PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Riku Kurikka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benjamin Ruggiero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruggiero has chosen Bonobo - The Sicilians as his entrance music. 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.

Kurikka
vs
Ruggiero

177 cm
22
148 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

170 cm
23
142 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

No Contest Clothing

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Riku Kurikka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Benjamin Ruggiero!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Paul Tew and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kurikka catches Ruggiero with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kurikka throws an overhand right that lands on Ruggiero's shoulder, as Ruggiero tries to avoid the shot.
Ruggiero throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Good leg kick by Ruggiero there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ruggiero ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kurikka moves away.
Ruggiero throws a front kick aimed at Kurikka's knee but Kurikka avoids it well.
Kurikka throws a hook to the side of Ruggiero's head but Ruggiero sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kurikka throws the left hand but Ruggiero avoids the punch easily.
Ruggiero throws a leg kick which misses Kurikka's front leg but catches the back leg as Kurikka tries to avoid it.
Ruggiero lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Kurikka swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Ruggiero to counter with a crisp jab.
Ruggiero fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kurikka has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kurikka looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kurikka throws a poor cross that misses
and Ruggiero counters with an inside leg kick.

Ruggiero rushes Kurikka and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kurikka wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ruggiero lands a hook to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Ruggiero scores with a nice short uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruggiero tries a knee to the head but Kurikka blocks it.
Ruggiero with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ruggiero lands a knee to the head.
Kurikka has had enough of the clinch but Ruggiero keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruggiero tries to land a knee to the head but Kurikka blocks with his arms.
Kurikka has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Kurikka's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kurikka has had enough of the clinch but Ruggiero keeps him there for the moment.

Kurikka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ruggiero throws a head kick that misses.
Kurikka fails to land with a series of punches.
Kurikka throws a right and a left that Ruggiero avoids nicely.
Kurikka avoids the head kick by Ruggiero.
Ruggiero throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kurikka throws out a loose jab but Ruggiero uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kurikka lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Ruggiero moves out of range of the strikes.
Ruggiero wants to land a leg kick but Kurikka is out of range.
Ruggiero throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ruggiero takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Ruggiero cracks the inside of Kurikka's front leg.
Kurikka's corner calls for a 1-2. Kurikka obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero throws a head kick but Kurikka moves out of range.
Riku Kurikka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kurikka gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ruggiero throws a sloppy head kick and Kurikka moves out of range easily.
Kurikka looks to land a right hand but Ruggiero moved out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ruggiero.
Kurikka looks to throw the jab but Ruggiero is out of range.
Ruggiero takes one on the button.
Kurikka fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ruggiero manages to avoid it.
Ruggiero with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kurikka.

Ruggiero has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ruggiero keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kurikka's efforts to push away.

Kurikka breaks the clinch.
Good leg kick by Ruggiero there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ruggiero throws a wild body kick that Kurikka sees coming a mile off.
Ruggiero throws out a loose jab but Kurikka uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurikka throws a sloppy body shot
and Ruggiero counters with a solid body kick.

Ruggiero clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Kurikka's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kurikka takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ruggiero throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Ruggiero tries to work over Kurikka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Ruggiero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kurikka misses with an uppercut. Ruggiero saw that one coming.
Kurikka throws out a powerful jab.
A lazy left from Ruggiero finds it's target.
Ruggiero shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Ruggiero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ruggiero connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ruggiero slips under a jab.
Ruggiero fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ruggiero throws a body kick that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruggiero throws a jab but it's blocked by Kurikka.
Kurikka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kurikka is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ruggiero. That's going to slow Kurikka down.
Kurikka throws a jab but it's blocked by Ruggiero.
Ruggiero uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kurikka.
Ruggiero moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Ruggiero keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kurikka.
Ruggiero scores with a shot to the body.
Kurikka connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kurikka is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Kurikka misses the jab.
Kurikka misses with an uppercut
and Ruggiero counters with a straight right hand.
Good leg kick by Ruggiero there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kurikka misses with a hook
and Ruggiero counters with a solid body kick.
Kurikka missing with a left hand there. Ruggiero was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruggiero connects with a single shot there.
Ruggiero throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kurikka swinging wildly here.
Donk. Ruggiero catches Kurikka right on the button with a cross.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Ruggiero dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kurikka throws a hook but Ruggiero avoids it easily.
A good leg kick by Ruggiero.
Kurikka throws a hook to the side of Ruggiero's head but Ruggiero sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ruggiero scores with a body shot.
Ruggiero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ruggiero swings for the body but Kurikka moves out of range.
A big left from Kurikka misses.
Kurikka looks to land a right hand but Ruggiero moved out of range.
Kurikka lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Ruggiero blocks a jab.
Ruggiero has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Kurikka ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ruggiero.
Kurikka throws a right hand that misses
and Ruggiero counters with a good, hard body kick but Kurikka shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruggiero bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kurikka misses with a hook.
Ruggiero connects with a solid leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ruggiero.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurikka looks to land a right hand but Ruggiero moved out of range.
Ruggiero cracks the inside of Kurikka's front leg.
Ruggiero throws a nice head kick!
Ruggiero slips under a jab from Kurikka.
The fighters circling - Kurikka throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ruggiero misses the shot to the body.
That kick from Ruggiero tenderised Kurikka's leg. Kurikka is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kurikka misses with a straight right.
Kurikka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kurikka looks to land a left hand but Ruggiero moved out of range nicely.
Ruggiero lands with a kick to the temple. Kurikka shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Kurikka throws a hook but Ruggiero avoids it easily.
Ruggiero on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ruggiero blocks a jab.
Kurikka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kurikka pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurikka bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ruggiero's head backwards.
Kurikka on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Ruggiero throws a jab when Kurikka was well out of range.
Ruggiero scores with a push kick.
Kurikka bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ruggiero's head.
Ruggiero scores with a leg kick.
Ruggiero turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ruggiero moves out of range of the strikes.
Kurikka takes a shot right to the bread basket.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Kurikka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ruggiero circles away quickly and effectively.
Ruggiero throws a sloppy head kick and Kurikka moves out of range easily.
Benjamin Ruggiero seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kurikka throws a hook but Ruggiero avoids it easily.
Kurikka throws an overhand right that lands on Ruggiero's shoulder, as Ruggiero tries to avoid the shot.
Kurikka throws out a loose jab but Ruggiero uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ruggiero throws a leg kick which misses Kurikka's front leg but catches the back leg as Kurikka tries to avoid it.
Kurikka digs a good body shot into Ruggiero's ribs.
Ruggiero is looking to chop away at Kurikka's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero misses with a head kick.
Kurikka throws a hook to the side of Ruggiero's head but Ruggiero sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kurikka loads up on a big right hand but Ruggiero slips the punch.
A slapping body kick lands there for Ruggiero.
Kurikka throws a body punch but Ruggiero moves out of range.
Kurikka throws a series of punches but Ruggiero moves out of range.
Kurikka takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ruggiero lands a leg kick that knocks Kurikka off balance momentarily.
Ruggiero lands a right hook to the body.
Kurikka throws a lazy uppercut
and Ruggiero counters with a nice body kick.
Kurikka uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ruggiero.
Ruggiero scores with a head kick. Kurikka tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Kurikka pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kurikka misses with a looping left.
Ruggiero lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kurikka's sensitive parts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruggiero jabs at Kurikka's body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Kurikka crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Ruggiero - the referee stops the clock and Kurikka gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Ruggiero. Kurikka manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ruggiero. Kurikka does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kurikka fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ruggiero connects with a body shot.
Kurikka misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Ruggiero to counter with a crisp jab.
Ruggiero uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kurikka.
Ruggiero is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Kurikka rather than just go for the knockout.
Ruggiero scores with a shot to the body.
Ruggiero throws a nice head kick!
Kurikka lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ruggiero backs up against the cage.
Kurikka moves out of range of the strikes.
Kurikka will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Kurikka throws a hook but Ruggiero avoids it easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kurikka tries to bum rush Ruggiero with a series of wild strikes but Ruggiero uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kurikka thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ruggiero connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kurikka takes a shot right to the bread basket.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Ruggiero showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Kurikka takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nice body punch from Kurikka.
Kurikka looks to land a left hand but Ruggiero moved out of range nicely.
Ruggiero ducks under a wild hook from Kurikka.
Kurikka throws a jab when Ruggiero was well out of range.
Ruggiero steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kurikka.
Kurikka on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ruggiero. Ruggiero obviously looking to wear him down.
Kurikka takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Ruggiero connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ruggiero keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
That kick from Ruggiero tenderised Kurikka's leg. Kurikka is trying to keep his angry face on.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Ruggiero - that will leave a mark!
Ruggiero works the jab nicely.
Kurikka misses with a straight right.
Ruggiero keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ruggiero scores with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurikka avoids the head kick by Ruggiero.
A telegraphed right hand from Ruggiero misses the target.
Kurikka misses with a right hand
and Ruggiero counters with a nice kick to the body.
Ruggiero with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Kurikka moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ruggiero scores with a punch to the head.
Ruggiero connects with a nice looking jab.
Kurikka sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Ruggiero keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Ruggiero moves out of range as Kurikka strikes.
Kurikka is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Ruggiero throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Kurikka stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Ruggiero clinches up against the cage.
Ruggiero misses with a knee strike.
Ruggiero crunches a lovely knee into Kurikka's ribcage.
Kurikka wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kurikka tries to break the clinch but Ruggiero is controlling the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ruggiero's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurikka thuds a left hand into Ruggiero's body.

Kurikka gets tackled into the cage by Ruggiero. Ruggiero maintains the clinch.
Kurikka is looking to break free of the clinch but Ruggiero has double underhooks.
Ruggiero using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kurikka has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nice body punch from Ruggiero.
Ruggiero lands a good knee to the midsection. Kurikka won't want to take too many of those.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ruggiero breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kurikka scores with a crisp jab that stopped Ruggiero in his tracks.
Kurikka lands with an overhand left.
Ruggiero connects with a leg kick. Kurikka looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kurikka looks to land a left hand but Ruggiero moved out of range nicely.
Kurikka cracks Ruggiero with a good jab.
Ruggiero dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kurikka. That did some damage!
Kurikka moves out of range of the body kick.
Kurikka throws a shot from downtown. Ruggiero moves away and avoids it.
Ruggiero fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kurikka has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Benjamin Ruggiero is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Kurikka misses the target.
Kurikka works the jab nicely.
Nice body punch from Ruggiero.
Kurikka uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ruggiero.
Ruggiero lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Kurikka takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kurikka misses with a straight left.
Ruggiero throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ruggiero dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kurikka throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kurikka misses with a wild body shot.
Ruggiero misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kurikka throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kurikka moves out of range of the body kick.
Ruggiero thows a body kick. Kurikka tries to catch it but that hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kurikka throws a right hand that misses
and Ruggiero counters with a stiff right hand.
Ruggiero uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kurikka.
Kurikka looks to land a combination but Ruggiero avoids it well.
Nice defenses there by Ruggiero.
Kurikka has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Ruggiero.
Kurikka throws a hook but Ruggiero blocks it.
Kurikka misses with a straight right.
Kurikka throws a poor cross that misses
and Ruggiero counters with a big head kick but Kurikka shrugs it off.
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!
A slapping leg kick lands for Ruggiero.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ruggiero.
Kurikka doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A shot to the body from Kurikka misses
and Ruggiero counters with a left to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kurikka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ruggiero.
Nice defenses there by Ruggiero.
Riku Kurikka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ruggiero ducks under a wild hook from Kurikka.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benjamin Ruggiero comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ruggiero has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benjamin Ruggiero!
A victorious Benjamin Ruggiero thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.