PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gage Ruehlen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valmir Caliman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Caliman's choice of entrance music: Live Free or Let Me Die - Skillet. Gage Ruehlen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Valmir Caliman's chin.

Ruehlen
vs
Caliman

185 cm
23
175 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

190 cm
26
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gage Ruehlen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Valmir Caliman!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Caliman shoots in looking for a takedown. Ruehlen tries to sprawl out of it but Caliman keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ruehlen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ruehlen shoots and misses

and Caliman counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Caliman.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Caliman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Ruehlen throws his legs up looking for a submission but Caliman uses it to pass to side control.
Caliman throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruehlen is trying to control Caliman's posture but Caliman avoids it.
Ruehlen taking a bit of punishment here - Caliman scoring with strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

Caliman is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ruehlen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Caliman works to advance to full mount. Ruehlen defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruehlen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ruehlen wants to hold on but Caliman pushes him away.
Ruehlen tries to reverse the position but Caliman maintains control.
Caliman looking to finish Ruehlen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ruehlen!
Caliman looking to control but Ruehlen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Caliman prevents Ruehlen from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caliman connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ruehlen can't escape the position.

Caliman with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruehlen is working to get back to half guard.
Caliman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Ruehlen defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Caliman.
Ruehlen is in a horrible position here. Caliman smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caliman scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Ruehlen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ruehlen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ruehlen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Ruehlen throwing strikes but missing.
Ruehlen trying to control but Caliman is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruehlen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Caliman is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ruehlen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gage Ruehlen just wasn't active enough.

Ruehlen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ruehlen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruehlen trying to control but Caliman is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valmir Caliman dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Caliman throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ruehlen's waist but Ruehlen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Caliman off to one side.

Ruehlen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Caliman's guard.
Ruehlen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Caliman trying to keep a closed guard but Ruehlen is proving a slippery customer.
Caliman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ruehlen.
Ruehlen looking to sit in guard and control but Caliman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Caliman throws a strike but Ruehlen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caliman is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Caliman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ruehlen.
Ruehlen wanted to stand there but Caliman had control of the position.
Ruehlen postures up.
Ruehlen chips away with some ground and pound.
Ruehlen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ruehlen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruehlen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Caliman wants to control but Ruehlen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ruehlen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ruehlen trying to control from Caliman's half guard. Caliman has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Caliman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ruehlen.
Ruehlen stands and throws Caliman's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Caliman managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Ruehlen.
Caliman is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruehlen wants to control but Caliman is keeping him busy.

Ruehlen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Ruehlen is working for a kimura but Caliman is defending it quite comfortably.
Ruehlen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caliman is staying active underneath Ruehlen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Ruehlen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ruehlen wants to control but Caliman is keeping him busy.
Ruehlen prevents Caliman from improving his position.

Ruehlen is looking for a kimura here.

Ruehlen seems to be working for a kimura but Caliman defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gage Ruehlen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ruehlen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ruehlen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Caliman counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ruehlen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Caliman avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gage Ruehlen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Caliman misses with a takedown attempt
and Ruehlen counters with a solid body kick.
Caliman closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ruehlen circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ruehlen.
Nice sprawl there from Ruehlen as Caliman shoots in.
Caliman misses with a takedown

and Ruehlen counters with a takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruehlen trying to control the action but Caliman is working from the bottom.
Ruehlen in side control, throwing shots but Caliman defends.
Ruehlen tries to score with some ground and pound. Caliman controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Caliman stops Ruehlen from passing to mount.
Ruehlen in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Ruehlen.
Caliman is trying to get back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes there by Ruehlen.
Caliman tries to bench press Ruehlen off him but Ruehlen keeps the position.
Ruehlen misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruehlen scoring with punches from side control.
Ruehlen tries to advance to mount but Caliman denies him.
Ruehlen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Caliman is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Caliman parries the strikes from Ruehlen easily there. Ruehlen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Caliman to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruehlen tries to move into full mount but can't pass Caliman's legs.
Sloppy strikes there by Ruehlen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruehlen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Caliman has escaped the position, nice work there.

Ruehlen goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Caliman has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Ruehlen but great work by Caliman.
Ruehlen wants to get back to his feet.

Caliman is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ruehlen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Caliman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ruehlen keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gage Ruehlen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ruehlen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gage Ruehlen!
Gage Ruehlen bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.