PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Wilford (ranked 4826 p4p, 16402 weight class) and Emanuel Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Emanuel Ruiz was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Wilford
vs
Ruiz

195 cm
19
250
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
41
221
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Wilford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Emanuel Ruiz!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wilford darts in and clinches Ruiz up against the cage.

Ruiz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ruiz scores with a nice strike.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but Wilford avoids them all with ease.

Wilford is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ruiz's half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Wilford not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruiz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ruiz is pressing down on Wilford's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ruiz looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Ruiz is looking to stand up but Wilford isn't so interested in that idea.
Wilford wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
Wilford throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wilford is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Ruiz is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Ruiz has escaped and now he's on top!

Wilford throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Ruiz postures up in Wilford's guard and throws a big left but Wilford blocks it.
Wilford tries to strike from the bottom.
Wilford utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wilford is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ruiz lands a couple of elbows.
Wilford not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Wilford is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ruiz is aware though and is defending well.
Wilford avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Wilford looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ruiz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ruiz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wilford is breathing heavily.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ruiz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wilford working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ruiz.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ruiz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Wilford takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Ruiz drops Wilford with a right and a left! Ruiz comes rushing in but Wilford regains his composure and manages to keep Ruiz in guard.

Wilford is rocked!

It looks like John Wilford has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruiz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Oh Wilford is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ruiz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ruiz scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ruiz throwing strikes from guard but Wilford blocks nicely.
Ruiz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wilford seems to have got his legs back now.
Wilford looking for a sweep. Not yet Wilford, not yet.
Wilford will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ruiz postures up in Wilford's guard and throws a big left but Wilford blocks it.
Wilford avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ruiz passes Wilford's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Wilford defending well though.
Wilford keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Wilford avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ruiz.
Ruiz thows a huge punch but Wilford dodges it nicely.
Wilford blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruiz.
Wilford blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruiz.
Ruiz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Wilford keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Ruiz is trying to work for a kimura but Wilford is defending well.
Ruiz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Wilford's head.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Ruiz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Wilford showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ruiz.
Wilford feinted with a counter takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz looks to land a combination but Wilford avoids it well.
Ruiz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Emanuel Ruiz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice takedown defense from Ruiz. No joy for Wilford on that attempt.
Ruiz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruiz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Ruiz duly obliges.
No joy there for Ruiz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ruiz keeps the fight on the outside.
Wilford avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ruiz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Wilford feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Wilford is looking to pass into half guard but Ruiz pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Ruiz is in guard.

Wilford looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Emanuel Ruiz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Wilford's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Wilford looks for a takedown but Ruiz sprawls well.

Ruiz throws a left that rocks Wilford and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Ruiz dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Wilford regain composure!
Ruiz working the ground and pound but Wilford is defending the strikes.
Ruiz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Wilford sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Wilford 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.
Ruiz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Wilford sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ruiz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Wilford parries the strikes from Ruiz easily there. Ruiz is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Wilford to escape.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wilford avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ruiz.
Ruiz throws an elbow but Wilford slips to the side and avoids it well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wilford managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Ruiz.
Ruiz in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Wilford 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.
Ruiz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Wilford sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ruiz cracks Wilford with a big elbow. Oh, he's hurt! Ruiz immediately mounts and start dropping bombs! Wilford is done! The referee jumps in and saves him from any more punishment - a quick and decisive finish by Ruiz!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Emanuel Ruiz!