PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Melartin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armas Ruutana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melartin comes to the cage accompanied by Pennywise- Homesick . Ruutana has chosen Ennio Morricone - Man With A Harmonica as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Melartin
vs
Ruutana

168 cm
27
142 lbs
12 - 7 - 1

174 cm
29
156 lbs
18 - 17 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Rafael Melartin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Armas Ruutana!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melartin misses with a two punch combination.
Melartin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruutana moves away.
Melartin misses with a looping right.
Ruutana swings for the body but Melartin moves out of range.
Melartin smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Melartin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ruutana throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The fighters circling - Melartin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Melartin on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
That kick from Ruutana tenderised Melartin's leg. Melartin is trying to keep his angry face on.
Melartin closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Ruutana slips under a jab.
Ruutana just misses with a punch to the body.
Ruutana moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruutana pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ruutana lands a leg kick that knocks Melartin off balance momentarily.
Armas Ruutana seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ruutana lands a head kick. Melartin smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Ruutana misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ruutana tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ruutana lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ruutana, right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Melartin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Melartin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ruutana was well out of range. Poor timing from Melartin.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Melartin.
Melartin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Melartin moves out of range of the body kick from Ruutana.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Melartin throws a jab when Ruutana was well out of range.
Ruutana is looking to land body kicks.
Melartin misses the shot to the body.
Ruutana misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Melartin.
Ruutana swings for the body but Melartin moves out of range.
Ruutana throws a half hearted mid kick.
Melartin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ruutana.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ruutana, right into the meat.
Melartin throws a body punch but Ruutana moves out of range.
Melartin ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Melartin lands a two punch combo.
Melartin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Melartin. Ruutana does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ruutana.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruutana slips a jab and a cross from Melartin.
Melartin stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ruutana.
Melartin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ruutana avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch lands to the side of Melartin 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Melartin on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ruutana. Ruutana obviously looking to wear him down.
Melartin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ruutana.
Melartin checks the leg kick nicely there.
Melartin takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Ruutana feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Melartin's calf.
Ruutana throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Melartin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ruutana manages to avoid it.
Ruutana digs a good body shot into Melartin's ribs.
Melartin takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Nice uppercut there from Melartin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruutana fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Ruutana connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ruutana lands a jab.
Ruutana pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ruutana walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Melartin checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A clash of legs there as Melartin blocks the low kick.
Melartin throws the left hand but Ruutana avoids the punch easily.
Ruutana bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Ruutana scores with a kick to the body.
Melartin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ruutana throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
The fighters circling - Melartin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ruutana lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruutana scoring well with a low kick there.
Melartin is breathing heavily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ruutana.
Melartin misses with a straight right.
Ruutana slips a jab from Melartin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melartin takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Rafael Melartin has been cut.
Melartin throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ruutana makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Melartin fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Melartin has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Ruutana.
Ruutana throws a front kick that sends Melartin stumbling back into the cage.
A thudding body kick lands there by Ruutana!
Ruutana scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Melartin misses with a straight right.
Ruutana moves out of range of the strikes.
Melartin takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Melartin will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Good leg kick by Ruutana there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Melartin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ruutana can pounce on him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A solid leg kick lands there for Ruutana.
Ruutana scores with a nice head shot.
Ruutana thumps Melartin with a low kick.
Ruutana thuds his shin into the meat of Melartin's side.

Ruutana drops Melartin with a nice combination! Ruutana dives into Melartin's guard, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armas Ruutana dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rafael Melartin's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ruutana scores with a jab to the body.

Melartin is rocked!
Ruutana scoring well with a low kick there.
Oh Melartin is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A shot to the body from Melartin misses
and Ruutana counters with a nice body shot.
Ruutana lands a big head kick that sends Melartin to the canvas! Ruutana follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:15 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Armas Ruutana! Armas Ruutana retains his featherweight title!
Armas Ruutana seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.