PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Seya Hyoga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mervin Dodoy Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hyoga
vs
Dodoy Ruiz

162 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Seya Hyoga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mervin Dodoy Ruiz!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Jeff Smith and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hyoga blocks a head kick by Ruiz.
Ruiz slaps away a takedown attempt from Hyoga, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ruiz throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hyoga counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hyoga in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hyoga tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruiz is retaining full guard.
Hyoga won't allow Ruiz to get back to his feet.
Hyoga trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hyoga won't allow Ruiz to get back to his feet.
Hyoga looking to pass the guard.
Ruiz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hyoga throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ruiz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ruiz keeping moving, preventing Hyoga from controlling successfully.

Ruiz pushes Hyoga off and gets back to his feet.
A slow jab from Ruiz misses its intended target.
Hyoga slips a jab and a cross from Ruiz.
Ruiz throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Ruiz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hyoga displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ruiz throws out the jab.
Hyoga slips under a jab.
Mervin Dodoy Ruiz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hyoga tries for a takedown but Ruiz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Hyoga shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ruiz manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ruiz is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hyoga is controlling him.
Ruiz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hyoga.
Hyoga could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ruiz wants to stand but Hyoga is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruiz keeping full guard, as Hyoga tries to pass.
Ruiz wants to stand but Hyoga is controlling the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hyoga tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruiz is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hyoga wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
Hyoga knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ruiz on the ground.
Hyoga prevents Ruiz from getting back to his feet.
Hyoga tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruiz is retaining full guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hyoga shoots in looking for a takedown but Ruiz manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hyoga's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Seya Hyoga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Ruiz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ruiz misses with a left hand

and Hyoga counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hyoga is stalling here. Ruiz is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Hyoga seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ruiz has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Hyoga is not content to let Ruiz control the position.
Ruiz tries to stand but Hyoga is controlling his head.
Ruiz looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A control attempt from Hyoga but he's now mounted!
Hyoga keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruiz wants to control the pace but Hyoga is squirming around nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ruiz looking for a guillotine from mount but Hyoga is having none of it.
Hyoga is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seya Hyoga dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ruiz slaps away a takedown attempt from Hyoga, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Ruiz as Hyoga shoots in.
Ruiz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ruiz misses the jab.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hyoga.
Ruiz is trying to buck Hyoga off.
Hyoga tries to move into full mount but can't pass Ruiz's legs.
Ruiz managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Hyoga.
Hyoga scores with punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz is trying to buck Hyoga off.

Ruiz bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Ruiz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hyoga moves away.
Ruiz loads up on a big right hand but Hyoga slips the punch.
Hyoga uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ruiz.
Sloppy strikes from Ruiz. Those never looked like landing.
Ruiz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hyoga shoots for a double leg takedown but Ruiz sprawls well. He's pushed Hyoga's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Seya Hyoga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruiz throws a body kick that misses.
Mervin Dodoy Ruiz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ruiz misses with a wild body shot.
Nice sprawl there from Ruiz as Hyoga shoots in.

Hyoga feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Hyoga trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hyoga is working hard here to advance position.
Hyoga looking to sit in guard and control but Ruiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ruiz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Ruiz wants to get up but he can't break Hyoga's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hyoga is working an open guard so Ruiz takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Hyoga shoots in but Ruiz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hyoga shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ruiz but Ruiz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ruiz. Hyoga does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ruiz tries a head kick but it misses.
Ruiz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Hyoga fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ruiz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hyoga slips a jab and a cross from Ruiz.
Hyoga tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Hyoga tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ruiz swivels and escapes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A shot to the body from Ruiz misses

and Hyoga counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ruiz's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hyoga stops Ruiz from standing up.
Hyoga tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruiz is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mervin Dodoy Ruiz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hyoga looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Seya Hyoga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ruiz scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ruiz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ruiz throws a right hand that Hyoga ducks under and follows up with a left that Hyoga also avoids with ease.
Hyoga shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ruiz as he avoids it easily.
Hyoga blocks a head kick by Ruiz.
Hyoga ducks under a wild hook from Ruiz.

Hyoga scores with a takedown into Ruiz's guard.
Hyoga throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hyoga looking to sit in guard and control but Ruiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hyoga is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ruiz has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hyoga is proving hard to escape from.

Ruiz stands up from guard. Let's bang!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hyoga.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Seya Hyoga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruiz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ruiz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hyoga fails with a takedown attempt.
Ruiz throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hyoga stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Hyoga is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ruiz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hyoga fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ruiz manages to avoid it.
Hyoga takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ruiz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ruiz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ruiz tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hyoga is defended easily by Ruiz.
Ruiz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Hyoga's head.

It looks like Seya Hyoga has been cut.
Ruiz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Nice sprawl there from Ruiz as Hyoga shoots in.
Ruiz misses with an uppercut.
Ruiz throws a nice looking combination but Hyoga bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ruiz looks to score with a jab to the body but Hyoga is just out of range.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but Hyoga avoids them all with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hyoga drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ruiz pushes Hyoga away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hyoga gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hyoga tries to move into full mount but can't pass Ruiz's legs.
Hyoga scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Ruiz to see if he's OK.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hyoga landing a few strikes.
Ruiz is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Hyoga asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Seya Hyoga overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hyoga is chipping away with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mervin Dodoy Ruiz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ruiz 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mervin Dodoy Ruiz!