PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abel Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rutten
vs
Velasquez

186 cm
23
260 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
243 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bas Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abel Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Russell Pearce and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutten throws a right and a left that Velasquez avoids nicely.
Velasquez tries to clinch there but Rutten circles away.
Rutten tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Velasquez was well out of range. Poor timing from Rutten.
Rutten throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Velasquez.
Rutten looks for a takedown but Velasquez sprawls well.
Rutten throws a series of punches but Velasquez avoids them all with ease.
Rutten misses with the combination.
Velasquez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velasquez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rutten closes this distance looking for a takedown but Velasquez circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Velasquez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rutten tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bas Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Velasquez lands a shoulder strike.
Velasquez gets underhooks to prevent Rutten's takedown attempt.
Rutten jumps guard but Velasquez stands there with Rutten around his waist. Rutten gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rutten tries to pull guard but Velasquez holds him up against the cage and eventually Rutten drops back down to his feet.
Velasquez can't get the takedown.

Velasquez breaks the clinch.
Velasquez tries to clinch there but Rutten circles away.
Rutten misses with the combination.
Velasquez loads up on a big right hand but Rutten slips the punch.
Rutten looks to land a combination but Velasquez avoids it well.
Rutten looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rutten.

Velasquez instigates a clinch.
Velasquez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rutten is trying to push Velasquez away but Velasquez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Velasquez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rutten prevents a takedown attempt there.
Velasquez lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rutten wants a takedown.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Velasquez.
Velasquez lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Rutten.
Velasquez scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rutten is breathing heavily.
Rutten jumps guard but Velasquez stands there with Rutten around his waist. Rutten gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Velasquez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A short right from Velasquez.
A nice right hand lands inside from Velasquez.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Velasquez lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.
Velasquez working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rutten wants a takedown but no success here.
Velasquez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Velasquez lands with a right to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez is working Rutten over against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Velasquez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Velasquez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Velasquez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Velasquez uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Rutten. Those never looked like landing.

Velasquez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rutten looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rutten is trying to get back to half guard.
Velasquez working the ground and pound.
Rutten taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rutten takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rutten is trying to get back to his feet.

Velasquez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Velasquez working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez lands a few punches from side control.
Velasquez working the ground and pound.
Velasquez has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rutten!

Velasquez has hold of Rutten's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Rutten manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Velasquez cracks Rutten with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Velasquez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rutten hang on?

Velasquez is working for a guillotine from mount but Rutten frees his head quite easily.
Rutten is looking to get to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Velasquez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abel Velasquez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Velasquez misses with a takedown attempt
and Rutten counters with a three punch combo that has Velasquez backing up. Velasquez nods at Rutten to acknowledge the strikes.
Bas Rutten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Velasquez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Velasquez has his takedown stuffed
and Rutten cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rutten.
Velasquez gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Velasquez trying to control but Rutten postures up.

Velasquez has one foot on Rutten's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez slips a jab and a cross from Rutten.
Velasquez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rutten manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rutten swinging wildly here.
No joy there for Rutten, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rutten swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rutten throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rutten misses with a looping right.

Velasquez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rutten escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Velasquez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Velasquez postures up and lands a big shot to Rutten's brow.
Rutten can't keep his opponent in guard - Velasquez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rutten is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Velasquez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rutten defending well though.
Velasquez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Velasquez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Velasquez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Velasquez lands with a punch from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rutten looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rutten gets full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez cracks Rutten with a solid left hand.
Velasquez postures up and lands a big shot to Rutten's brow.
Velasquez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Rutten is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Velasquez drops back looking for a leg! Rutten is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rutten manages to kick Velasquez off! Velasquez jumps back into Rutten's guard.
Rutten not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rutten tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Velasquez connects with a couple of short punches.
Velasquez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Rutten is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Velasquez defends well.
Rutten trying to keep a closed guard but Velasquez is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rutten is looking for a triangle but Velasquez pushes his legs off easily.

Rutten looking for a guillotine here but Velasquez defends easily.
Rutten is trying to keep Velasquez in close.

Rutten has his foot on Velasquez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Velasquez works his way back into a safe position though.

Velasquez stands up from Rutten's guard - Velasquez perhaps looking for a knockout.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Velasquez is defended easily by Rutten.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abel Velasquez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Rutten's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Velasquez tries to clinch but Rutten is having none of it.
Bas Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutten defending well as Velasquez loads up on a big left hand.
Velasquez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rutten.
Velasquez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutten swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Velasquez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Velasquez pressing his opponent against the cage.
Velasquez throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Velasquez lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rutten manages to break the clinch.
Rutten displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Rutten misses with a two punch combination.
Rutten lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The fight stays on the outside here - Velasquez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rutten's corner calls for a 1-2. Rutten obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Velasquez with a jab.
Rutten throws a right hand that Velasquez ducks under and follows up with a left that Velasquez also avoids with ease.
Velasquez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rutten swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Rutten misses.
Velasquez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rutten circles away from the clinch attempt.
Velasquez tries to clinch up.
Velasquez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Velasquez scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rutten swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Velasquez moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rutten throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Velasquez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rutten can't keep his opponent in guard - Velasquez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rutten is looking for a sweep. Velasquez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Velasquez sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Velasquez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rutten's head.
Velasquez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Velasquez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rutten tries to get to full guard but Velasquez has control of the leg.
Velasquez winds up and cracks Rutten with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Velasquez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Velasquez thows a huge punch but Rutten dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez works his foot free and advances to mount.
Velasquez unloading with bombs!
Velasquez scoring with strikes but Rutten is staying in there.
Bas Rutten has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rutten working to try and regain half guard.

Velasquez goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Rutten is on top in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Velasquez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rutten loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abel Velasquez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Velasquez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abel Velasquez!