PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darrell Rutledge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Cunningham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cunningham has chosen Head Strong as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rutledge
vs
Cunningham

170 cm
24
151 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

171 cm
25
150 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

MMA's Best Nutrition The PIT INC

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Darrell Rutledge!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bill Cunningham!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick lands from Cunningham.

Rutledge gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cunningham trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutledge is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cunningham looking to sit in guard and control but Rutledge gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cunningham has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunningham manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cunningham controlling the position easily from mount.
Rutledge is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

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.
A nice elbow there by Cunningham.
Rutledge is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Cunningham looking for a guillotine from mount but Rutledge is having none of it.

Cunningham swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rutledge is now in Cunningham's guard. A big mistake from Cunningham there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunningham working a defensive guard here.
Rutledge wants to get up but he can't break Cunningham's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cunningham looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Cunningham trying to control the position.

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.
Cunningham wants to sweep here but Rutledge controlling him for the moment.
Cunningham controls Rutledge momentarily but Rutledge frees himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Cunningham dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cunningham looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rutledge is fending him off so far but Cunningham persists. Nope, Rutledge circles away and we're back to standing.
Rutledge avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cunningham buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cunningham uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rutledge.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunningham shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rutledge pinned against the cage. Rutledge gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cunningham ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rutledge moves away.
Rutledge throws a sloppy body shot
and Cunningham counters with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutledge misses with a double jab
and Rutledge takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rutledge walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cunningham checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rutledge throws a series of punches but Cunningham avoids them all with ease.
Rutledge works over Cunningham's head and body with a nice combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Rutledge.
Cunningham lands a high kick!
Darrell Rutledge seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cunningham ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rutledge steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Cunningham. That one must have hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cunningham walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rutledge checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutledge tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cunningham is able to avoid easily.
Darrell Rutledge is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rutledge looks to land a right hand but Cunningham moved out of range.
Cunningham misses with a combination
and Rutledge counters with a two punch combo.
Cunningham looking to land some kicks to the body here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Cunningham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cunningham pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Cunningham slips a jab and a cross from Rutledge.
Cunningham slips a jab and a cross from Rutledge.
Cunningham is looking to score with low kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cunningham displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rutledge throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunningham misses with a low kick.
Cunningham swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cunningham shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rutledge counters with a nice uppercut.
Rutledge checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cunningham ducks right into an uppercut from Rutledge.
Rutledge misses with a low kick.
Cunningham misses with a takedown
and Rutledge counters with a three punch combo that has Cunningham backing up. Cunningham nods at Rutledge to acknowledge the strikes.
Rutledge connects with a right hand. Cunningham shakes it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutledge throws a series of punches but Cunningham avoids them all with ease.
Jab from Rutledge.
Rutledge swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cunningham gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rutledge counters with a one-two to the body.
Darrell Rutledge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bill Cunningham.

That's four 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.
Cunningham throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rutledge swinging wilding here.
Cunningham tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rutledge was well out of range. Poor timing from Cunningham.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rutledge avoids the head kick by Cunningham.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darrell Rutledge clearly takes that round.
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.

Rutledge misses with a combination
and Cunningham counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rutledge throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cunningham cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cunningham.
Cunningham misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rutledge.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutledge thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rutledge lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rutledge looks to throw the jab but Cunningham is out of range.
Rutledge is looking to chop away at Cunningham's legs.
Cunningham is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rutledge rather than just go for the knockout.
Cunningham fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rutledge fails to land with a series of punches.
Cunningham shoots in and drives through. Rutledge sprawls well.
Cunningham is looking to score with low kicks.
Rutledge misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cunningham.
Rutledge tries a low kick but Cunningham avoids it.
Cunningham throws a sloppy body shot
and Rutledge counters with a leg kick.
Rutledge will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cunningham misses the shot to the body.

That's four 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.
Rutledge cracks Cunningham with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rutledge lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cunningham with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rutledge counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Darrell Rutledge will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rutledge lands with a shot to the body.
Rutledge keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rutledge is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cunningham.
Rutledge misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutledge throws a body punch but Cunningham moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutledge misses with a hook.
Cunningham shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rutledge as he avoids it easily.
Rutledge throws out a leg kick but Cunningham moves out of range and Rutledge only half commits.
Cunningham fails with the takedown
and Rutledge counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rutledge swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cunningham counters with a right hand to the body.
Rutledge throws a hook but Cunningham blocks it.
Cunningham pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bill Cunningham seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rutledge, as that shot connected.
Cunningham misses with a jab to the body
and Rutledge counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutledge misses with a shot to the body

and Cunningham counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cunningham wants to control from the top but Rutledge keeps moving.
Cunningham is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunningham wants to pass the guard but Rutledge is keeping the position.
Cunningham slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Cunningham trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutledge is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Cunningham comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cunningham has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 47:48
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 47:48
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bill Cunningham!
Bill Cunningham is the new featherweight champion!