PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dude Rude (ranked 4090 p4p, 25017 weight class) and Kevin Owens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Owens is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Fight. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rude
vs
Owens

165 cm
25
154
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
155
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dude Rude!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kevin Owens!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Micheangelo Fripello and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Owens throws a combination that misses

and Rude counters by moving into the clinch.

Rude breaks the clinch.
Owens misses the shot to the body.
Owens misses with a two punch combination.
Rude tries to counter with a takedown but Owens is quick to defend against it.
Owens fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rude avoids it really well and circles away.
Owens is looking to clinch.
Rude avoids the head kick by Owens.

Rude takes the fight into the clinch.
Owens tries to work over Rude's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rude breaks the clinch.
Owens throws a series of punches but Rude avoids them all with ease.
Owens throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Rude takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens lands a nice knee to the body.
Owens connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Dude Rude has been cut.

Rude's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rude just misses with a punch to the body.
Rude gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Rude tries to keep at a distance but Owens has taken the fight into the clinch.

Rude breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rude fails to land with a series of punches.
Owens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Owens throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rude sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Owens lands with a right hand.
Owens misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rude.
Rude throws a big counter combination but Owens scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rude tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Owens defends well and Rude ends up having to push Owens into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rude has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Owens avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Rude pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Owens swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Rude counters with a three punch combo that has Owens backing up. Owens nods at Rude to acknowledge the strikes.
Kevin Owens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheers as Rude lands an impressive looking overhand right. Owens doesn't seem phased though.
Rude avoids the head kick by Owens.
Nice jab there from Owens.
Owens throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rude dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Owens. That did some damage!
Owens misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Owens avoids a punch combination nicely.
Owens is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Owens misses with a wild combination.
Rude avoids the body shot from Owens.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owens dodges the punch combination from Rude.
Sloppy strikes from Owens. Those never looked like landing.
Rude feints and then cracks Owens's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Owens down.

Owens pushes Rude up against the cage in a clinch.
Owens wants to get back to striking at distance but Rude won't allow it.

Rude breaks from the clinch.
Rude throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Owens.
Owens throws a right and a left that both miss.

Rude fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Owens to the ground. Rude is now in Owens's guard.
Rude looking to pass the guard.
Rude showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rude stands up and waves to Owens to follow him.
Rude's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Owens connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rude scrambles back to his feet.
Rude blocks the body kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Owens throws a sloppy head kick

and Rude counters with a single leg into guard. Owens didn't expect that.

Rude stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Owens connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A punch lands to the side of Rude 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Owens is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rude swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dude Rude will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dude Rude's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rude doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Owens tries to keep at a distance but Rude has taken the fight into the clinch.
Owens working aggressively here.
Owens prevents a takedown attempt there.
Owens's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Rude escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Owens looks to land a combination. Rude sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rude closes this distance looking for a takedown but Owens circles away.
Owens unleashes a big counter combination but Rude bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Rude fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Owens has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Owens rushes Rude and presses him up against the cage.
Rude is trying to drag Owens to the mat but Owens just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dude Rude. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rude breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens throws a head kick but Rude moves out of range.
Rude avoids the head kick by Owens.
Rude tried to counter with a leg kick but Owens avoided it.
Owens scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Owens is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Rude connects with a jab.
A head kick misses from Rude.
No joy there for Owens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Owens tries to clinch up.
Rude appears to be looking for a big counter.
A head kick misses from Owens.

Rude rushes Owens and presses him up against the cage.
Rude blocks an uppercut.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Owens throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Owens has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Nice takedown defense from Owens. No joy for Rude on that attempt.
Owens is looking to clinch.
Owens throws a push kick but Rude slaps the foot to one side.
Owens lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Owens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rude tries to counter by clinching up but Owens breaks away and moves out of range.
Rude shoots in but no luck this time.
Owens with a poor takedown

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

Rude pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Owens lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Owens is breathing heavily.
Rude throws a right and a left that Owens avoids nicely.
Rude digs a good hook to Owens's body.
Owens tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rude swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rude shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Dude Rude is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owens swings for the body but Rude moves out of range.
Rude tries to counter by clinching up but Owens breaks away and moves out of range.
Horrible takedown attempt by Owens or perhaps it was just good defense by Rude, which made it look bad.
Rude tries to counter with a takedown but Owens is quick to defend against it.
Rude lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Owens circles away quickly and effectively.
Rude tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Owens defends well and Rude ends up having to push Owens into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rude.

Rude breaks the clinch.
Owens throws a combination that misses

and Rude counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Rude works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Owens wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Rude manages to pass to side control.

Rude is trying to control. Owens wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Owens won't allow Rude to pass to mount.

Rude gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Rude misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Owens wants to clinch up but Rude keeps it at a distance.

Rude moves into the clinch successfully.
Dude Rude has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Owens has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Owens is trying to force a seperation but Rude has the dominant position.

Rude's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rude misses with a few strikes there.
Rude misses with a takedown attempt - Owens sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dude Rude will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dude Rude's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Owens feints a jab promting Rude to slip. Owens then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rude slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Owens throws a right hand that Rude ducks under and follows up with a left that Rude also avoids with ease.
Rude changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Owens tries to avoid it but Rude manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Owens to the ground. Owens escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Rude rushes Owens and presses him up against the cage.

Rude's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Owens tries a head kick but it misses.
Rude tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Owens manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Owens throws a right and a left that Rude avoids nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Owens sizes up Rude with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Owens misses with a body kick.
Owens lands a two punch combo.
Rude tries to clinch up but Owens circles away and keeps his distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Owens.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens tries to bum rush Rude with a series of wild strikes but Rude uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rude throwing a counter right hand but Owens manages to avoid it.
Owens takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Some wild striking there from Owens.
Owens doesn't manage to clinch there - Rude circles away.
Owens looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rude seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Owens scores with a nice strike.
Owens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Owens stuffs the takedown attempt from Rude. Rude gets slowly back to his feet.
Owens rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rude moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Owens swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Rude counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Owens!
Owens wants to get back to his feet but Rude is dominant here and he's now got Owens's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rude is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Rude cracks Owens with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Owens from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

Rude looking to break Owens's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Owens remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Rude will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Rude really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Owens.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kevin Owens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Rude is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Owens defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rude is punishing Owens with some ground and pound.
Rude is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Rude gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Rude gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Rude apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Dude Rude is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rude clobbers Owens with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A head kick misses from Owens.
Rude changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A big left from Owens misses.

Rude clinches.

Rude breaks from the clinch.
Owens misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rude feinted with a counter takedown.

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 Dude Rude.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rude, 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a draw!