PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Justin Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toyama Tokonava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Justin Ruiz could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Toyama Tokonava's chin.

Ruiz
vs
Tokonava

170 cm
25
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
25
202 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

[GTI] Divine Clothing [UP TO 95% MONEY LAUNDRY]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Justin Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toyama Tokonava!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruiz closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Tokonava taking some punishment here, with Ruiz in his half guard.
Tokonava avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ruiz.
Ruiz is trying to control. Tokonava wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tokonava keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ruiz connects with a nice short shot to Tokonava's temple.

Ruiz escapes and gets back to his feet.
Toyama Tokonava seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tokonava shoots in for a double leg but Ruiz sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tokonava.
A punch combination from Tokonava misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tokonava is defended easily by Ruiz.
Justin Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Toyama Tokonava.
Tokonava pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Ruiz gets a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Ruiz there.
Ruiz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tokonava on the ground.
Ruiz working the head and body with strikes.
Ruiz lands strikes from half guard.
Tokonava trying to control here.
Ruiz is just content to waste time from the top position. Tokonava takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Tokonava keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Tokonava wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruiz trying to control but Tokonava is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tokonava can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ruiz controls the pace.
Ruiz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz landing with the ground and pound.
Ruiz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ruiz stops Tokonava from standing up.
Ruiz connects with a couple of short punches.
Ruiz stands up over Tokonava, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ruiz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruiz being controlled here momentarily.
Ruiz makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ruiz lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Tokonava is trying to keep Ruiz in close.

Ruiz stands and steps away. Tokonava gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Ruiz could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tokonava misses with a series of wild punches.

Ruiz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Ruiz tries for a kimura but Tokonava is defending well.
Tokonava manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ruiz landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ruiz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tokonava defending well though.
Tokonava avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ruiz.
Tokonava is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ruiz scores with a couple of nice shots.
Tokonava is looking to escape.
Tokonava looks gassed!
Tokonava on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruiz moves nicely into side control.
Tokonava tries to escape but Ruiz is in control.
Ruiz working away.

Ruiz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tokonava is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Tokonava throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Tokonava gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ruiz thows a huge punch but Tokonava dodges it nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruiz throwing shots but Tokonava is blocking nicely.
Tokonava is trying to maintain the position but Ruiz is very close to passing his half guard.
Ruiz seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Ruiz dominated that round.
That's time! Ruiz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tokonava shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ruiz but Ruiz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but Tokonava avoids them all with ease.

Ruiz gets a clinch.
Ruiz can't get the takedown.
Ruiz wants to take the fight to the mat but Tokonava manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Tokonava jumps guard but Ruiz stands there with Tokonava around his waist. Tokonava gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ruiz is working for takedown but Tokonava is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Ruiz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tokonava missing with knees to the body.
Tokonava looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tokonava is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ruiz tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Ruiz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tokonava tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ruiz swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruiz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tokonava sprawls well initially but Ruiz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Tokonava tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Tokonava trying to control from the bottom.
Ruiz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Tokonava is trying to get back to full guard.
Ruiz lands strikes from half guard.
Tokonava is staying active underneath Ruiz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tokonava is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Ruiz seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tokonava blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruiz.
Tokonava strikes from the bottom but Ruiz uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Tokonava tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ruiz lands an elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tokonava wants to control but Ruiz postures up.
Ruiz taking a breather here.
Ruiz is putting a hurting on Tokonava here, landing some big shots from side control.
Ruiz working the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Tokonava wants to control but Ruiz postures up.
Tokonava gets back to half guard.
Ruiz is keen to just control but Tokonava is a slippery customer.
Tokonava trying to hold on to Ruiz's head to control him but Ruiz postures up.
Tokonava is breathing heavily.
Tokonava throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ruiz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tokonava's head.
Ruiz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tokonava knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ruiz working Tokonava over with strikes.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ruiz lands a nice short elbow.

Tokonava looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz slips a nice elbow through Tokonava's hands, connecting with Tokonava's forehead.
Tokonava blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruiz.

Tokonava looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ruiz working Tokonava over with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tokonava is looking for a sweep. Ruiz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ruiz moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Tokonava.
Ruiz scores with a couple of short elbows.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tokonava tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ruiz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tokonava regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Ruiz dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ruiz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tokonava sprawls well initially but Ruiz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ruiz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tokonava is refusing to be controlled, as Ruiz sits in half guard.
Ruiz working over Tokonava with some ground and pound. Tokonava looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ruiz lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ruiz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tokonava gets back to full guard.
Ruiz scoring with some ground and pound.
Tokonava wants to sweep here but Ruiz controlling him for the moment.
Ruiz trying to control but Tokonava is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Ruiz stands up from Tokonava's guard - Ruiz perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tokonava throws a head kick that misses.
Tokonava takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ruiz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tokonava.
Tokonava doesn't manage to clinch there - Ruiz circles away.
Tokonava rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruiz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ruiz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tokonava's waist but Tokonava gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ruiz off to one side.
Ruiz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Tokonava looking to score a takedown here. Ruiz is defending well but Tokonava drives through and ends up in Ruiz's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ruiz is pulling down on Tokonava's head to control his posture.
Tokonava in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ruiz controls Tokonava momentarily but Tokonava frees himself.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruiz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tokonava is one step ahead there.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Ruiz seems keen to control Tokonava's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Justin Ruiz just wasn't active enough.
Ruiz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Ruiz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tokonava on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Ruiz scores with punches from side control.
Ruiz blocks the strikes from Tokonava.

Ruiz decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Ruiz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tokonava swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tokonava!
Justin Ruiz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

It looks like Justin Ruiz has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruiz tries to clinch but Tokonava moves out of range.
Ruiz thuds a left hand into Tokonava's body.

Ruiz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tokonava!
Tokonava takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Tokonava throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Tokonava tries to hold on but Ruiz pushes him away.
Ruiz postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Tokonava looks a forlorn figure.
Justin Ruiz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tokonava is bucking up trying to escape but Ruiz cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruiz landing punches.
Toyama Tokonava has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ruiz controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Ruiz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ruiz, 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Ruiz!
After winning the bout, Justin Ruiz thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.