PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jerome Wilson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benjamin Ruggiero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Wilson
vs
Ruggiero

150 cm
18
136 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jerome Wilson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Benjamin Ruggiero!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilson misses with a takedown attempt - Ruggiero sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ruggiero lands a leg kick that knocks Wilson off balance momentarily.
Wilson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ruggiero avoids the head kick by Wilson.
Wilson throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ruggiero lands with a nice body kick.
A good leg kick by Ruggiero.

Wilson closes the distance and pushes Ruggiero back into the cage.
Ruggiero tries to land a knee to the head but Wilson blocks with his arms.
Ruggiero looking to throw knees to the head but Wilson is blocking nicely.
Ruggiero landing knees to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Wilson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Ruggiero uses from the top position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ruggiero trying to control but Wilson is working from the bottom.

Wilson pushes Ruggiero off and scrambles back to his feet.
Benjamin Ruggiero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wilson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ruggiero tries to clinch up but Wilson circles away and keeps his distance.
Wilson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ruggiero lands with a slapping head kick.
Good leg kick by Ruggiero there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ruggiero thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Wilson if he has to take too many more of those.
Wilson takes a kick to the side of the head.
Wilson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ruggiero swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick from Ruggiero lands but Wilson takes it in his stride.
Ruggiero throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wilson scores a takedown into full mount!

Wilson working for a guillotine from mount but Ruggiero is in no mood to give up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wilson throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Ruggiero because Wilson loaded up on that one.

Wilson working for a guillotine from mount but Ruggiero is in no mood to give up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wilson with the ground and pound from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Ruggiero tries to lock up and control but Wilson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ruggiero is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Wilson is staying active.
Wilson controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero is trying to escape the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wilson takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerome Wilson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Wilson tries to clinch up but Ruggiero circles away and keeps his distance.
Wilson is looking to clinch but Ruggiero is avoiding it.
Wilson shoots in looking for a takedown but Ruggiero manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Wilson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ruggiero turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wilson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ruggiero throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Wilson's head.
Ruggiero throws a quick inside leg kick.

Wilson gets the takedown into side control.
Ruggiero is letting Wilson control him for a moment.
Ruggiero is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilson scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Ruggiero to see if he's OK.
Ruggiero can't do much from the bottom here.
Ruggiero is being controlled here.

Wilson stands up.
Ruggiero misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero lands with a slapping head kick.
Ruggiero is looking to slow Wilson down with leg kicks.
Wilson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ruggiero moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ruggiero chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ruggiero chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Wilson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ruggiero manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ruggiero really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Wilson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wilson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Wilson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Ruggiero for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wilson stands and steps away. Ruggiero gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Wilson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Wilson is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Ruggiero stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerome Wilson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ruggiero looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Wilson tries to keep at a distance but Ruggiero has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ruggiero with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruggiero breaks from the clinch.
Ruggiero thuds his shin into the meat of Wilson's side.
Ruggiero throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Wilson.
Ruggiero thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Wilson if he has to take too many more of those.
A good leg kick by Ruggiero.

Wilson clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Wilson.
Wilson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Ruggiero manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruggiero throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Wilson's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wilson takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Ruggiero scores with a head kick. Wilson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jerome Wilson will probably get the nod.
That's time! Wilson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ruggiero throws a leg kick which misses Wilson's front leg but catches the back leg as Wilson tries to avoid it.
Wilson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ruggiero is fending him off so far but Wilson persists. Nope, Ruggiero circles away and we're back to standing.
That kick from Ruggiero tenderised Wilson's leg. Wilson is trying to keep his angry face on.
Wilson shoots in but Ruggiero avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ruggiero lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ruggiero.
Ruggiero looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Wilson doesn't manage to clinch there - Ruggiero circles away.
Wilson takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Wilson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerome Wilson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
That kick from Ruggiero tenderised Wilson's leg. Wilson is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruggiero moves into the clinch.
Ruggiero utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Ruggiero with a knee to the head.
Wilson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Wilson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ruggiero landing knees to the head.
A knee to the head by Ruggiero.
Ruggiero stalling in the clinch but Wilson improves position.
Ruggiero landing knees to the head.

Wilson drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ruggiero working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ruggiero stopping the sweep attempt from Wilson.
Wilson keeping moving, preventing Ruggiero from controlling successfully.
Benjamin Ruggiero has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Benjamin Ruggiero wasn't active enough on the ground.
Good leg kick by Ruggiero there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ruggiero scores with a head kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ruggiero.
Ruggiero lands a nice leg kick that just misses Wilson's sensitive parts.
Ruggiero wants to clinch.
Ruggiero lands with a slapping head kick.
Wilson throws a body punch but Ruggiero moves out of range.
Good leg kick by Ruggiero there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero pushes Wilson away with a front kick.
Ruggiero connects with a high kick.
A head kick misses from Ruggiero.
Ruggiero pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ruggiero moves out of range of the body kick from Wilson.
Ruggiero keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Benjamin Ruggiero seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Wilson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wilson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Wilson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruggiero throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benjamin Ruggiero comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wilson 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jerome Wilson!