PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thom Ruff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dario Crews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Ruff might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Tougher than Leather. Crews comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Born on the FM Waves - Against Me kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Thom Ruff is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Ruff
vs
Crews

207 cm
22
260 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

198 cm
24
236 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thom Ruff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Dario Crews!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruff tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ruff wants to clinch up but Crews keeps it at a distance.

Ruff clinches with his opponent.
Ruff lands an elbow that stopped Crews in his tracks for a moment.
Crews is trying to pull guard but Ruff has him pressed against the cage.
Ruff has Crews pressed against the cage.

Crews gets control of Ruff's arms and successfully pulls guard. Crews will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Ruff has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Crews looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Crews is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ruff throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ruff postures up in Crews's guard and throws a big left but Crews blocks it.
Crews is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Crews tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Crews escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ruff gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Crews keeping moving, preventing Ruff from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crews controls Ruff momentarily but Ruff frees himself.
Ruff passes Crews's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ruff is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ruff not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Ruff is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ruff is thwarting Crews's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Ruff seems content to control.
Crews trying to control but Ruff postures up.
Crews keeping hold of Ruff's head, controlling as best he can.
Ruff thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Crews trying to hold on to Ruff's head to control him but Ruff postures up.
Crews moves into full guard.

Crews is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruff works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ruff trying to control the action but Crews is working from the bottom.
Ruff is thwarting Crews's attempts to control the position.
Ruff is controlling the pace.
Crews is refusing to be controlled, as Ruff sits in half guard.
Crews trying to control here.
Crews makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Crews.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruff looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Ruff seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Crews for as long as he can get away with.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Thom Ruff just wasn't active enough.
Ruff tries to clinch there but Crews circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruff scores with a kick to the body.
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!
Ruff turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Crews looks gassed!
Ruff tries to close the distance and clinch but Crews swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thom Ruff dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ruff closes the distance and pushes Crews back into the cage.
Crews tries to pull guard but Ruff holds him up against the cage and eventually Crews drops back down to his feet.
Ruff tries to land a knee to the head but Crews blocks with his arms.
Ruff lands a nice knee to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ruff.

Ruff jumps into guard, dragging Crews to the mat.
Ruff manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Poor strikes thrown by Ruff there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Crews holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ruff tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Crews is wriggling around trying to escape.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crews is just holding on here. Ruff manages to take his back.

Ruff looking to break Crews's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Crews remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Ruff will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crews turns into Ruff and is now in his guard.
Ruff trying to keep a closed guard but Crews is proving a slippery customer.
Ruff keeping moving, preventing Crews from controlling successfully.

Ruff has his foot on Crews's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Crews works his way back into a safe position though.

Ruff is looking for a triangle but Crews pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruff is trying to keep Crews in close.
Ruff keeping moving, preventing Crews from controlling successfully.
Thom Ruff overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crews engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Crews trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruff is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dario Crews.
Crews avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ruff wants to clinch.
Ruff moves in looking to clinch but Crews pushes him off.
Crews swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruff.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruff tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Crews paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thom Ruff is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ruff wants to clinch
and Crews counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ruff's knee momentarily.
Crews connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Ruff has taken the fight to the clinch.
Crews tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ruff lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Ruff tries for a takedown but Crews manages to get underhooks.
Crews fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Thom Ruff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dario Crews.
Ruff with a knee to the head.
Ruff connects with a knee to the head.
Ruff scores a nice knee to the body.
Crews is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ruff pulls guard.
Crews stopping the sweep attempt from Ruff.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crews trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruff is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ruff is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Crews looking to sit in guard and control but Ruff gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Crews keeping full guard, as Ruff tries to pass.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Crews working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ruff doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ruff manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thom Ruff dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ruff moves in looking to clinch but Crews pushes him off.
Crews misses with a hook.
Ruff looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Crews is fending him off so far but Ruff persists. Nope, Crews circles away and we're back to standing.
Ruff misses with a body shot.
Ruff lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Crews takes a swing at Ruff's ribcage but misses.
Ruff moves in looking to clinch but Crews pushes him off.
Crews lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Ruff tries to bum rush Crews with a series of wild strikes but Crews uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ruff looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Crews moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crews takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ruff fails with a takedown attempt.

Crews has closed the distance and engaged Ruff in a clinch.
Crews fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Crews jumps guard but Ruff turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Crews tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ruff just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thom Ruff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dario Crews.
Crews jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ruff walks away with a smile on his face. Crews gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Crews takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ruff tries to close the distance and clinch but Crews swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ruff moves into the clinch.
Ruff with a knee to the head.
Crews blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Crews tries to pull guard but Ruff won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crews fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ruff comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Crews jumps guard but Ruff turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Crews tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ruff smiles and moves away.
Ruff closes the distance looking to clinch
and Crews counters with a stiff right hand.
Crews avoids the head kick by Ruff.
Ruff is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ruff is looking to clinch.
Ruff shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Crews as he avoids it easily.
Crews swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruff.
Ruff wants to clinch but Crews slips to the side
and Crews counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thom Ruff is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crews misses with a hook. Ruff ducked under it nicely.
Thom Ruff seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crews connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ruff momentarily.
Ruff tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Crews counters with a straight right hand.

Ruff gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Ruff gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Ruff.
Nice elbow from Ruff.
Crews avoiding damage as Ruff throws knees to the body.
Ruff lands a shot to the body.
Ruff is pushing Crews up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruff using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Ruff lands a good knee to the midsection. Crews won't want to take too many of those.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ruff.
Ruff is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Ruff landing knees to the body.
Come on Ruff - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Crews tries to pull guard but Ruff holds him up against the cage and eventually Crews drops back down to his feet.
Ruff unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Dario Crews has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ruff crunches a lovely knee into Crews's ribcage.
Ruff connects with a knee to the head.
Ruff dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Crews tries to pull guard but Ruff holds him up against the cage and eventually Crews drops back down to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruff lands an elbow inside.
Thom Ruff is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A head punch on the inside from Crews fails to land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thom Ruff showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ruff 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thom Ruff!
After winning the bout, Thom Ruff thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.