PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gerlach Rutger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Rook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rook has chosen Shinedown-Simple Man as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Gerlach Rutger has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rutger
vs
Rook

180 cm
33
215 lbs
25 - 11 - 2

178 cm
22
217 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter striker
KO power

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)
CEC Nutrition Q159

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

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 25 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Gerlach Rutger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Will Rook!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Summer Carpenter and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rook doesn't manage to clinch there - Rutger circles away.
Rook lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rutger blocks a low kick nicely.
Rutger circles away from the clinch attempt

so Rutger counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Rutger works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rutger is pressing down on Rook's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rook is holding on for now.
Rutger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rutger looks to land a strike but Rook avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutger looking to pass the guard.
Rutger has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rook being controlled here, momentarily.
Rook trying to control the position here.
Rook tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutger with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rutger wants to control from the top but Rook keeps moving.
Rutger won't allow Rook to sweep him here.
Rutger scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutger preventing the sweep.
Rook looking to control.
Rook wants to hit a switch here but Rutger passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Rook there!
Rutger lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutger tries to control but Rook wriggling away.
Rook really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rutger raining down shots from the mount!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rutger cracks Rook with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rutger looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Rook is rocked!
Rook is desperately trying to improve his position but Rutger has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

An inside leg kick from Rook misses.

Rook moves into the clinch successfully.
Rook trying to land knees to the body.
Rook is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rutger is defending well for now.
Rutger has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rook avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rook trying to land knees to the body.
Rook comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Gerlach Rutger has been cut.
Rook is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rutger is defending well for now.
Rutger dodges an elbow strike from Rook.
Rook misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rutger.

Rutger gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rook preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rook is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rutger's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rutger's back!

Rutger defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Rook's arms.
Rook lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Rook.
Rook missing with strikes.
Rook missing with punches from the back.
Rutger covering up well and avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rook is hanging on to Rutger's back as he tries to escape.
Rutger manages to scramble and ends up in full guard, under a barage of strikes . Great composure from Rutger.
Rook lands a couple of elbows.
Rook looking to pass the guard.
Rook is looking to work some ground and pound but Rutger has wrist control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rook won't allow Rutger to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rook tries to free his leg and advance position but Rutger is retaining full guard.
Rook trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rutger keeping full guard, as Rook tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rook throws a big elbow that misses.
Rutger keeping moving, preventing Rook from controlling successfully.
Rutger bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rook's guard.
Rook has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Rutger missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutger won't allow Rook to sweep him here.
Rutger trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rook pulls Rutger in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Will Rook was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rutger takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Rook showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gerlach Rutger's cut.
That's time! Rutger's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rook throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rook moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rook tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rutger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rook lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rook with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Rook thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Rutger if he has to take too many more of those.
Rutger avoids the head kick by Rook.
Rook fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutger takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutger takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Rook lands a big head kick that sends Rutger tumbling to the mat! Rook takes a step backwards and waves Rutger back to his feet - he wants the finish!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutger on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rook. Rook obviously looking to wear him down.
Will Rook is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rook throws the kick towards the body but Rutger avoids it.
Rutger on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rook, right into the meat.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Rook.
Rook is looking to clinch but Rutger is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rook lands a big head kick that sends Rutger tumbling to the mat! Rook takes a step backwards and waves Rutger back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Rutger is rocked!
Both fighters circling a little - Rook finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Oh Rutger is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rook throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rutger seems to have got his legs back now.
Rook throws a nice outside leg kick.

Rook drives through and clinches with Rutger against the cage.
Rook controlling the action here for a moment.
Rutger is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rutger on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rutger is trying to drag Rook to the mat but Rook just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rook stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rook obliges.
Rook lands a good knee to the midsection. Rutger won't want to take too many of those.
Rook has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rook lands a good knee to the midsection. Rutger won't want to take too many of those.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rook lands an elbow that stopped Rutger in his tracks for a moment.

Gerlach Rutger's cut is getting worse.
Rook throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rutger blocks it with crossed arms.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rook unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rutger lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rook misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rutger.
Rook putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rutger in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Will Rook seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rook.
Rutger on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rook content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rook using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rook using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rook tries to land knees in the clinch but Rutger avoids the damage to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rook obliges.
Rook with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Rook comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rook has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Rook!
In his post fight interview, Will Rook started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.