PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Armas Ruutana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivo Lens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruutana comes to the cage accompanied by Ennio Morricone - Man With A Harmonica. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ruutana
vs
Lens

174 cm
24
156 lbs
10 - 12 - 0

167 cm
23
152 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Armas Ruutana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ivo Lens!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruutana gets caught flat footed, as Lens shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ruutana has Lens pulled in close to control his posture.

Ruutana looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Lens passes into half guard.
Lens blocks the strikes from Ruutana.
Lens sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Ruutana gets back to full guard.
Lens wants to pass the guard but Ruutana is keeping the position.
Ruutana working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lens.
Ruutana trying to control the position.
Lens trying to control but Ruutana is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lens pushes down on Ruutana's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Lens thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ruutana's head.
Lens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ruutana defending well though.
Lens drops an elbow to the side of Ruutana's head.
Lens is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Lens trying to control the action but Ruutana is working from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lens lands a nice short elbow.
Lens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ruutana does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lens wants to free his trapped foot but Ruutana is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Lens looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lens is controlling the pace.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lens is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lens scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lens prevents Ruutana from improving his position.
Lens frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ruutana tries to reverse the position but Lens maintains control.
Lens landing punches.
Lens trying to control but Ruutana is having none of it.
Ruutana is looking to get to half guard.
Lens can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ruutana is looking to escape.
Lens scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruutana wants to control but Lens is having none of it.
Lens with the ground and pound from mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lens postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ruutana looks a forlorn figure.
Lens landing strikes, looking to finish!

Ruutana is rocked!
Lens punishing his opponent with strikes.
Oh Ruutana is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Lens connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lens lands a big shot there that rocks Ruutana but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Ruutana is looking to improve his position but Lens isn't that keen on the idea.
Lens in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruutana is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lens landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivo Lens dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lens feints and as Ruutana raises his hands in defense, Lens changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lens trying to control but Ruutana is working from the bottom.
Ruutana controls Lens momentarily but Lens frees himself.
Lens pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ruutana is keeping the position for now.
Lens postures up.
Ruutana seems to have got his legs back now.
Lens preventing the sweep.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Lens trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lens seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Lens trying to control but Ruutana is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ruutana throws a jab but it's blocked by Lens.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lens shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ruutana napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lens trying to control the position but Ruutana is working away.
Lens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ruutana takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Lens in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Lens tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lens has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Lens trying to control the position but Ruutana is working away.
Ruutana stops Lens from passing to mount.
Ruutana defending against the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruutana is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Lens's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Lens wants to pass to mount but Ruutana is defending the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruutana has hold of Lens's hands but Lens slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruutana moves into full guard.

Ruutana is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lens defends well.
Ruutana controlling Lens's posture.
Lens throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ruutana works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lens missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ruutana trying to keep a closed guard but Lens is proving a slippery customer.

Lens is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Lens postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lens postures up in Ruutana's guard and throws a big left but Ruutana blocks it.
Lens pushes down on Ruutana's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ground and pound from Lens.
Ruutana is refusing to be controlled, as Lens sits in half guard.

Lens is looking for a kimura here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruutana slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lens forces his way into half guard.
Lens performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lens wants to take a breather but Ruutana is having none of it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lens not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivo Lens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Lens shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Lens wants to control from the top but Ruutana keeps moving.
Lens throwing strikes but missing.
Ruutana working a defensive guard here.
Ruutana keeping moving, preventing Lens from controlling successfully.
Ruutana managing to control the position.
Lens has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Ruutana controls Lens momentarily but Lens frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Armas Ruutana.
Ruutana throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lens sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ivo Lens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruutana slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Lens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ruutana tries to get to full guard but Lens has control of the leg.

Lens seems to be working for a kimura but Ruutana defends the submission attempt.

Lens is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ruutana preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruutana is looking to improve his position.
Lens trying to pass the guard but Ruutana defending well.
Ruutana wants to get back to full guard.
Lens missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ruutana is looking to escape.
Lens working Ruutana over with strikes.
Lens is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Lens is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ruutana sees it coming and defends easily.

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

Lens is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ruutana doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lens.
Lens sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Lens throwing shots but Ruutana is blocking nicely.
Ruutana is refusing to be controlled, as Lens sits in half guard.
Ruutana wants to control but Lens is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruutana looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lens tries to pass to full mount but Ruutana defends it.
Armas Ruutana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ruutana trying to control here.
Lens lands strikes from half guard.
Lens is taking a breather. Ruutana says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruutana gets back to full guard.
Lens working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivo Lens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lens 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivo Lens!