PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Merv Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan McCarthy (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.

Ruiz
vs
McCarthy

178 cm
25
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Merv Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ryan McCarthy!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Roger Salmon and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruiz is looking to clinch.

McCarthy closes the distance and pushes Ruiz back into the cage.

McCarthy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McCarthy throws a sloppy head kick
and Ruiz counters with a nice body kick.

McCarthy gets the takedown into side control.
McCarthy tries to move to mount but Ruiz blocks the move with his legs.
Ruiz wants to get back to his feet.
McCarthy is trying to move to mount but Ruiz reverses beautifully and ends up in McCarthy's guard.
McCarthy looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz trying to stand up but can't free himself from McCarthy's guard.
Ruiz won't allow McCarthy to get back to his feet.
McCarthy has a closed guard, preventing Ruiz from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ryan McCarthy.
Ruiz tries to clinch but McCarthy is having none of it.
McCarthy swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
McCarthy dives in and grabs Ruiz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ruiz pushes down on McCarthy's head and hops out.
McCarthy tries to clinch up but Ruiz circles away and keeps his distance.
McCarthy circles away from the clinch attempt.
McCarthy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ruiz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten McCarthy somewhat.
McCarthy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ruiz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten McCarthy somewhat.
Merv Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan McCarthy.
Ruiz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McCarthy closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ruiz misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Ruiz breaks the clinch.
Ruiz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCarthy manages to avoid it.
Ruiz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ruiz looks to land a combination but McCarthy avoids it well.
Ruiz scores with a head kick.
McCarthy fails in his attempt to clinch.

McCarthy clinches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

McCarthy has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Ruiz is trying to keep an underhook but McCarthy manages to get the takedown into half guard.
McCarthy throwing shots but Ruiz is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ruiz's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruiz is trying to stand back up but McCarthy is controlling him
McCarthy perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Ruiz looks like he's trying to stand up.
McCarthy is keen to just control but Ruiz is a slippery customer.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ryan McCarthy wasn't active enough on the ground.
Crunch! Ruiz slams his shin into McCarthy's torso.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McCarthy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ruiz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ruiz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ruiz. That's going to slow McCarthy down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ryan McCarthy will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ruiz clinches up against the cage.
McCarthy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
McCarthy keeps control of Ruiz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McCarthy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
McCarthy is looking to break free of the clinch but Ruiz has double underhooks.
Ruiz is trying to break the clinch but McCarthy is controlling him.
Ruiz is trying to push McCarthy away but McCarthy has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Ruiz manages to break the clinch.
Ruiz tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and McCarthy holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ruiz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but McCarthy has him pressed against the cage.

McCarthy breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McCarthy has taken the fight to the clinch.
McCarthy is looking to break free of the clinch but Ruiz has double underhooks.
McCarthy tries to pull guard but Ruiz forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
McCarthy tries to break the clinch but Ruiz is controlling the position.
Ruiz tries a body shot but McCarthy blocks it.
McCarthy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ruiz can't break the clinch.

McCarthy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
McCarthy takes a head kick and keeps coming.
McCarthy scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ruiz scores with a kick to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ruiz rushes McCarthy and presses him up against the cage.

Ruiz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for McCarthy.
McCarthy swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruiz.
Ruiz throws a head kick that McCarthy semi-blocks.
Merv Ruiz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ruiz tries to close the distance and clinch but McCarthy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

McCarthy shoots in and bounces Ruiz off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
McCarthy is breathing heavily.

McCarthy gets to his feet. Ruiz looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
McCarthy misses with the body kick
and Ruiz counters with a nice body kick.
Ruiz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ruiz throws a series of punches but McCarthy moves out of range.
Ruiz is looking to slow McCarthy down with leg kicks.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from McCarthy.

Ruiz rushes McCarthy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Ruiz manages to break the clinch.
Ruiz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
McCarthy throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Ruiz closes the distance but McCarthy moves to the side
and McCarthy counters with a left and a right that stings Ruiz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Ruiz.
Ruiz lands a high kick!
Ruiz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of McCarthy's head.
McCarthy shoots for a takedown but Ruiz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Merv Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan McCarthy.
McCarthy dodges the punch combination from Ruiz.
McCarthy dodges the punch combination from Ruiz.
Ruiz feints and then cracks McCarthy's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow McCarthy down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ruiz takes the fight into the clinch.
Ruiz wants to get back to striking at distance but McCarthy won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Merv Ruiz dominated that second round.
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!

McCarthy tries to bum rush Ruiz with a series of wild strikes but Ruiz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
McCarthy throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
McCarthy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ruiz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten McCarthy somewhat.
Merv Ruiz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ruiz goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
McCarthy takes a head kick and keeps coming.
McCarthy throws a wild body kick that Ruiz sees coming a mile off.
Ruiz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
McCarthy fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
McCarthy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ruiz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McCarthy paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ruiz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy looks for a takedown but Ruiz sprawls well.
Merv Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan McCarthy.
Ruiz moves in looking to clinch but McCarthy pushes him off.
Ruiz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ruiz lands a nice leg kick that just misses McCarthy's sensitive parts.
Ruiz goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Merv Ruiz is winning the standup battle so far.
Ruiz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ruiz throws a sloppy head kick and McCarthy moves out of range easily.
Ruiz tries to clinch up.
McCarthy circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz tries to clinch up but McCarthy circles away and keeps his distance.

McCarthy rushes Ruiz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

McCarthy breaks the clinch.
McCarthy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ruiz throws a sloppy head kick and McCarthy moves out of range easily.
Ruiz moves to clinch but McCarthy breaks away
and McCarthy counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Ruiz is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ruiz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McCarthy takes a kick to the side of the head.
McCarthy tries to clinch there but Ruiz circles away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruiz swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Ruiz as McCarthy shoots in.
Ruiz lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
McCarthy misses with a low kick.
Ruiz plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ruiz fails with an attempt to clinch.

McCarthy darts in and clinches Ruiz up against the cage.
McCarthy fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Ruiz manages to break the clinch.
McCarthy looks to land a combination but Ruiz avoids it well.
Ruiz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ruiz tries to close the distance and clinch but McCarthy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz tries to clinch but McCarthy is having none of it.
Ruiz tries to clinch but McCarthy moves out of range.

McCarthy has managed to clinch.
Ruiz tries to break free but McCarthy pushes him back against the cage.

Ruiz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ruiz throws a nice looking combination but McCarthy bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

McCarthy fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Ruiz to the ground. McCarthy is now in Ruiz's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruiz is looking to stand up but McCarthy isn't so interested in that idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Merv Ruiz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ruiz 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Merv Ruiz!