PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Antoine Rushe (ranked 6824 p4p, 6993 weight class) and Sky Genie (ranked 671 p4p, 679 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rushe
vs
Genie

182 cm
16
180
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
170
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antoine Rushe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sky Genie!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Andrew Berry and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Genie instigates a clinch.
Rushe lands a hook that snaps the head of Genie backwards.
Rushe lands a hook to the side of the head.
Genie has Rushe pushed against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rushe.
Genie lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Genie gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Genie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rushe defending well though.
Genie is looking to take a break and control but Rushe is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rushe moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Genie stopping the sweep attempt from Rushe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rushe is pulling down on Genie's head. It's preventing any offense from Genie, at least for the moment.
Genie throwing strikes from guard but Rushe blocks nicely.
Rushe pulls Genie in close to prevent any damage.
Rushe keeping moving, preventing Genie from controlling successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Genie distracts Rushe with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Genie preventing the sweep.
Genie sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Genie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rushe counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Antoine Rushe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Genie takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Rushe keeps the fight on the outside.

Genie darts in and clinches Rushe up against the cage.
Rushe prevents a body shot from Genie.
Rushe lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Genie blocks an uppercut.
Rushe lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Sky Genie has been cut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Genie.
Rushe scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Genie.
Genie avoids a wild elbow strike from Rushe.
Genie scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rushe creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Genie's defenses.

Genie successfully pulls guard.

Genie is looking for a triangle but Rushe pushes his legs off easily.
Rushe stays in close to Genie's body and controls the position.
Genie wants to stand but Rushe is controlling the position.
Genie is pulling down on Rushe's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rushe trying to control the position from guard on top but Genie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Genie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Genie keeping moving, preventing Rushe from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rushe scores with a kick to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Genie closes the distance and clinches.

Genie ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Genie no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rushe slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Rushe trying to control but Genie is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Antoine Rushe will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sky Genie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Genie fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters circling a little - Rushe finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Rushe lands a high kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Genie throws a head kick that misses
and Rushe counters with a straight right hand.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rushe enables Genie to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rushe manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rushe is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Genie missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rushe perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Genie wants to control but Rushe is keeping busy.
Genie wants to stand back up but Rushe manages to pass into side control.
Rushe taking a breather here.
Rushe trying to control the action but Genie is working from the bottom.

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.
Genie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rushe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Genie keeps working.
Rushe is staying tight to Genie's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rushe tries to advance to mount but Genie instead regains half guard.
Genie tries to get to full guard but Rushe has control of the leg.
Genie missing with punches from the bottom.
Genie wants to get back to full guard.
Genie controlling the position for now.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Genie tries for a takedown but Rushe circles away easily
and Rushe counters with a body kick that stops Genie in his tracks momentarily.

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.
Rushe scores with a punch to the head.

Genie closes the distance and clinches.
Rushe lands an elbow just above Genie 's eye.
Rushe misses with a knee to the head.
Genie is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Genie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rushe uses from the top position.
Genie is breathing heavily.
Rushe looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rushe is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rushe wants to pass the guard but Genie is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antoine Rushe dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sky Genie's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rushe tries to keep at a distance but Genie has taken the fight into the clinch.
A short left from Rushe.
Rushe throws an elbow that misses.
Rushe lands a left hand.

Genie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Genie throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Genie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rushe gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rushe trying to control the position from guard on top but Genie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rushe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Genie 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.
Genie wants to get back to his feet but Rushe passes into half guard.
Genie is refusing to be controlled, as Rushe sits in half guard.
Genie tries to kick Rushe off but Rushe keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rushe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Genie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Genie wants to control but Rushe is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Rushe seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rushe goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Rushe looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rushe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Genie can do to turn this around?
Some wild striking there from Genie.
Rushe seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Genie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rushe is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Genie.
Rushe stuffs the takedown attempt from Genie. Genie gets slowly back to his feet.
Rushe tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Genie manages to circle out of the way.
Genie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Genie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rushe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Genie lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Genie wants to clinch.
Genie throws a head kick but Rushe moves out of range.
As Genie tries to get set, Rushe tries to push him back and clinch up but Genie manages to avoid the attempt.
Rushe is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Genie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rushe's head.
Rushe wants to control but Genie is keeping busy.
Rushe slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rushe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Genie looking to sit in guard and control but Rushe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rushe trying to control but Genie is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antoine Rushe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rushe, 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antoine Rushe!