PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between LaDanian Rucker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicholas Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Rucker
vs
Lee

179 cm
21
166 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
167 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid 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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, LaDanian Rucker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicholas Lee!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rucker tries to close the distance and clinch but Lee swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rucker fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lee stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lee wants it to stay on the feet.
Lee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rucker is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.
Rucker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lee is fending him off so far but Rucker persists. Nope, Lee circles away and we're back to standing.
Nicholas Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rucker looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rucker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lee tries to clinch but Rucker is having none of it.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch but Rucker swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rucker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rucker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee shoots in and drives through. Rucker sprawls well.
Lee doesn't manage to clinch there - Rucker circles away.

Lee closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lee with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Lee creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rucker's defenses.
Lee missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Lee has Rucker pressed against the cage, preventing Rucker from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lee throws an elbow that misses.
Rucker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rucker trying to control the position but instead, Lee has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rucker into the cage.
Nice elbow from Lee.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rucker wants to get back to striking at distance but Lee won't allow it.
Rucker fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LaDanian Rucker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Rucker has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lee is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rucker tries to pull guard but Lee holds him up against the cage and eventually Rucker drops back down to his feet.
Lee landing knees to the head.
Lee misses with an elbow over the top.
Rucker tries for a takedown but Lee manages to get underhooks.
Rucker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Lee with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Lee is pressed up against the cage. Rucker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lee down to the mat. Lee avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rucker dives in and grabs Lee's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lee pushes down on Rucker's head and hops out.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rucker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rucker throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Rucker pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rucker fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lee scores with the left hand. Rucker knows he should have avoided that one.

Lee moves into the clinch.
Lee tries a knee to the head but Rucker blocks it.
Rucker blocks a body shot from Lee.
Rucker tries to stall but Lee uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rucker managing to block the knees to the body from Lee.
Rucker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lee lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rucker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lee is defending well for now.
Rucker is trying to maintain a safe position but Lee gets an underhook and turns Rucker into the cage.
Lee lands an elbow inside that Rucker shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rucker blocks an elbow strike.
Lee with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Lee looking to throw knees to the head but Rucker is blocking nicely.
Rucker tries to pull guard but Lee holds him up against the cage and eventually Rucker drops back down to his feet.
Rucker avoids the elbow strike from Lee, against the cage.
Lee lands an elbow inside that Rucker shrugs off.
Lee throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Lee lands an elbow inside that Rucker shrugs off.
Lee taking a breather.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rucker.
Lee lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Lee misses with a knee strike.
Lee with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rucker tries to pull guard but Lee won't allow it.
Rucker misses with a punch on the inside.
Lee comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rucker looking to stall.
Knees to the body from Lee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rucker blocks the elbow strike.
Rucker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rucker trying to stall but Lee improves his position.
Rucker is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lee gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Lee lands a nice knee to the body.
Lee is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rucker is keeping busy.
Rucker tries to pull guard but Lee holds him up against the cage and eventually Rucker drops back down to his feet.
Lee misses with a knee to the head.
Lee looks gassed!
Lee struggles to land a body shot inside as Rucker controls his hands.
Lee is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rucker is defending well for now.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Rucker tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lee just stands there and leans against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rucker fails to pull guard.
Rucker jumps guard but Lee stands there with Rucker around his waist. Rucker gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Lee pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Lee using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicholas Lee dominated that round.
The cut man is working on LaDanian Rucker's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rucker looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lee moves in looking to clinch but Rucker pushes him off.
Lee wants to clinch but Rucker slips to the side
and Rucker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lee wants to clinch up but Rucker keeps it at a distance.
Rucker wants to clinch.
Lee tries to clinch there but Rucker circles away.
Rucker tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lee sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rucker somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rucker tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lee sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rucker somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LaDanian Rucker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rucker is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lee shoots for a double leg takedown but Rucker sprawls well. He's pushed Lee's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rucker closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lee circles away.
Lee blocks a head kick by Rucker.
Lee checks a low kick from Rucker.
Lee shoots for a takedown but Rucker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lee wants to clinch up but Rucker keeps it at a distance.
Lee tries to clinch up.
Lee lands a two punch combo.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rucker tries to clinch up but Lee circles away and keeps his distance.

Rucker scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Lee struggling a bit here.
Lee is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee is looking for a sweep.
Rucker misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Rucker working the ground and pound.
A lull in the action here.
Rucker in side control, throwing shots but Lee defends.
Rucker knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lee on the ground.
Lee is trying to escape the position but Rucker is controlling the position.
An elbow from Rucker crashes against the mat.
Rucker is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Lee manages to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rucker seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lee does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rucker is pressing down on Lee's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lee is holding on for now.
Rucker is looking to take a break and control but Lee is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rucker content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Lee tries to get to full guard but Rucker has control of the leg.
Lee regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rucker looking to sit in guard and control but Lee gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Lee advances position into side control!
Rucker is not content to let Lee control the position.
Rucker is looking to reverse the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rucker trying his best to control but Lee has mounted him.
Lee trying to control but Rucker is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

LaDanian Rucker dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on LaDanian Rucker's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lee swinging wildly here.
Lee throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rucker swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee.
Rucker throws a leg kick but Lee checks it.
Nice takedown defense from Rucker. No joy for Lee on that attempt.
Lee swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rucker is defended easily by Lee.
Rucker tries to close the distance and clinch but Lee swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rucker shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lee sprawls well. Lee wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rucker gets slowly back to his feet.
Rucker throws an overhand right that lands on Lee's shoulder, as Lee tries to avoid the shot.
Lee fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lee moves in looking to clinch but Rucker pushes him off.
Rucker shoots in looking for a takedown. Lee tries to sprawl out of it but Rucker keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lee manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LaDanian Rucker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lee looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lee tries to clinch up but Rucker circles away and keeps his distance.
Lee feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rucker's calf.
Rucker has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rucker swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch but Rucker swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rucker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Lee. No joy for Rucker on that attempt.
Lee wants to clinch up but Rucker keeps it at a distance.
Lee misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A telegraphed right hand from Lee misses the target.
Lee wants to land a leg kick but Rucker is out of range.
Lee shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rucker defends it nicely.
Lee takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rucker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rucker closes the distance and clinches up with Lee, looking for a takedown. Rucker pushes Lee against the cage but Lee circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lee looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nice sprawl there from Lee as Rucker shoots in.
Rucker is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.
Lee tries to clinch but Rucker is having none of it.
Rucker shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Lee closes the distance and clinches up with Rucker, looking for a takedown. Lee pushes Rucker against the cage but Rucker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rucker is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.
LaDanian Rucker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lee tries to clinch there but Rucker circles away.
Lee closes the distance and clinches up with Rucker, looking for a takedown. Lee pushes Rucker against the cage but Rucker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Lee, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.
Lee moves out of range as Rucker throws a body kick.
Lee moves in looking to clinch but Rucker pushes him off.
Lee misses with a wild combination.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rucker tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lee counters with a slapping leg kick.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch but Rucker swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rucker tries to clinch up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rucker thows a leg kick but Lee checks it
enabling Lee to counter with a crisp jab.
Lee stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lee wants it to stay on the feet.
Rucker fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lee avoids it really well and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicholas Lee comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lee has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicholas Lee!