PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bob Fudge (ranked 3836 p4p, 2514 weight class) and Ruslan Muzhaiev (ranked 379 p4p, 259 weight class). Ruslan Muzhaiev will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Fudge
vs
Muzhaiev

180 cm
25
260
2 - 3 - 0

195 cm
25
250
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Bob Fudge!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ruslan Muzhaiev!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, William Gold and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fudge has closed the distance and engaged Muzhaiev in a clinch.
Fudge is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Fudge gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Ruslan Muzhaiev has been cut.
Fudge with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Fudge unloads a knee to the mid-section. Muzhaiev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Muzhaiev tries to pull guard but Fudge holds him up against the ropes and eventually Muzhaiev drops back down to his feet.
Fudge with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Muzhaiev fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bob Fudge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ruslan Muzhaiev.
Fudge stops a takedown attempt from Muzhaiev.
Muzhaiev jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Fudge walks away with a smile on his face. Muzhaiev gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Fudge gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A hook to the body from Fudge.
Fudge lands a shot to the body.
Muzhaiev looks winded!
Fudge unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Fudge pressing his opponent against the ropes.

Fudge manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fudge scores with a jab to the head.

Fudge closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Fudge is looking to control Muzhaiev's arms but Muzhaiev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Fudge has his back to the ropes.
Muzhaiev jumps guard but Fudge turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Muzhaiev is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Fudge to keep the fight standing.
Fudge lands an elbow inside.

Fudge pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fudge really is a fat lump.

Fudge clinches.
Fudge lands with a light punch inside.
Fudge connects with a nasty looking knee right to Muzhaiev's face.

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

Fudge instigates a clinch.
Fudge is looking to control Muzhaiev's arms but Muzhaiev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Fudge has his back to the ropes.
Fudge lands an elbow just above Muzhaiev 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Fudge.
Muzhaiev being controlled against the ropes.
Fudge tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Muzhaiev's elbow.
Fudge with a knee to the head.
Fudge lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Fudge stalling in the clinch but Muzhaiev improves position.
Fudge lands a good knee to the midsection. Muzhaiev won't want to take too many of those.

Fudge breaks the clinch.

Fudge clinches up against the ropes.
Fudge with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Fudge lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Fudge looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fudge tries to stall but Muzhaiev uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Muzhaiev is trying to pull guard but Fudge turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
Muzhaiev avoiding damage as Fudge throws knees to the body.
Muzhaiev tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Fudge just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Fudge is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Fudge is fighting off a takedown attempt but Muzhaiev is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Fudge to the mat. Fudge regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Muzhaiev wants to control from the top but Fudge keeps moving.
Muzhaiev tries to free his leg and advance position but Fudge is retaining full guard.
Fudge wants to stand and escape but Muzhaiev is having none of it.
Fudge can't keep his opponent in guard - Muzhaiev advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Muzhaiev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fudge is not content to let Muzhaiev control the position.

Muzhaiev is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Fudge doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Muzhaiev.
Fudge wants to get back to his feet.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Fudge has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Muzhaiev is on him like a limpet, forcing Fudge back against the ropes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Fudge dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ruslan Muzhaiev's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Muzhaiev moves in looking to clinch but Fudge pushes him off.

Muzhaiev drives through with a takedown into guard.
Muzhaiev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fudge is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Muzhaiev can do to turn this around?
Fudge working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Muzhaiev.
Muzhaiev lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Muzhaiev tries to free his leg and advance position but Fudge is retaining full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Muzhaiev working some strikes from top position.

It looks like Bob Fudge has been cut.
Muzhaiev wants to control from the top but Fudge keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muzhaiev scoring with punches to the head and body.
Muzhaiev engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fudge keeping moving, preventing Muzhaiev from controlling successfully.
Muzhaiev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fudge is keeping the position for now.
Fudge might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Muzhaiev throws an elbow that misses. Fudge uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Muzhaiev's guard. Nice move by Fudge!

Fudge stopping the sweep attempt from Muzhaiev.

Muzhaiev is looking for a triangle but Fudge pushes his legs off easily.

Muzhaiev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Fudge passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muzhaiev wants to get back to full guard.
Fudge knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Muzhaiev on the ground.

Muzhaiev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Muzhaiev wants to get back to full guard.
Fudge tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Ruslan Muzhaiev has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fudge decides to stand up.

Fudge gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Muzhaiev has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Fudge avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Fudge working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Fudge looking to slow down the pace here.
Fudge tries to stall but Muzhaiev uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Fudge stalling in the clinch but Muzhaiev improves position.
Muzhaiev is working for takedown but Fudge is calmly controlling the position for now.
Stalling in the clinch from Fudge.
Bob Fudge has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fudge makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Fudge breaks from the clinch.

Fudge has closed the distance and engaged Muzhaiev in a clinch.
Fudge is leaning against Muzhaiev and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Muzhaiev is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Bob Fudge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ruslan Muzhaiev.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Fudge.
Muzhaiev tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Muzhaiev tries to pull guard but Fudge holds him up against the ropes and eventually Muzhaiev drops back down to his feet.
Fudge tries to stall but Muzhaiev uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Fudge lands a damaging elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Muzhaiev drags the fight down to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Muzhaiev is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Muzhaiev is breathing heavily.
Fudge wants to stand but Muzhaiev has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Fudge dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Muzhaiev tries to keep at a distance but Fudge has taken the fight into the clinch.
Muzhaiev tries to pull guard but Fudge forces him back to his feet, against the ropes.

Muzhaiev has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Fudge is trying to keep an underhook but Muzhaiev manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Fudge is trying to stand.
Muzhaiev scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Bob Fudge's cut is getting worse.
Muzhaiev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fudge keeps working.
Muzhaiev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fudge is refusing to be controlled, as Muzhaiev sits in half guard.
Muzhaiev passes to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Muzhaiev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Muzhaiev is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Fudge looks calm but he's in trouble here. Muzhaiev gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Fudge is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Muzhaiev lets go of the hold and Fudge can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ruslan Muzhaiev! Ruslan Muzhaiev retains his heavyweight title!