PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Ruiz (ranked 2361 p4p, 2784 weight class) and Clay Mann (ranked 293 p4p, 351 weight class). Ruiz comes to the cage accompanied by DB7 - Squid Game Drill. Anthony Ruiz could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Clay Mann's chin.

Ruiz
vs
Mann

188 cm
26
184
5 - 2 - 1

179 cm
25
178
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

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 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Clay Mann!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruiz cracks Mann with an open hand slap.
Ruiz scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mann takes one to the chin there.

Mann shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ruiz is looking to improve his position.
Mann is looking to advance position but Ruiz won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mann thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ruiz's head.
Ruiz is trying to stand up here but Mann is controlling him well.
Mann throwing shots but Ruiz is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mann drops an elbow to the side of Ruiz's head.
Ruiz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mann's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mann's back!
Ruiz doesn't have the hooks in and Mann manages to turn into his guard.
Mann is stalling in the full guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mann working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mann postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ruiz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ruiz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mann trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mann won't allow Ruiz to get back to his feet.
Mann postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mann tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruiz is retaining full guard.
Ruiz trying to control the position.
Mann wants to pass the guard but Ruiz is keeping the position.
Mann looking to sit in guard and control but Ruiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mann keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.

Mann 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.
Ruiz advances position into side control!
Mann struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ruiz tries to get to his feet but Mann is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Ruiz in his guard.

Mann escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ruiz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Mann is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Anthony Ruiz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Ruiz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mann showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ruiz.
A lazy left from Ruiz finds it's target.

Mann closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mann controlling the position from side mount.
Ruiz is looking to regain half guard here but Mann keeps moving and retains side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mann is chipping away with strikes.
Mann is working Ruiz over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mann working away.
Ruiz is looking to regain half guard here but Mann keeps moving and retains side control.
Ruiz tries to escape but Mann is in control.
Ruiz is looking to reverse the position.
Mann tries to advance to mount but can't.
Mann working away.
Mann in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Mann tries to move to mount but Ruiz blocks the move with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Mann is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ruiz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mann misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Mann tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mann has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Mann is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ruiz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mann working the ground and pound from side control.
Ruiz tries to improve position but can't.
Clay Mann has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mann wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ruiz keeps working.

Mann thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ruiz is trying to work for a sweep but Mann has mounted him!
Mann landing strikes from the mount and Ruiz is in trouble!
Mann looking to control but Ruiz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ruiz is desperately trying to improve his position but Mann has a good base and remains in mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mann lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ruiz hang on?
Ruiz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Clay Mann showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Mann shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Mann was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ruiz is trying to control Mann's posture but Mann avoids it.
Mann tries to advance to mount but can't.
Mann keeps trying to improve his position.
Mann has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruiz is not content to let Mann control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Ruiz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Mann has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Mann tries for a kimura but Ruiz is defending well.
Mann creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Ruiz sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Mann looks up at the clock and then as Ruiz takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Mann smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mann working away.
Mann lands an elbow.
Mann laying and praying for a moment but Ruiz takes advantage and regains half guard.
Mann lands strikes from half guard.
Mann trying to control the pace.
Ruiz wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mann missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Mann is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Ruiz gets back to full guard.
Ruiz wants to hit a sweep here but Mann passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Ruiz there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Mann connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Mann postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ruiz looks a forlorn figure.
Ruiz tries to hold on but Mann pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The referee warns Ruiz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Ruiz is rocked!
Mann fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

And that's the end of the fight!
Clay Mann comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mann 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clay Mann!
A relieved looking Clay Mann thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.