Kositzky is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rugg is keeping busy.
Kositzky can't get the takedown.
Rugg putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kositzky in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rugg unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rugg is pushing Kositzky up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Kositzky stalling.
Rugg tries a knee to the head but Kositzky blocks it.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rugg with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kositzky working hard to break the clinch.
Rugg stalling.
Rugg gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kositzky.
Kositzky is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rugg pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Matt Rugg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Kositzky.
Rugg tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kositzky can't break the clinch.
Rugg is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rugg lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rugg scores with a knee to the head.
Rugg has Kositzky pressed against the cage.
Rugg using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kositzky wants a takedown.
Nice elbow from Rugg.
Kositzky goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rugg prevents it.
Rugg gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kositzky.
Kositzky looks gassed!
Rugg letting Kositzky take a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rugg holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kositzky on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kositzky goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rugg prevents it.
Kositzky is trying to stall.
Rugg stops a takedown attempt from Kositzky.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rugg obliges.
Rugg scores with a knee to the head.
Rugg stalling the fight.
Rugg tries a knee to the head but Kositzky blocks it.
Rugg tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rugg gets through Kositzky's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Knees to the body from Rugg.
Rugg is trying to stall.
Rugg lands an elbow inside.
Rugg's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rugg misses with a knee to the head.
Rugg tries a knee to the head but Kositzky blocks it.
Rugg with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kositzky taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rugg using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kositzky has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rugg letting Kositzky take a breather here.
Kositzky drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rugg misses with a knee strike.
Kositzky has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rugg is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rugg creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kositzky's defenses.
Rugg misses with a knee strike.
Rugg missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kositzky closes the distance and pushes Rugg back into the cage.
Rugg is pressed up against the cage. Kositzky has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rugg down to the mat. Rugg avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rugg is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Kositzky.
Kositzky scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kositzky.

Rugg darts in and clinches Kositzky up against the cage.
Rugg with a knee to the head.
Rugg prevents the takedown attempt.
Matt Rugg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Kositzky.
Rugg stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rugg missing with knees to the body.
Rugg lands a nice elbow.
Kositzky's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Kositzky has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kositzky is breathing heavily.
Rugg landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rugg landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kositzky takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rugg scores with a knee to the head.
Kositzky stalling in the clinch but Rugg improves position.
Rugg lands a nice knee to the body.
Rugg's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rugg creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kositzky's defenses.
Rugg putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kositzky in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rugg landing knees to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kositzky takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rugg is pushing Kositzky up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Rugg using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rugg leaning his opponent against the cage.
Rugg gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rugg lands a good knee to the midsection. Kositzky won't want to take too many of those.
Rugg stalling against the cage.
Kositzky stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rugg with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Rugg unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Stalling in the clinch from Kositzky.
Rugg throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kositzky blocks it with crossed arms.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kositzky wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rugg is pushing Kositzky up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kositzky as Rugg tries to tie him up.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rugg throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kositzky blocks it with crossed arms.
Kositzky displaying some good clinch control by pressing Rugg up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rugg landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rugg lands an elbow just above Kositzky 's eye.
Rugg tries to work over Kositzky's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rugg scores a nice knee to the body.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kositzky blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A body shot lands from Rugg.
Rugg using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kositzky has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kositzky stalling in the clinch but Rugg improves position.
Kositzky tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kositzky drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rugg gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kositzky tries to stall but Rugg uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rugg will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kositzky up against the cage.
Rugg throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rugg lands a nice knee to the body.

That's four 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.
Kositzky trying to stall but Rugg improves his position.
Rugg with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Matt Rugg has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rugg lands a nice elbow.
Kositzky is pushing Rugg up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Kositzky gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rugg looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rugg trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Rugg dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rugg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rugg tries to clinch

and Kositzky counters by clinching up.
Kositzky is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rugg pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rugg connects with a knee to the head.
Rugg lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rugg scores a nice knee to the body.
Rugg unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kositzky lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rugg with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kositzky manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rugg landing knees to the head.
A knee to the head by Rugg.
Rugg is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rugg with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rugg creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kositzky's defenses.
Kositzky is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rugg with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rugg connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kositzky's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rugg tries to land a knee to the head but Kositzky blocks with his arms.
Kositzky goes for a takedown attempt but Rugg pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rugg goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rugg wants to clinch but Kositzky slips to the side

and Kositzky counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rugg is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kositzky decides to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kositzky throws a sloppy head kick and Rugg moves out of range easily.
Rugg tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Kositzky counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kositzky.
Kositzky stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rugg swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rugg is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kositzky is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rugg scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Paul Kositzky has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Rugg is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kositzky throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Kositzky pushes Rugg up against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Kositzky comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rugg 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Rugg!