PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Lombard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rutten comes to the cage accompanied by Pride. Hector Lombard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rutten
vs
Lombard

185 cm
19
204 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

179 cm
26
190 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bas Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hector Lombard!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutten tries to clinch there but Lombard circles away.
Lombard thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rutten tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rutten.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Rutten throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Rutten trying to control the action but Lombard is working from the bottom.

Rutten is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Lombard is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Lombard is trying to get back to half guard.
Lombard is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rutten has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Rutten decides to stand back up.
Lombard uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rutten has time to react.

Lombard forces Rutten back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard digs a right hand into Rutten's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rutten's gas tank.

Rutten escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rutten closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lombard to the mat! Lombard manages to get full guard.
Rutten has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rutten is fighting to break Lombard's control of his arms but Lombard is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Lombard looking for a sweep. Not yet Lombard, not yet.
Lombard is adopting a defensive guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Hector Lombard hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rutten closes the distance and clinches up with Lombard, looking for a takedown. Rutten pushes Lombard against the cage but Lombard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rutten throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lombard throws a nice looking combination but Rutten bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lombard swinging wildly here.
Hector Lombard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rutten looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rutten thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lombard's head.
Lombard is looking for a sweep. Rutten is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lombard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rutten. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Rutten seems to be looking for submissions.
Lombard has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rutten is working away from the top position though.

Rutten is looking for a kimura but Lombard is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rutten to get the leverage.
Lombard is doing well to control the position and prevent Rutten from advancing to side control.
Rutten stops Lombard from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombard trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Hector Lombard wasn't active enough on the ground.
Lombard moves in looking to clinch but Rutten pushes him off.
Rutten throws a head kick but Lombard moves out of range.
Nice cross by Lombard.
Bas Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutten tries to clinch but Lombard moves away
and Lombard counters with a stiff right hand.
Rutten connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Lombard looks to land a left hand but Rutten moved out of range nicely.
Rutten tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lombard counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rutten throws a head kick that half lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten lands a jab-cross combination.
Lombard misses with a double jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rutten.

Rutten fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lombard, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rutten goes for a takedown attempt but Lombard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rutten has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lombard is looking to control Rutten's arms but Rutten gets an underhook and turns him. Now Lombard has his back to the cage.
Rutten is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lombard gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bas Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A right handed body shot lands from Rutten.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rutten tries to stall but Lombard uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Rutten breaks the clinch.
Lombard ducks right into an uppercut from Rutten.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bas Rutten will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rutten decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rutten throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Rutten is working for a submission of some sort.
Lombard has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rutten is working away from the top position though.
Lombard pushes Rutten off looking to stand but Rutten dives back in and keeps control.

Rutten is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lombard is just riding it out for now. Rutten eventually gives up the hold.
Rutten trying to control from half guard but Lombard is working away.
Rutten thows a huge punch but Lombard dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard tries to roll over but Rutten keeps him under control.
Lombard keeping control of the position.
Lombard trying to control here.
Bas Rutten overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rutten trying to control from half guard but Lombard is working away.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rutten shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lombard sprawls well. Lombard wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rutten gets slowly back to his feet.
Rutten tries to clinch up.
Bas Rutten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rutten showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lombard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rutten tries to clinch but Lombard is having none of it.
Rutten wants to clinch
and Lombard counters with a left to the body.
Lombard tries to clinch up.
No joy there for Lombard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rutten looks to land a combination but Lombard avoids it well.
Rutten lands with a thumping leg kick.
Lombard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A head kick misses from Rutten.
Lombard lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rutten circles away quickly and effectively.
Lombard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rutten paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lombard drives through and clinches with Rutten against the cage.
Lombard lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rutten lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rutten lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rutten is looking to take this one to the mat.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rutten.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Rutten breaks from the clinch.

Lombard instigates a clinch.
Rutten wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bas Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lombard tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rutten looking for a takedown.
Rutten tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Still in the clinch, Lombard scores with a nice short uppercut.
Lombard prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lombard working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten lands with a left to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rutten pushes Lombard back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Lombard.
Lombard is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rutten tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rutten working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Lombard.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rutten.
Lombard lands with a light punch inside.
Rutten fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lombard works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Lombard lands with a right to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rutten misses with the head strike.
Lombard lands a body punch.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Lombard makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Lombard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Lombard works the jab nicely.
Rutten looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lombard is fending him off so far but Rutten persists. Nope, Lombard circles away and we're back to standing.
Rutten darts in trying to clinch
and Lombard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Lombard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rutten lands a good knee to the midsection. Lombard won't want to take too many of those.
Lombard lands an uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Lombard.
Lombard lands with a short shot to the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lombard tries to stall but Rutten uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rutten misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lombard scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rutten goes for a takedown attempt but Lombard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rutten takes one on the button.

Rutten is rocked!
Hector Lombard seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A punch lands to the side of Rutten 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Oh Rutten is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Lombard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rutten seems to have got his legs back now.
Lombard throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rutten.
Lombard swats away the attempt to clinch by Rutten.
Rutten fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rutten pushes Lombard up against the cage in a clinch.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Lombard scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rutten is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bas Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rutten pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lombard misses with the head strike.
Rutten is looking to break free of the clinch but Lombard has double underhooks.
A shot in the inside from Lombard.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Lombard creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Lombard is working Rutten over against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten has a couple of punches blocked by Lombard.
Rutten is looking to take this one to the mat.
Lombard lands a body punch.
Lombard lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Lombard lands a shot to the body.
Lombard lands a left hand.
Lombard lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rutten or not.
Lombard lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A short left from Lombard.
Lombard lands a shoulder strike.
Lombard lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Lombard working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lombard throws a big uppercut that drops Rutten! More strikes from Lombard and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Rutten lies dazed against the cage as Lombard celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hector Lombard!