PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Russ Rutger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cung Le (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rutger comes to the cage accompanied by Prince Ital Joe feat. Marky Mark - United. Le has chosen Untouchable as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Rutger
vs
Le

172 cm
34
175 lbs
28 - 13 - 1

174 cm
29
183 lbs
16 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Russ Rutger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cung Le!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Glass and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Le misses with a low kick as Rutger jumps back.
Rutger blocks the body kick.
Rutger moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rutger misses with a leg kick

and Le counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Le.

Rutger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rutger fails to land the takedown.
Rutger throws a body kick that misses.
Le checks a low kick from Rutger.
Le takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Le scores with a hook.

It looks like Russ Rutger has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutger looks for the body kick but Le saw that one coming.
Rutger checks a low kick from Le.
Rutger looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rutger has a takedown stuffed.
Rutger steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Le. That one must have hurt.
Le fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le throws out a leg kick but Rutger moves out of range and Le only half commits.
Le lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rutger at a distance.
Le slips under a jab.
Horrible takedown by Rutger or perhaps it was just good defense by Le which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russ Rutger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bone on bone clash there as Le blocks the leg kick.
Rutger lands a nice looking kick to the body. Le takes a step back to recover.
Rutger misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rutger throws a jab when Le was well out of range.
Rutger throws an overhand right that lands on Le's shoulder, as Le tries to avoid the shot.
Rutger looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rutger tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rutger misses with an uppercut

and Le counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Le.
Le 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.
Le throws an elbow but it misses.

Rutger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Le scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Le moves out of range of the leg kick from Rutger.
Le scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rutger misses the jab.
Le connects with a leg kick. Rutger looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Le misses with a body punch

and Rutger counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rutger is trying to control the action in half guard but Le is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rutger tries to pass the half guard into mount. Le knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
We've been hearing that Rutger has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Le tries to roll over but Rutger keeps him under control.
Le told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Rutger wants to pass to mount but Le is defending the position.
Rutger sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Le defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutger is looking to take a break and control but Le is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rutger with the ground and pound but Le uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Le wants to stand and escape but Rutger is having none of it.
Rutger stays in close to Le's body and controls the position.
Le looking to control.
Rutger 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.
Le can't keep his opponent in guard - Rutger advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rutger is looking to advance position but Le won't allow it.
Rutger stalling away here and it's allowed Le to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutger postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Le is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Rutger presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Le unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rutger lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rutger swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rutger is trying to break the clinch but Le is controlling him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutger tries to throw a body punch but Le avoids it by throwing Rutger back against the cage.
Rutger wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rutger avoiding damage as Le throws knees to the body.
Le misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rutger.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Le obliges.
Le missing with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Rutger escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rutger misses with an uppercut. Le saw that one coming.
A slapping leg kick lands for Le.
Rutger is looking to land body kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cung Le will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Russ Rutger's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rutger misses with a body shot.
Rutger lands a nice shot to the body.
Le throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Le fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rutger.
Le lands a nice shot that snaps Rutger's head back.
Nice body kick from Le.
Le drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Le is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rutger rather than just go for the knockout.
Rutger scoring well with a low kick there.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Le.
Rutger lands a head shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rutger moves out of range of the body kick from Le.
Le tests Rutger's chin there with a solid looking shot.
An inside leg kick lands from Le.
Nice body kick there by Le.
Le checks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Le - that will leave a mark!
Cung Le is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rutger throws a body kick that misses.
Le scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rutger looks to land a right hand but Le moved out of range.
Le lands a jab.
Le tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Le, as that shot connected.
Le tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rutger throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Le counters by clinching up.
Le tries to land a knee to the head but Rutger blocks with his arms.
Rutger misses with a punch to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Le creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A hook to the body from Rutger.
Le lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Rutger's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cung Le seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Le looks to score with a jab to the body but Rutger is just out of range.
Le sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Rutger misses with a two punch combination.
Le dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rutger. That did some damage!
Le lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rutger cracks Le with a good jab.
Rutger misses with an uppercut. Le saw that one coming.
Le's corner calls for a 1-2. Le obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A swing and a miss from Le.
Le throws a sloppy head kick and Rutger moves out of range easily.
Rutger checks a leg kick nicely.
Rutger misses with a hook.
Le avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Rutger lands.
A big right from Le misses.
Rutger scores with a hook.
Le stuffs the takedown attempt from Rutger. Rutger gets slowly back to his feet.
Rutger fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Le is out of range.
Rutger scoring well with a low kick there.
Rutger misses with an attempted mid kick.
Le uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rutger.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rutger.
A low kick from Le is predictable there

and Rutger counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Le has control of Rutger's left arm, preventing Rutger from doing any damage.
Rutger stays in close to Le's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutger advances to half guard.
Rutger missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rutger thows a huge punch but Le dodges it nicely.
Rutger missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Le really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rutger. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rutger is keen to just control but Le is a slippery customer.

Rutger is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Le keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Rutger wants to work for an arm triangle but Le is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
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 Russ Rutger will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Russ Rutger's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rutger moves forwards but Le connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A good leg kick by Le.
Rutger misses with a looping right.
Rutger throws a sloppy head kick and Le moves out of range easily.
Le throws a right hand that Rutger ducks under and follows up with a left that Rutger also avoids with ease.
Rutger takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nice takedown defense from Le. No joy for Rutger on that attempt.
Le fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rutger manages to avoid it.
Rutger is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A big right from Rutger misses.
Le throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rutger's head.
Le 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.
Le throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rutger swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Le.
Le misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutger throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Le showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rutger.
Le connects with a high kick.
Jab by Le.
Le scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Rutger does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Le tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rutger was well out of range. Poor timing from Le.
Le on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Rutger closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Le to the mat! Le manages to get full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rutger trying to control the position from guard on top but Le is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutger showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutger trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rutger trying to control the position from guard on top but Le is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Russ Rutger.
Le has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rutger.
A slow jab from Le misses its intended target.
Rutger throws out a powerful jab.
A head kick misses from Rutger.
A solid leg kick lands there for Le.
Rutger walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Le checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Le shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutger misses with a low kick.
Rutger throws a leg kick

and Le counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rutger is trying to pull guard but Le turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rutger tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rutger wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Le has him pressed against the cage.
Rutger misses with some punches.

Rutger jumps guard and drags Le to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rutger has a closed guard, preventing Le from standing up.
Rutger looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutger, not yet.
Russ Rutger overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rutger is working hard here to advance position.
Le forces his way into half guard.

Rutger looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutger trying to control here.
Le seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rutger is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rutger is pressing down on Le's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rutger wants to sweep but no luck.

Le avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Russ Rutger.
I think Rutger 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russ Rutger!
Our winner, Russ Rutger, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.