PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Oliver Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafal Zamana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruiz comes to the cage accompanied by OCTAGON. The crowd seem to be enjoying Zamana's choice of entrance music: Modestep - Show Me A Sign. The key to victory for Oliver Ruiz has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Ruiz
vs
Zamana

187 cm
20
179 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

180 cm
23
181 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Oliver Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rafal Zamana!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Fedor Mirinova and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruiz is looking to clinch.

Zamana gets caught flat footed, as Ruiz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Ruiz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Zamana throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ruiz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ruiz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zamana works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruiz throws a big right hand that misses.

Ruiz drops back looking for a leg! Zamana is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zamana manages to kick Ruiz off! Ruiz jumps back into Zamana's guard.
Our spies down at at Barbell Brigade - $700 inform us that Zamana has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Zamana controls Ruiz momentarily but Ruiz frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zamana controlling the position.

Zamana had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ruiz defends it easily.
Zamana is adopting a defensive guard.
Zamana keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Ruiz drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Zamana manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ruiz has Zamana in his guard.

Zamana won't allow Ruiz to sweep him here.
Ruiz can't keep his opponent in guard - Zamana advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ruiz gets back to full guard.
Ruiz is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zamana pushes down on Ruiz's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Zamana controlling the action here.

Zamana is looking for a kimura here.
Zamana stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruiz gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ruiz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zamana with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ruiz controlling the position.
Ruiz is trying to control the position but Zamana postures up.
Ruiz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Zamana trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ruiz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zamana stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ruiz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zamana's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafal Zamana dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zamana shoots in but no luck this time.

Ruiz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Zamana is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ruiz's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ruiz's back!

Zamana is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Ruiz is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Zamana.
Ruiz manages to reverse the position and now he's in Zamana's guard. Nice work there by Ruiz.
Zamana has his hands on Ruiz's head, controlling the position.

Zamana has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ruiz can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz trying to control but Zamana is working from the bottom.
Zamana trying to control the position.
Zamana is pulling down on Ruiz's head to control his posture.
Let's hope that Zamana has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Zamana keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Ruiz scoring with punches to the head and body.

Ruiz stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Zamana misses with a takedown attempt

and Ruiz counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ruiz.
Ruiz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Zamana wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ruiz lands a nice uppercut.
Ruiz misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz stalling in the clinch but Zamana improves position.

Ruiz works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ruiz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ruiz preventing the sweep.
Zamana controls Ruiz momentarily but Ruiz frees himself.

Zamana is looking for a triangle but Ruiz pushes his legs off easily.
Ruiz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ruiz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Ruiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Zamana is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zamana is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ruiz wants to stand but Zamana is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ruiz looking to sit in guard and control but Zamana gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zamana postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oliver Ruiz dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Zamana shoots in for a takedown but Ruiz shows good takedown defense.
An attempted straight right counter from Ruiz misses the target.
Ruiz throws a right and a left that Zamana avoids nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ruiz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ruiz swats away the attempt to clinch by Zamana.
Ruiz went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruiz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ruiz misses with a few strikes there.
Zamana appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Zamana fails with the takedown
and Ruiz counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Ruiz. No joy for Zamana on that attempt.
Oliver Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafal Zamana.
Zamana avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ruiz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Zamana doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ruiz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Zamana gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ruiz to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Zamana working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ruiz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz trying to control but Zamana is working from the bottom.

Zamana looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Zamana bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ruiz's guard.

Zamana wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
Zamana is pushing down on Ruiz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ruiz is fighting to maintain full guard but Zamana has managed to sneak the leg through.
Zamana takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ruiz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Ruiz looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zamana performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Zamana with the ground and pound but Ruiz uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Ruiz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Zamana throws a big right hand that misses.
Ruiz being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ruiz seems keen to control Zamana's posture.
Zamana controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Ruiz looking to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ruiz wants to sweep here but Zamana controlling him for the moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Zamana with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ruiz counters with a nice body shot.

Zamana closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oliver Ruiz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ruiz 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Oliver Ruiz!
An out of breath Oliver Ruiz thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.