PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maximo Ruiz (ranked 25188 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danny Star (ranked 5411 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ruiz
vs
Star

166 cm
23
177 lbs
1 - 3 - 1

180 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 1 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Maximo Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Danny Star!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Damien Edna and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Star shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ruiz defends it nicely.
Ruiz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ruiz tries a head kick but it misses.
Star dives in for a single leg takedown but Ruiz sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Star closes the distance and clinches.
Star is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Star breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Star lands with a nice combination. Ruiz backs away looking to recover.
Ruiz could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Star misses with a takedown attempt - Ruiz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Maximo Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danny Star.
Star looks to land a combination but Ruiz avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruiz gets a takedown into half guard.
Star is trying to control but can't.

Ruiz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Star tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The fighters are battling for position here. Star manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Star looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Star looking for a sweep. Not yet Star, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Star working a defensive guard here.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Star looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Star pulls Ruiz in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Star tries a head kick but it misses.
Star shoots in for a double leg but Ruiz sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Ruiz manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Star on his heels. He'll look to pass Star's guard now, I'm sure.

Star wriggles free and stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ruiz.
Star shoots in and drives through. Ruiz sprawls well.
Star tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ruiz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Star somewhat.
Star looks winded!
Star swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruiz.
Star shoots in for a takedown but Ruiz shows good takedown defense.
Ruiz went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Star moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Star manages to break the clinch.
Ruiz misses with a wild combination.
Ruiz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Star tries to avoid it but Ruiz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Star to the ground. Star escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Star steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Ruiz.
Star throws a right and a left that both miss.

Star gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Star is looking to stand back up but Ruiz counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Star.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The referee calls for the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Danny Star will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Maximo Ruiz's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ruiz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice takedown defense from Ruiz. No joy for Star on that attempt.
Ruiz looks to land a body kick but Star moved away.
Star goes for a double leg but Ruiz avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ruiz continues to drive forward.
Star throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ruiz counters with a three punch combo that has Star backing up. Star nods at Ruiz to acknowledge the strikes.
Ruiz misses with a takedown attempt - Star sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Star fails to land with a series of punches.
Maximo Ruiz is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Star will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Star looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Star.
Star shoots in for a takedown but Ruiz shows good takedown defense.
Maximo Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danny Star.
Star is breathing heavily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Star. Ruiz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ruiz avoids a punch combination nicely.

Ruiz forces Star back against the cage and clinches.
Star tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ruiz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Star smiles and moves away.

Ruiz instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Star is looking for a takedown.

Star's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Some wild striking there from Star.

Star rushes Ruiz and presses him up against the cage.

Ruiz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ruiz throws a right and a left that Star avoids nicely.
An inside leg kick lands from Ruiz.
Star shoots and misses
and Ruiz counters with a left and a right that stings Star.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ruiz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Star sneaks out the side door and pushes Ruiz away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Ruiz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Star sprawls well. Star wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ruiz gets slowly back to his feet.
Star swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruiz.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ruiz.
Star throws a right and a left that Ruiz avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Star.
Star shoots in for a double leg but Ruiz sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ruiz throws a big counter combination but Star scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ruiz clinches up against the cage.

Ruiz manages to break the clinch.
Ruiz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Star.
As Star looks to move away, Ruiz throws a big counter combo but Star just gets out of the way.
Ruiz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Star is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Star fails with a takedown attempt.
Ruiz seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Ruiz tries for a takedown but Star sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Maximo Ruiz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Maximo Ruiz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Star. No joy for Ruiz on that attempt.
Ruiz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Star counters with a solid body kick.
Star has his takedown stuffed
and Ruiz counters with a three punch combo that has Star backing up. Star nods at Ruiz to acknowledge the strikes.

Ruiz closes the distance and pushes Star back into the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Star changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ruiz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Star throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz tries to clinch up.
Ruiz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Star lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Star takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but Star avoids them all with ease.
Star shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ruiz counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Maximo Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danny Star.

Star clinches up with Ruiz and pushes him back against the cage.
Ruiz is trying to drag Star to the mat but Star just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Star just leaning against Ruiz, taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Star manages to pull guard.
Star lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Star trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
Ruiz is pulling down on Star's head to control his posture.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ruiz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Star won't allow Ruiz to sweep him here.
Star engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Star postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Ruiz is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Star, into his guard.

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.
Ruiz postures up.
Danny Star has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ruiz passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Star is trying to get back to full guard.

Ruiz is looking for a kimura but Star is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ruiz to get the leverage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Danny Star.
I think Star 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Danny Star!