PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kool Keith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Ruden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Keith
vs
Ruden

198 cm
23
205 lbs
10 - 1 - 0

187 cm
23
215 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Meet the Future

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kool Keith!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joe Ruden!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Illya Tyunina and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruden shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Keith is trying to defend but Ruden finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ruden stalling away here and it's allowed Keith to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Keith is trying to control the position but Ruden postures up.
Ruden advances position into side control!
Keith stops Ruden from passing to mount.
Ruden wants to lay and pray for a moment but Keith keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Keith is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ruden asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Ruden in side control, throwing shots but Keith defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruden trying to control the position but Keith is working away.
Ruden fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Keith is looking to reverse the position.
Ruden tries to score with some ground and pound. Keith controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Ruden tries for a kimura but Keith is defending well.
Keith gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Keith is refusing to be controlled, as Ruden sits in half guard.
Ruden not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keith manages to get to full guard.
Keith keeping full guard, as Ruden tries to pass.
Keith is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Keith is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Vamonos Pest Control that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Ruden has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Keith is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ruden slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ruden cracks Keith with a solid left hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keith is trying to control the position but Ruden postures up.
Keith utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruden postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Keith wants to sweep here but Ruden controlling him for the moment.
Keith lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Ruden!
Ruden is wriggling around trying to escape.
Keith content just to control the position here.
Keith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Keith controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruden tries to hold on but Keith postures up.
Keith takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Kool Keith has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ruden rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Keith cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Joe Ruden has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Keith throws a jab when Ruden was well out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kool Keith will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joe Ruden's cut.
That's time! Keith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A leg kick checked by Ruden.
Ruden tries to land a body kick
letting Keith counter with a right hand.
Ruden throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Keith fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ruden ducks under a wild hook from Keith.
Keith stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keith wants it to stay on the feet.
Ruden blocks a jab.
Ruden tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Keith swivels and escapes.
Ruden drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Ruden moves away from the strike by Keith.
Ruden takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ruden. Keith does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keith drops his hands momentarily and Ruden takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Keith throws out a leg kick but Ruden moves out of range and Keith only half commits.
Ruden avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ruden throws a leg kick
enabling Keith to counter with a crisp jab.
Keith misses with a leg kick.
Ruden missing with a left hand there. Keith was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ruden takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Keith lands a jab to the head.

Ruden closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Keith's guard.
Joe Ruden has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruden wants to pass the guard but Keith is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruden looking to sit in guard and control but Keith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Keith wants to control from the top but Ruden keeps moving.
Keith has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ruden is proving hard to escape from.
Ruden wants to sweep but no luck.
Ruden is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Keith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ruden's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Ruden had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Keith defends it easily.
Keith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Keith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ruden's guard.
Keith trying to control but Ruden is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Kool Keith just wasn't active enough.
Keith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Keith cracks the inside of Ruden's front leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruden avoids the body shot from Keith.
Keith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Keith, right into the meat.

Ruden manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Keith on his heels. He'll look to pass Keith's guard now, I'm sure.
Ruden wants to control from the top but Keith keeps moving.
Ruden wants to pass the guard but Keith is keeping the position.
Keith will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Keith keeping moving, preventing Ruden from controlling successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruden trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Keith manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Our spies down at at KO Gym inform us that Ruden has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Keith trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kool Keith dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joe Ruden's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Keith lands with a cross.
Ruden ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ruden defending well as Keith loads up on a big left hand.
Ruden takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Ruden needs to keep his hands up - Keith had a free shot at his head there.
Ruden looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Keith is fending him off so far but Ruden persists. Nope, Keith circles away and we're back to standing.
Ruden throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Keith loads up on a big right hand but Ruden slips the punch.
Keith throws a poor cross that misses
and Keith takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Keith throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Ruden.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ruden is defended easily by Keith.
Keith throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ruden stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ruden is trying hard to land a takedown here. Keith sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kool Keith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Ruden.
Keith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ruden throws out the jab.
Keith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ruden manages to avoid it.
Keith pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keith misses with an uppercut. Ruden saw that one coming.
Keith misses with a straight right.
Keith has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Ruden finds it's way round the side to connect with Keith's head.
Ruden thows a body shot but no joy.
Kool Keith is winning the standup battle so far.
Ruden loads up on a big right hand but Keith slips the punch.
Kool Keith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Keith scores with a sloppy right hand. Ruden should have avoided that one.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruden connects with the punch.
Ruden slips a jab from Keith.
Keith gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ruden throws a good cross that connects.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ruden darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keith comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ruden misses the jab.
Keith misses with a lunging right hand

and Ruden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Keith's guard.
Ruden throws a big right hand that misses.
Ruden is looking to work some ground and pound but Keith has wrist control.
Keith being controlled here, momentarily.
Keith is trying to hold Ruden in close to prevent damage but Ruden has managed to pass into half guard.
Ruden wants to pass the guard but Keith is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruden throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Keith is pressing down on Ruden's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Keith is pulling down on Ruden's head to control his posture.
Keith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ruden is controlling him.
Ruden wants to control from the top but Keith keeps moving.
Ruden passes Keith's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruden uses his free foot to push down on Keith's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Keith.
Ruden is in the full mount, landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Ruden really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Ruden's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Keith connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ruden. Ruden circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ruden bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Ruden shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Keith pinned against the cage. Keith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Keith misses with a hook. Ruden ducked under it nicely.
Ruden swings widly with a right hand
and Keith counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ruden misses with an uppercut.
Ruden dodges the punch combination from Keith.
Ruden tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Keith was well out of range. Poor timing from Ruden.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Keith is predictable there
and Ruden counters with a series of strikes. Keith will be more careful next time no doubt.
Ruden throws a jab when Keith was well out of range.
Ruden tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Keith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruden moves away.
Nice shot lands for Ruden.
Ruden comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Keith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ruden.
Keith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ruden.
Ruden misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Keith buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Keith walks into a straight right hand from Ruden.
Keith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruden moves away.
Ruden misses with an uppercut.
Keith misses with a two punch combination.
Keith scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Keith throws a leg kick that is checked
and Ruden counters with a straight right hand.
Ruden misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ruden throws out the jab.
Keith takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Keith loads up on a big right hand but Ruden slips the punch.
Ruden scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Some bone on bone action there as Keith checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ruden fails with a takedown attempt.

Ruden shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Keith is trying to defend but Ruden finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ruden wants to pass the guard but Keith is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruden thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Keith's head.
Keith manages to get to full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruden in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ruden preventing the sweep.
Keith is pulling down on Ruden's head to control his posture.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Keith wants to stand up but Ruden is controlling him.
Keith looking for a sweep. Not yet Keith, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Ruden dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Joe Ruden's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ruden shoots in for a takedown but Keith shows good takedown defense.
Keith looks to throw the jab but Ruden is out of range.
A jab lands there for Keith.
Ruden defending well as Keith loads up on a big left hand.

Ruden closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Keith did well to prevent Ruden getting side control.
Keith won't allow Ruden to pass to mount.

Ruden is working for a submission of some sort.
Keith is refusing to be controlled, as Ruden sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keith pushes Ruden off but Ruden dives into side control.
Ruden scores with punches from side control.

Ruden tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ruden lands some shots froms side control.
Keith is trying to get back to half guard.

Ruden thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ruden wants to take a breather but Keith manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Ruden.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keith trying to keep a closed guard but Ruden is proving a slippery customer.
Keith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ruden with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ruden 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.
Keith manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ruden manages to get himself to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Keith content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruden trying to control the position.
Ruden keeping moving, preventing Keith from controlling successfully.
Keith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ruden's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ruden is on top in guard.
Ruden trying to control the position from guard on top but Keith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Keith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keith is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Keith keeping moving, preventing Ruden from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ruden throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Keith stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ruden throws a hook but Keith avoids it easily.
Ruden lands a jab to Keith's midsection.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keith misses the jab.
Keith missing with a left hand there. Ruden was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Ruden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ruden 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 47:48
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 46:49
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 47:49

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