PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wesley Janssen (ranked 1231 p4p, 999 weight class) and Tama Ruiha (ranked 185 p4p, 148 weight class). Ruiha has chosen Polynesian Traditional Music as his entrance music. 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 Tama Ruiha was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Janssen
vs
Ruiha

183 cm
26
216
6 - 3 - 0

180 cm
27
205
9 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Wesley Janssen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tama Ruiha!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, David Hoff and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Janssen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ruiha displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Janssen.
A swing and a miss from Ruiha.
Janssen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Ruiha sprawls and moves away.
Ruiha throws a series of punches but Janssen moves out of range.
Janssen misses with a takedown attempt - Ruiha sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wesley Janssen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruiha lands an overhand right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Janssen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Ruiha counter with a right hand.

It looks like Wesley Janssen has been cut.
Janssen closes the distance and clinches up with Ruiha, looking for a takedown. Janssen pushes Ruiha against the cage but Ruiha circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ruiha swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Janssen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ruiha won't be happy with that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Janssen works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ruiha looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Ruiha tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Janssen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Janssen looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ruiha is avoiding damage well.
Janssen working the body and head with strikes.
Ruiha is not content to let Janssen control the position.
Ruiha is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Janssen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Ruiha down.

It looks like Tama Ruiha has been cut.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Janssen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ruiha is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Janssen throws an elbow but Ruiha slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Janssen working the ground and pound but Ruiha is defending the strikes.
Janssen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ruiha tries to bench press Janssen off him but Janssen keeps the position.
Janssen controlling the position.

Janssen is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Ruiha is trying to escape and Janssen transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Ruiha is forced to tap! Nice work there by Janssen! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Wesley Janssen!