PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Caius Lehtonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mjr Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Mjr Ruiz enters the ring!

Lehtonen
vs
Ruiz

177 cm
26
150 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
155 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Caius Lehtonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mjr Ruiz!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruiz tries for a takedown but Lehtonen circles away easily

and Lehtonen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Lehtonen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Lehtonen lands a takedown into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Lehtonen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ruiz is proving hard to escape from.

Ruiz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lehtonen defends well.
Lehtonen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Lehtonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz controls Lehtonen momentarily but Lehtonen frees himself.
Lehtonen is stalling in the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Caius Lehtonen.

Lehtonen drives through with a takedown into Ruiz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ruiz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lehtonen is one step ahead there.
Ruiz trying to keep a closed guard but Lehtonen is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen is looking to work some ground and pound but Ruiz has wrist control.
Lehtonen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ruiz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lehtonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ruiz is keeping the position for now.
Lehtonen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Lehtonen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Lehtonen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Lehtonen is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Ruiz manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
Lehtonen stopping the sweep attempt from Ruiz.
Lehtonen stands and throws Ruiz's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Lehtonen wants to control for a moment but Ruiz uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Ruiz trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ruiz knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ruiz wants to improve his position but Lehtonen is controlling well.
Lehtonen trying to control from Ruiz's half guard. Ruiz has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Lehtonen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ruiz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ruiz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lehtonen wants to get up but he can't break Ruiz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Ruiz working for submissions but it's allowed Lehtonen to get to half guard.
Lehtonen is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Lehtonen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ruiz defending well though.
Lehtonen lands with a punch from half guard.
Lehtonen is trying to control the action in half guard but Ruiz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ruiz is trying to control but can't.
Lehtonen stalling.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Caius Lehtonen just wasn't active enough.

Lehtonen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Lehtonen lands in his opponent's guard.
Ruiz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Ruiz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lehtonen is aware though and is defending well.
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!
Lehtonen wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
Lehtonen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
Lehtonen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Lehtonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Caius Lehtonen.
Ruiz fails with the takedown

and Lehtonen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ruiz wants to sweep but no luck.
Lehtonen lands a couple of elbows.
Lehtonen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lehtonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ruiz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
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!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ruiz is on top in guard.
Lehtonen keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Lehtonen trying to keep a closed guard but Ruiz is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Caius Lehtonen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ruiz with a poor takedown
and Lehtonen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ruiz's knee momentarily.
Caius Lehtonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mjr Ruiz.
Ruiz looks winded!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Lehtonen counters by clinching up.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Lehtonen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ruiz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lehtonen pulls his leg out and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caius Lehtonen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Ruiz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Lehtonen counters with a shoot takedown. Ruiz fights it but they end up in guard.
Ruiz keeping moving, preventing Lehtonen from controlling successfully.
Ruiz wants to control the position but Lehtonen says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Ruiz is not content to let Lehtonen control the position.

Lehtonen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ruiz defends it well.
Lehtonen seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Ruiz trying to control but Lehtonen postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtonen seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Lehtonen wants to work for an arm triangle but Ruiz is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Lehtonen trying to pass the guard but Ruiz defending well.

Lehtonen is trying to work for a kimura but Ruiz is defending well.
Ruiz tries to roll over but Lehtonen keeps him under control.
Ruiz trying to hold on to Lehtonen's head to control him but Lehtonen postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ruiz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Lehtonen slips a nice elbow through Ruiz's hands, connecting with Ruiz's forehead.
Lehtonen is looking to advance position but Ruiz won't allow it.
Lehtonen seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Ruiz is staying active underneath Lehtonen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ruiz has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lehtonen is working away from the top position though.
Lehtonen passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen raining down hammerfists from mount.
Ruiz is in a horrible position here. Lehtonen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Lehtonen trying to control but Ruiz is having none of it.
Ruiz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Lehtonen goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ruiz turns into him and now he's in Lehtonen's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz wants to control from the top but Lehtonen keeps moving.
Lehtonen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ruiz's guard.

Ruiz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lehtonen defends well.
Ruiz is breathing heavily.
Lehtonen sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Lehtonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ruiz keeps working.
Ruiz is trying to get back to half guard.
Lehtonen landing a few strikes.

Lehtonen swings around for an armbar but Ruiz sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Lehtonen's guard.
Ruiz trying to control but Lehtonen is working from the bottom.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lehtonen is on top in guard.
Lehtonen trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.
Ruiz is trying to keep Lehtonen in close.
Lehtonen looking to sit in guard and control but Ruiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ruiz pushing down on Lehtonen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Caius Lehtonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen wants to control but Ruiz is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Ruiz is trying to work for a kimura but Lehtonen is defending well.
Lehtonen trying to control from the bottom.
Lehtonen is staying active underneath Ruiz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ruiz is pressing down on Lehtonen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lehtonen is holding on for now.
Lehtonen regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lehtonen is keeping the position for now.
Lehtonen is controlling Ruiz's posture.
Lehtonen looking for a sweep. Not yet Lehtonen, not yet.
Lehtonen pulls Ruiz in close to his closed guard and prevents Ruiz from doing any damage or advancing position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Caius Lehtonen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ruiz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Lehtonen counters by clinching up.
Lehtonen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ruiz's efforts to push away.
Ruiz wants a takedown.
Caius Lehtonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mjr Ruiz.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch.

Lehtonen scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ruiz is looking for a sweep.
Lehtonen controls the position from side control.
Lehtonen advances to mount.
Mjr Ruiz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lehtonen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ruiz can do to turn this around?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lehtonen controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Caius Lehtonen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lehtonen 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Caius Lehtonen!
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight for Caius Lehtonen!
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight for Caius Lehtonen!

Caius Lehtonen wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Caius Lehtonen thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.