PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Trent Ruta (ranked 2536 p4p, 284 weight class) and Rueben Draco (ranked 3090 p4p, 339 weight class). Rueben Draco will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ruta
vs
Draco

167 cm
27
157 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

187 cm
21
170 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Trent Ruta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rueben Draco!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, John Roberts and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Draco.
Ruta throws a head kick that misses.

Ruta gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've been hearing reports that Ruta has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Ruta working Draco over with knees to the body.
Draco prevents a body shot from Ruta.
Draco blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ruta with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruta using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Ruta misses with a punch on the inside.

Ruta breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ruta tries for a takedown but Draco sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Draco moves out of range as Ruta throws a body kick.
Ruta slips a jab and a cross from Draco.
Good exchange - Draco coming out on top.
Draco scores with a nice body kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruta scores with a jab to the body.
Ruta throws a lazy uppercut
letting Draco counter with a right hand.
Draco pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Draco keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruta gets a double leg takedown into Draco's guard.
Draco has his hands on Ruta's head, controlling the position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Ruta is looking to work some ground and pound but Draco has wrist control.
Ruta stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Draco swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ruta missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Draco manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ruta manages to get himself to full guard.

Draco slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruta is looking to stand up but Draco isn't so interested in that idea.
I've been told that Draco has been drilling his wrestling of late, which has already helped him take this fight to the mat. Let's see how much of an impact it has on the outcome of the ground game.
Draco is stalling in the full guard.
Draco tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruta is retaining full guard.
Ruta wants to sweep but no luck.
Ruta not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ruta can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Draco controls the pace.
Draco postures up.

Draco stands and steps away. Ruta gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Draco.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruta tries to close the distance and clinch but Draco swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Draco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Draco goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Trent Ruta has been cut.

Ruta closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Ruta is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Draco to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Trent Ruta. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ruta breaks the clinch.
Draco misses with a double jab.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Draco crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Ruta - the referee stops the clock and Draco gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Ruta. Draco manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Draco connects with a looping right hand.
Ruta wants to clinch up but Draco keeps it at a distance.

Draco lands a left and a right that send Ruta crashing to the mat, dazed. Draco thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Draco.
Ruta shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Draco as he jumps to the side.
Draco scores with a jab to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Draco.
Ruta looks to land a right hand but Draco moved out of range.
Ruta tries to clinch up.
Rueben Draco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Draco will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Ruta clinches up against the ropes.
Ruta misses with a hook to the ribs.

Draco breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ruta tries to close the distance and clinch but Draco swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ruta doesn't manage to clinch there - Draco circles away.
Draco is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Draco ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruta moves away.
Ruta tries a head kick but it misses.
Ruta avoids the head kick by Draco.

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

Ruta is rocked!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draco throws a leg kick
and Ruta counters with a three punch combo that has Draco backing up. Draco nods at Ruta to acknowledge the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rueben Draco dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Trent Ruta's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Draco throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A head kick misses from Ruta.
Draco swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruta.
Draco scores with a body shot.

Ruta has closed the distance and engaged Draco in a clinch.
Ruta tries to throw a body punch but Draco avoids it by throwing Ruta back against the ropes.
Ruta stalling in the clinch but Draco improves position.
Ruta misses with a hook from the clinch.
Draco looks to throw an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco prevents a body shot from Ruta.
Ruta being controlled against the ropes.
Ruta is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruta doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ruta is trying to stall.
Ruta looking to stall.
Ruta lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
A short right from Ruta on the inside.
Ruta doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Draco looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ruta working aggressively here.

Draco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Draco defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ruta.
Ruta shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Draco pinned against the ropes. Draco gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ruta takes a kick to the side of the head.
Draco throws a series of strikes that have Ruta backpedaling.
Oh Ruta is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Trent Ruta's cut is getting worse.
Ruta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Draco's waist but Draco gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ruta off to one side.
Ruta seems to have got his legs back now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Trent Ruta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruta closes the distance and clinches up with Draco, looking for a takedown. Ruta pushes Draco against the ropes but Draco circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Draco is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Draco.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Draco throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ruta.
Draco throws a sloppy head kick and Ruta moves out of range easily.
Draco takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ruta moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Rueben Draco is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ruta on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Draco stalks Ruta and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ruta's face. Ruta staggers backwards, shaken.
Ruta tries to clinch but Draco is having none of it.
Draco tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ruta is trying hard to land a takedown here. Draco sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Draco throws a sloppy head kick and Ruta moves out of range easily.
Draco tries a low kick but Ruta avoids it.
Draco lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco feints a jab promting Ruta to slip. Draco then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Ruta slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

Trent Ruta's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
It's a brutal combination of punches from Draco! Ruta is backing up but he can't get away as Draco lands with one final shot to the jaw that drops Ruta and ends the fight. Great knockout.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:12 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Rueben Draco!
An out of breath Rueben Draco thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.