PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ireneo Requina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josip Ruzic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruzic has chosen Kid N Play - Gettin' Funky as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Requina
vs
Ruzic

182 cm
26
194 lbs
17 - 7 - 0

185 cm
30
192 lbs
27 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $150

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ireneo Requina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josip Ruzic!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruzic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Requina throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Ruzic counters with an inside leg kick.
Ruzic tried to score with a low kick but Requina checks it.
Requina checks the leg kick nicely there.
Ruzic misses with a body shot.
Requina throws a front kick aimed at Ruzic's knee but Ruzic avoids it well.
Ruzic gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Requina takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Requina scores with a jab. Ruzic acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Requina takes a kick to the side of the head.
Requina stalks Ruzic and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ruzic's face. Ruzic staggers backwards, shaken.
Ruzic ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Requina moves away.
Requina tries to clinch up.
Ruzic walks forward, straight into a front kick from Requina.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruzic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Requina throws out a loose jab but Ruzic uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Requina throws a sloppy head kick and Ruzic moves out of range easily.
Requina showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ruzic.
Requina slips a jab from Ruzic.
Requina is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ruzic misses with an uppercut. Requina saw that one coming.
Requina lands a body shot.
Ruzic scores with a punch to the head.
Ruzic missing with a left hand there. Requina was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Requina ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruzic moves away.
Requina moves out of range of the body kick from Ruzic.
Ruzic moves out of range as Requina strikes.
Requina displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ruzic.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Requina moves out of range of the strikes.
Requina lands with a kick to the ribs.
Sloppy strikes from Requina. Those never looked like landing.
Ruzic tries to clinch but Requina is having none of it.
Ruzic lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Requina circles away quickly and effectively.
Requina looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Nice jab there from Requina.
Requina misses with a series of wild punches.
Requina misses with a series of wild punches.
Ruzic misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Requina.
Requina ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruzic moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ruzic misses with a shot to the body
and Requina counters with an outside leg kick.
Ruzic throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Requina throws a nice head kick!
Requina pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ruzic back to the cage. Requina follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Requina throws a leg kick but Ruzic moved away.
Ruzic darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Requina tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ruzic was well out of range. Poor timing from Requina.
Ruzic tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Requina swivels and escapes.
Requina throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ruzic ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruzic misses with a kick to the body.
Ruzic misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Requina slips a jab from Ruzic.
Requina dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ruzic. That did some damage!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Requina.
Requina ducks under a wild hook from Ruzic.
Good work by Requina as he checks the leg kick.
Requina scores with a crisp jab that stopped Ruzic in his tracks.
Requina takes a swing at Ruzic's ribcage but misses.
Requina tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ruzic manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot lands for Ruzic.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruzic bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
That kick from Ruzic tenderised Requina's leg. Requina is trying to keep his angry face on.
A combination from Ruzic does no damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Josip Ruzic will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sloppy strikes from Ruzic. Those never looked like landing.
Ruzic throws a right and a left that both miss.
Requina lands a right hook to the body.
Requina throws a right and a left that both miss.
Requina throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Requina misses with a looping right.
Ruzic ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ruzic misses with a body shot.
Requina misses with an uppercut. Ruzic saw that one coming.
Requina misses with a head kick.
An inside leg kick from Ruzic misses.
Ruzic misses with a straight right.
A looping hook to the body misses from Requina. Ruzic does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ruzic walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Requina checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruzic gets a takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ruzic stalling.
Ruzic missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Requina tries to roll over but Ruzic keeps him under control.
Requina is refusing to be controlled, as Ruzic sits in half guard.
Ruzic content to control rather than advance.
Requina is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ruzic wants to work for an arm triangle but Requina is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Requina has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ruzic is working away from the top position though.
Requina controlling the position for now.
Requina wants to improve his position but Ruzic is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic trying to pass the guard but Requina defending well.
Requina tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ruzic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Requina keeps working.
Requina tries to get to full guard but Ruzic has control of the leg.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ruzic in particular looking to stall.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ruzic shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Requina throws a jab when Ruzic was well out of range.
Ruzic takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ruzic checks a low kick from Requina.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Requina walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Ruzic slips under a jab.
Ruzic loads up on a big right hand but Requina slips the punch.
Requina throws a jab when Ruzic was well out of range.
Requina connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Requina has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ruzic lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Requina or not.
Requina tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ruzic's elbow.
Ruzic wants a takedown.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ruzic trying to control the position but instead, Requina has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ruzic into the cage.

Ruzic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Requina swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ruzic takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Josip Ruzic will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ruzic tries to clinch there but Requina circles away.
Ruzic throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Ruzic closes the distance and clinches.
A short body shot lands from Requina as the two fighters clinch.
Ruzic trying to stall but Requina improves his position.
Ruzic can't find room to land a body shot as Requina controls the action.
Ruzic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Requinas head.
Requina is looking to take this one to the mat.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Requina creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Ruzic fails to land.
Ruzic is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Requina is defending well for now.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Requina creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ruzic is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Requina is keeping busy.
Requina taking a breather.
Ruzic lands a left hand.
Ruzic is working Requina over against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Requina lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Requina throws an elbow that misses.
Requina pushes Ruzic back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Ruzic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ruzic has a couple of punches blocked by Requina.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Requina.
Requina misses with a short punch on the inside.
Requina drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ruzic gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Requina blocks a body shot from Ruzic.
Requina swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Requina has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ruzic is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ireneo Requina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Requina misses with a hook from the clinch.
Requina tries a body shot but Ruzic blocks it.
Requina misses with a punch on the inside.
Ruzic has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Requina avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic looking to slow down the pace here.
Requina is working for takedown but Ruzic is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ruzic scores with a nice hook to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Requina has hold of one of Ruzic's legs. Ruzic is fighting the takedown attempt but Requina gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Ruzic is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Requina sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ruzic's guard.
Ruzic tries to roll over but Requina keeps him under control.
Ruzic missing with punches from the bottom.
Ruzic is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Requina's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Requina's back!
Requina turns into Ruzic and is now in his guard.
Ruzic trying to control the position.

Ruzic looking for a guillotine here but Requina defends easily.
Ireneo Requina has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Requina pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ruzic is keeping the position for now.
Josip Ruzic is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ruzic preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Requina controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Requina looking to pass the guard.
Ruzic seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Requina is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruzic looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ireneo Requina.
I think Ruzic has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Josip Ruzic!
A victorious Josip Ruzic thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.