PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kolya Rubanok (ranked 4018 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonny Butch (ranked 4033 p4p, 346 weight class). Butch is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Household Name - Token. Jonny Butch has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Rubanok
vs
Butch

200 cm
23
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kolya Rubanok!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jonny Butch!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Colin Fotheringham and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rubanok is looking to land body kicks.
Rubanok tries to clinch up but Butch circles away and keeps his distance.
Rubanok takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rubanok throws a chopping leg kick but Butch manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Butch smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Butch blocks a low kick nicely.
Butch looks to throw a body kick

and Rubanok counters with a takedown into side control.

Rubanok stands up and beckons Butch to his feet.
Butch blocks a head kick by Rubanok.
Rubanok really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Rubanok clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rubanok keeps control of Butch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Butch is trying to break free.
Rubanok misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rubanok keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Butch's efforts to push away.

Butch manages to break the clinch.
Rubanok fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Butch manages to avoid it.
Rubanok blocks a head kick by Butch.
Rubanok appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Rubanok throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Butch.
Butch throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Butch.
Rubanok throws a series of punches but Butch avoids them all with ease.
Butch smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rubanok misses the body punch
and Butch counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rubanok on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butch lands a body shot.
Rubanok is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rubanok tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Butch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Butch throws a push kick but Rubanok slaps the foot to one side.
Rubanok doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butch throws a sloppy head kick and Rubanok moves out of range easily.

Rubanok gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Butch manages to break the clinch.
Nice defenses there by Butch.
Butch with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Rubanok to score with a decent uppercut.
Kolya Rubanok seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butch throws a leg kick that is checked

and Rubanok decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Butch's guard.

Rubanok gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Butch misses with an uppercut.

Rubanok gets a clinch.
Butch has had enough of the clinch but Rubanok keeps him there for the moment.
Butch wants to get back to striking at distance but Rubanok won't allow it.
Rubanok tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Butch avoids it.
Rubanok is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Butch is defending well for now.
Rubanok tries to land a knee to the head but Butch blocks with his arms.
Butch managing to block the knees to the body from Rubanok.

Butch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rubanok closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Butch blocking some punches.
Butch tries to break free but Rubanok pushes him back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rubanok.
Butch is trying to force a seperation but Rubanok has the dominant position.
Butch dodges an elbow strike from Rubanok.
Rubanok misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Butch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Butch breaks the clinch.
Rubanok avoids the head kick by Butch.
Rubanok tries to counter with a takedown but Butch is quick to defend against it.
Rubanok tries to close the distance and clinch up but Butch swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Butch is looking for the big counter here.
Rubanok avoids the head kick by Butch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kolya Rubanok will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rubanok moves in looking to clinch but Butch pushes him off.
As Rubanok backs off Butch throws a huge counter combo but Rubanok manages to avoid it all.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rubanok looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rubanok misses with a looping left.
Butch goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Rubanok closes the distance and clinches.
Rubanok misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Butch.

Butch pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butch cracks the inside of Rubanok's front leg.
Butch scores with a hook to the body. Rubanok takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rubanok 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.
Rubanok misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Butch.
Donk. Butch catches Rubanok right on the button with a cross.
Kolya Rubanok is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rubanok misses with a series of wild punches.
Butch now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Butch throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rubanok's head.

Rubanok is rocked!
Butch stalks Rubanok and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rubanok's face. Rubanok staggers backwards, shaken.
Oh Rubanok is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rubanok misses with a kick to the body.
As Rubanok backs off Butch throws a huge counter combo but Rubanok manages to avoid it all.
Butch swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rubanok throws a head kick that misses.
Jonny Butch seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Rubanok moves into the clinch.
Butch avoiding damage as Rubanok throws knees to the body.
Butch wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rubanok seems to have got his legs back now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butch is trying to force a seperation but Rubanok has the dominant position.
Rubanok tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Butch avoids it.
Butch tries to circle away but Rubanok has him pinned against the cage.
Butch looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rubanok misses with a knee strike.
Rubanok keeps control of Butch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rubanok has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Rubanok pushes Butch back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rubanok tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rubanok misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rubanok missing with knees to the body.
Rubanok with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rubanok tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rubanok tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Butch's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Butch.
Butch avoiding damage as Rubanok throws knees to the body.

Butch pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rubanok looks to clinch
and Butch counters with a right hand to the body.
Butch throws a head kick that misses.
Butch is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rubanok rather than just go for the knockout.
Rubanok misses with the combination.
And Butch responds with a good body kick, but Rubanok manages to step out the way in time.
Butch connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butch slips under a jab from Rubanok.
Butch keeps the fight on the outside.
Rubanok on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Butch misses the body punch

and Rubanok counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Butch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rubanok clinches up against the cage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Butch is trying to break the clinch but Rubanok is controlling him.
Butch blocks an uppercut.
Rubanok can't find room to land a body shot as Butch controls the action.
Rubanok misses with a hook from the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rubanok throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Butch working hard to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jonny Butch will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Butch lands with a good body shot.
Butch moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Butch throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Rubanok closes the distance and clinches.
A short uppercut from Rubanok.
Rubanok has Butch pressed against the cage, preventing Butch from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Butch on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Butch tries to break the clinch but Rubanok is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rubanok lands a right hand.
Rubanok looks to throw an elbow but misses.

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

Butch tries to keep at a distance but Rubanok has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rubanok misses with an elbow strike.
Rubanok pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Butch tries to break free but Rubanok pushes him back against the cage.
Butch is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Butch has had enough of the clinch but Rubanok keeps him there for the moment.
Butch avoiding damage as Rubanok throws knees to the body.
Rubanok missing with knees to the body.
Rubanok keeps control of Butch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rubanok tries to land a knee to the head but Butch blocks with his arms.
Butch is trying to push Rubanok away but Rubanok has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Butch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rubanok gets through Butch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Butch has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kolya Rubanok has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rubanok tries a knee to the head but Butch blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Butch.
Butch blocks an elbow strike from Rubanok.
Rubanok swings wildly with an uppercut but Butch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rubanok trying to land knees to the body.
Butch working hard to break the clinch.
Butch blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Butch managing to block the knees to the body from Rubanok.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rubanok misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Butch.
Rubanok misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rubanok misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Butch.
Butch tries to break free but Rubanok pushes him back against the cage.
Rubanok lands a right hand.
Rubanok misses with a short punch on the inside.
Butch wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rubanok tries to work over Butch's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Butch is trying to push Rubanok away but Rubanok has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Butch blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rubanok misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butch blocks an elbow strike from Rubanok.
Rubanok has a couple of punches blocked by Butch.
Butch is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rubanok tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Butch wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rubanok looking to throw knees to the head but Butch is blocking nicely.
Butch blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rubanok lands a nice uppercut.
Rubanok keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Butch's efforts to push away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Butch wants to break the clinch but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kolya Rubanok showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rubanok 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kolya Rubanok!
Jonny Butch was interviewed post fight and said 'OOf '.