PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russ Rutger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rutger has chosen Oh...Canada by Classified as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Carter
vs
Rutger

174 cm
25
183 lbs
13 - 12 - 0

172 cm
23
175 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Carter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Russ Rutger!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, John Roberts and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carter has his takedown stuffed

and Rutger counters with a takedown into side control.
Rutger postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
You can see the frustration on Carter's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Carter seems a little lost for a moment, as Rutger dominates the positioning.
Carter gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rutger is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Carter looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Carter manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutger wants to pass the guard but Carter is keeping the position.
Rutger won't allow Carter to sweep him here.
Rutger missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rutger wants to control from the top but Carter keeps moving.
Rutger engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Carter looking for a sweep. Not yet Carter, not yet.
Carter keeping moving, preventing Rutger from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Russ Rutger.
Rutger lands the left hand.
Carter swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Rutger counters with a nice low kick that buckles Carter's knee momentarily.
Carter misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Rutger counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Carter controls Rutger momentarily but Rutger frees himself.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rutger wants to control from the top but Carter keeps moving.
Carter wants to sweep but no luck.

Carter looking for a guillotine here but Rutger defends easily.
Rutger throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutger not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Carter keeping moving, preventing Rutger from controlling successfully.
Carter looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rutger is one step ahead there.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Carter looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Carter escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rutger gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rutger got a little sloppy there for a moment and Carter has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rutger has managed to get both his arms back between Carter's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Carter wants to improve his position but instead Rutger has moved into half guard.
Carter moves into full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rutger's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Carter throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rutger trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.
Rutger looking to pass the guard.
Rutger won't allow Carter to sweep him here.
Rutger is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russ Rutger dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Carter tries to work over Rutger's front leg with a kick but Rutger checks it.
Carter scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rutger connects with a body shot.
Rutger keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rutger lands a jab to the head.
Rutger fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Rutger darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Carter tries to roll over but Rutger keeps him under control.
Carter won't allow Rutger to pass to mount.
Carter wants to improve his position but Rutger is controlling well.
Rutger wants to take a breather but Carter is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter is trying to get back to full guard.
Rutger is looking to take a break and control but Carter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Carter is looking to improve his position.
Rutger sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Carter taking some punishment here, with Rutger in his half guard.
Carter manages to get to full guard.
Rutger is in close to Carter's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter keeping moving, preventing Rutger from controlling successfully.
Carter is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rutger lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rutger preventing the sweep.
Rutger postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rutger preventing the sweep.
Rutger working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Carter's head.
Rutger throwing strikes but missing.
Carter manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rutger is working to get back to half guard.
Russ Rutger has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter thowing shots but they're missing.
Rutger is in all sorts of trouble here.

Carter is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Rutger has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Rutger!
Rutger trying to control the position from guard on top but Carter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Carter throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rutger escapes and throws Carter's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Rutger working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rutger in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Rutger working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Carter takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Carter tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rutger wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rutger controlling the position.
Carter is trying to improve his position.
Carter can't do much from the bottom here.
Rutger slows the pace down.
Carter can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russ Rutger showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Carter has his takedown stuffed
and Rutger counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Carter is looking to chop away at Rutger's legs.
A punch lands to the side of Carter 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Horrible takedown by Carter or perhaps it was just good defense by Rutger which made him look bad.

Rutger looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rutger distracts Carter with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rutger passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Carter manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Carter trying to control from half guard but Rutger is working away.
Rutger is trying to maintain the position but Carter is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rutger knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Carter wants to take a breather but Rutger is having none of it.
Rutger trying to control but Carter postures up.
Carter thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rutger to regain full guard.
Rutger pulls Carter in to control the position.
Rutger avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Carter throwing strikes but missing.
Carter trying to control but Rutger is working from the bottom.

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.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice uppercut there from Rutger.
Rutger ducks under a wild hook from Carter.
Carter uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rutger.
Rutger keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rutger tries a low kick but Carter avoids it.
Rutger leaves Carter with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Carter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carter swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rutger counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Carter misses with a body punch
and Rutger counters with a straight right hand.
Carter throws a body punch but Rutger moves out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Rutger. That snapped Carter's head back.
Carter ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rutger moves away.
Carter has his takedown stuffed
and Rutger counters with a three punch combo that has Carter backing up. Carter nods at Rutger to acknowledge the strikes.
Rutger throws a jab when Carter was well out of range.
Carter misses with a body shot
and Carter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutger stuffs the takedown.
Carter throws an off balance right hand
and Rutger counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carter misses with a takedown
enabling Rutger to counter with a crisp jab.

Rutger 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.
Rutger slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Carter avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
John Carter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Russ Rutger is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rutger has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rutger content to stall in guard here.
Rutger trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rutger not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Russ Rutger.
Carter gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Rutger.
Rutger scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Rutger moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rutger catches Carter with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rutger throws a lazy right hand but Carter sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Carter misses with a double jab
and Rutger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A jab from Carter does it's job there.
Carter misses the body punch
and Rutger connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A swing and a miss from Carter.
John Carter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutger misses with a looping left.
A nice leg kick lands there from Carter.
Rutger closes the distance and clinches up with Carter, looking for a takedown. Rutger pushes Carter against the cage but Carter circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Carter lands a nice shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russ Rutger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rutger 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russ Rutger!