PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Flinger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alistair Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Flinger
vs
Rutten

195 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
263 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pablo Flinger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alistair Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Valeri Chadov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Flinger clinches.
Flinger holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Rutten jumps guard and drags Flinger to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Flinger could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Rutten looking to control.
Flinger sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rutten trying to keep a closed guard but Flinger is proving a slippery customer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Flinger shoots in for a double leg but Rutten sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Flinger clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flinger has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rutten is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Rutten pulls guard.
Flinger postures up.
Flinger is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Rutten is working an open guard so Flinger takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Flinger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Flinger defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rutten.

Rutten moves into the clinch successfully.

Flinger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rutten looks to clinch
and Flinger counters with a leg kick.
Rutten tries to clinch but Flinger moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rutten wants to clinch

and Flinger counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rutten jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Flinger walks away with a smile on his face. Rutten gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Flinger tries to bum rush Rutten with a series of wild strikes but Rutten uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Flinger lands a jab-cross combination.
Rutten fails in his attempt to clinch.

Flinger clinches up against the cage.

Flinger breaks from the clinch.
Rutten tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rutten tries to clinch up

and Flinger counters by moving into the clinch.
Rutten looking to throw knees to the head but Flinger is blocking nicely.
Flinger digs a right hand underneath Rutten's ribcage. Rutten let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Flinger jumps guard and drags Rutten to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rutten postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Flinger is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rutten, into his guard.
Rutten keeping full guard, as Flinger tries to pass.
Flinger would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten trying to keep a closed guard but Flinger is proving a slippery customer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Flinger trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rutten tries to clinch up

and Flinger holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Flinger landing knees to the body.

Flinger breaks the clinch.
Rutten is looking to clinch but Flinger is avoiding it.

Rutten gets a clinch.
Rutten fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rutten tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Flinger smiles and moves away.
Flinger lands a high kick!
Rutten tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Flinger counters with a good, hard body kick but Rutten shrugs it off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Flinger looks to land a combination. Rutten sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Alistair Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Flinger lands with a kick to the temple. Rutten shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Horrible takedown by Flinger or perhaps it was just good defense by Rutten which made him look bad.
Flinger tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rutten swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Flinger. No joy for Rutten on that attempt.
Pablo Flinger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alistair Rutten.
Rutten closes the distance but Flinger moves to the side
and Flinger counters with a two punch combo.

Rutten forces Flinger back against the cage and clinches.
Flinger tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rutten smiles and moves away.

Rutten moves into the clinch successfully.
Flinger looking for a takedown.
Rutten takes a shot to the head.
Rutten jumps guard but Flinger turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Flinger taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rutten fails to pull guard.
Flinger just leaning against Rutten, taking a breather.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rutten decides to pull guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Flinger 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.

Pablo Flinger has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Flinger keeps the fight on the outside.
Rutten dives in and grabs Flinger's left leg, looking for a takedown. Flinger pushes down on Rutten's head and hops out.
Rutten is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Flinger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rutten tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Flinger counters with a nice body kick.
Flinger shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rutten sprawls well. Rutten wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Flinger gets slowly back to his feet.
Rutten moves to clinch but Flinger breaks away
and Flinger cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Flinger or perhaps it was just good defense by Rutten which made him look bad.
Rutten looks to clinch
and Flinger counters with a one-two to the body.
Rutten tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Flinger counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Flinger.

Flinger escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rutten looks for a takedown but Flinger sprawls well.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Rutten manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rutten preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Flinger tries to free his leg and advance position but Rutten is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Pablo Flinger wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rutten is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Rutten closes the distance but Flinger moves to the side
and Flinger counters with a nice body kick.
Rutten moves to clinch but Flinger breaks away
and Flinger counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Flinger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rutten moves to clinch but Flinger breaks away
and Flinger counters with a body kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rutten doesn't manage to clinch there - Flinger circles away.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Flinger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pablo Flinger is winning the standup battle so far.
Rutten tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Flinger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Flinger dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rutten tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Flinger counters with a straight right hand.
Rutten moves in looking to clinch but Flinger pushes him off.

Flinger drives through and clinches with Rutten against the cage.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rutten jumps guard but Flinger stands there with Rutten around his waist. Rutten gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rutten jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Flinger walks away with a smile on his face. Rutten gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Pablo Flinger is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rutten moves to clinch but Flinger breaks away
and Flinger counters with a series of strikes. Rutten will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rutten fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rutten looks to clinch
and Flinger counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Flinger drags the fight down to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rutten postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Flinger is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rutten, into his guard.
Rutten takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Flinger controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Pablo Flinger has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Nice sprawl there from Flinger as Rutten shoots in.
Pablo Flinger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alistair Rutten.
Rutten darts in trying to clinch
and Flinger counters with a head kick.
Rutten defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Flinger.
Rutten tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Flinger counters with a leg kick.

Flinger has closed the distance and engaged Rutten in a clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Flinger gets control of Rutten's arms and successfully pulls guard. Flinger will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Flinger looking for a sweep. Not yet Flinger, not yet.
Rutten looking to pass the guard.
Flinger controlling Rutten's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Rutten drops back, looking for a kneebar! Flinger looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Flinger looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Flinger!
The referee asks Flinger politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Flinger prefers to stall for the moment though.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Pablo Flinger just wasn't active enough.
Rutten tries to clinch but Flinger moves away
and Flinger counters with a body kick that stops Rutten in his tracks momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flinger looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rutten is fending him off so far but Flinger persists. Nope, Rutten circles away and we're back to standing.
Flinger circles away from the clinch attempt
and Flinger counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rutten looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rutten darts in trying to clinch

and Flinger counters by moving into the clinch.
Rutten looking to slow down the pace here.
Rutten jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Flinger walks away with a smile on his face. Rutten gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Flinger shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rutten but Rutten pushes him off and we're back to square one.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutten doesn't manage to clinch there - Flinger circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pablo Flinger showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Flinger has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pablo Flinger!