PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Victor Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Warren Daren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Warren Daren enters the cage!

Ruiz
vs
Daren

191 cm
30
266 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

193 cm
26
250 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Victor Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Warren Daren!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Ben Watson and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Ruiz does no damage.
Daren is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ruiz misses with a double jab.
Nice shot lands for Ruiz.
Daren throws a combination. Ruiz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Victor Ruiz has been cut.
A combination from Ruiz does no damage.
Daren fails with the takedown
and Ruiz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ruiz throws a right hand that Daren ducks under and follows up with a left that Daren also avoids with ease.
A punch combination from Ruiz misses.
Ruiz tries a head kick but it misses.
Daren slips a jab and a cross from Ruiz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daren fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ruiz is looking to counter the offense by Daren and move into the clinch.
Ruiz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Daren.
Ruiz scores with a hook.
Daren tries for a takedown but Ruiz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ruiz throws a counter high kick but Daren was just alert enough to avoid it.
Victor Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Warren Daren.

Daren shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Ruiz wants to control but Daren is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Daren really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ruiz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Daren is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ruiz manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ruiz is on top in guard.

Ruiz content to stall in guard here.
Ruiz throws a big right hand that misses.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Daren can do anything to dispel that myth.
Daren throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Ruiz controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz throws a strike but Daren rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Daren is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ruiz seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Ruiz controls Daren momentarily but Daren frees himself.
Ruiz throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.

Daren stands and steps away. Ruiz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Victor Ruiz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Daren drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ruiz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Daren wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Daren thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ruiz gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruiz flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ruiz wants to control but Daren is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Daren is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ruiz doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Daren.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Daren wants to take a breather but Ruiz is having none of it.
Ruiz wants to control but Daren is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Daren is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ruiz missing with punches from the bottom.
Ruiz 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.

Daren seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Ruiz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Victor Ruiz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Daren is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ruiz.

It looks like Warren Daren has been cut.
Daren gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Victor Ruiz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ruiz fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Daren looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Ruiz scores with a shot to the body.
Ruiz throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Daren on the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daren shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ruiz as he avoids it easily.
Ruiz lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Daren backs up against the cage.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but Daren avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz swings for the body but Daren moves out of range.
Ruiz is looking to wear down Daren with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Daren shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ruiz as he jumps to the side.
Daren blocks a leg kick.
Daren looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Victor Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Warren Daren.
Ruiz scores with a body shot.
Victor Ruiz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Daren fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ruiz avoids it really well and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Ruiz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ruiz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ruiz throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Daren counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruiz tries to get to full guard but Daren has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz is working hard here to advance position.

Daren looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Daren is keen to just control but Ruiz is a slippery customer.
Warren Daren has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ruiz missing with punches from the bottom.
Ruiz lands a couple of sideways elbows.

Daren is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ruiz has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ruiz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Daren can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Daren prevents Ruiz from standing back up.
Ruiz works his way to full guard. Good work.
Daren trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
Ruiz will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Daren stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Daren tries to clinch up but Ruiz circles away and keeps his distance.
Ruiz tests Daren's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruiz scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Sloppy strikes from Ruiz. Those never looked like landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Ruiz dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Daren slips a jab and a cross from Ruiz.
Daren looks for a takedown but Ruiz sprawls well.
Ruiz goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Ruiz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ruiz changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruiz moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ruiz!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz misses with the combination.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but Daren avoids them all with ease.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Daren.
As Daren looks to move away, Ruiz throws a big counter combo but Daren just gets out of the way.
Daren throws a head kick that misses.
Ruiz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Victor Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Warren Daren.
A combination from Ruiz does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz scores with a nice strike.
Daren moves out of range of the leg kick from Ruiz.
Daren fails with a takedown attempt.
Daren misses with a takedown attempt
and Ruiz counters with a three punch combo that has Daren backing up. Daren nods at Ruiz to acknowledge the strikes.

That has opened up Warren Daren's cut even more.
Ruiz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice straight punches there by Ruiz. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ruiz.
Ruiz tries to bum rush Daren with a series of wild strikes but Daren uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daren misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Ruiz gets caught napping as Daren dives in and scores a takedown. Ruiz manages to retain guard.
Daren trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
Ruiz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Daren looking to pass the guard.
Daren pushes down on Ruiz's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Victor Ruiz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ruiz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Ruiz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ruiz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ruiz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Daren trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ruiz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ruiz wants to sweep here but Daren controlling him for the moment.
Daren trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Warren Daren has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ruiz looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Ruiz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ruiz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Ruiz!