PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Reijo Ruthman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Barnham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruthman comes to the cage accompanied by Special Teamz - Get Down. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ben Barnham was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Ruthman
vs
Barnham

185 cm
22
215 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

196 cm
21
216 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Reijo Ruthman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Barnham!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Eliza Hachem and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruthman takes a swing at Barnham's ribcage but misses.

Ruthman rushes Barnham and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Ruthman decides to pull guard.
Barnham with a flurry of punches that miss.

Ruthman is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Barnham is aware though and is defending well.

Ruthman has his foot on Barnham's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Barnham works his way back into a safe position though.
Barnham passes into half guard.
Ruthman is looking to control Barnham's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ruthman avoid being mounted?
Ruthman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Barnham.
Barnham not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barnham missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ruthman is trying to get back to full guard.
Ruthman is not content to let Barnham control the position.
Ruthman is looking to improve his position.
Ruthman is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Barnham's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Barnham's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Barnham is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Ruthman gets his way!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnham tries to escape but Ruthman has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Barnham is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Barnham is keeping busy.
Barnham wants to escape the position.

Barnham defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Barnham preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Ruthman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnham rolls, trying to escape but Ruthman keeps control of the position.

Barnham is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Ruthman is trying to stick to Barnham's back but Barnham is turning into Ruthman. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Ruthman's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Barnham.

Ruthman working for a triangle but Barnham defends it easily.

Ruthman is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ruthman is pulling down on Barnham's head. It's preventing any offense from Barnham, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnham missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ruthman controls Barnham momentarily but Barnham frees himself.
Barnham postures up and lands a big shot to Ruthman's brow.
Barnham is looking to work some ground and pound but Ruthman has wrist control.
Ruthman keeping moving, preventing Barnham from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnham scoring with punches to the head and body.
Barnham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Barnham postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ruthman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Barnham is looking to work some ground and pound but Ruthman has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruthman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Barnham wants to pass the guard but Ruthman is keeping the position.
Barnham postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Barnham trying to control but Ruthman is working from the bottom.
Ruthman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Ruthman looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ruthman wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Ruthman lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Barnham!

Ruthman goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Barnham is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Ruthman 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.

Ruthman has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Barnham moves into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Barnham lands a hook that snaps the head of Ruthman backwards.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ruthman throws an elbow but misses.
Ruthman jumps guard but Barnham stands there with Ruthman around his waist. Ruthman gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Barnham misses with a hook to the ribs.
Barnham gets through Ruthman's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ruthman throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Barnham lands a hook that snaps the head of Ruthman backwards.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Barnham.
Barnham wants to get back to striking at distance but Ruthman won't allow it.
Barnham wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ruthman prevents a takedown attempt there.
Barnham is leaning against Ruthman and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Barnham throws a punch but it's blocked by Ruthman.

Ruthman pulls guard.
Barnham slips nicely into half guard.
Barnham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruthman is refusing to be controlled, as Barnham sits in half guard.
Ruthman has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Barnham is working away from the top position though.
Barnham missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ruthman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Barnham.
Barnham trying to control the action but Ruthman is working from the bottom.

Barnham looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Ruthman looking for submissions off his back.
Nice strikes from Barnham there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ruthman is looking to control Barnham's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ruthman avoid being mounted?
Reijo Ruthman overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barnham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ruthman trying to control here.

Ruthman is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barnham pulls his head out easily.

Ruthman is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Barnham pulls his head out easily.
Ruthman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Barnham.
Barnham thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Ruthman looking for submissions off his back.
Ruthman trying to hold on to Barnham's head to control him but Barnham postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Barnham there.

Ruthman looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ruthman avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barnham.
Ruthman has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Barnham is working away from the top position though.
Ruthman regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Barnham.

Ruthman working for a triangle but Barnham defends it easily.
Barnham content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ruthman is trying to keep Barnham in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnham trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruthman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barnham throwing strikes from guard but Ruthman blocks nicely.
Barnham throws a big right hand that misses.
Barnham wants to control from the top but Ruthman keeps moving.
Barnham is looking to work some ground and pound but Ruthman has wrist control.
Barnham distracts Ruthman with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Barnham avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Barnham must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Barnham thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Barnham trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruthman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Barnham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Barnham moves into range and clinches up with Ruthman.
Barnham working aggressively here.
Barnham tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Ruthman pulls Barnham into guard.

Ruthman had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Barnham defends it easily.

Ruthman has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Barnham doesn't defend quickly enough and Ruthman has managed to lock this one up! Can Barnham escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Ruthman on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Reijo Ruthman!