PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Salvatore Gattuso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jethro Rusted (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gattuso
vs
Rusted

179 cm
37
169 lbs
25 - 18 - 0

185 cm
21
179 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 25 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Salvatore Gattuso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jethro Rusted!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rusted misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jethro Rusted seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rusted throws a wild body kick that Gattuso sees coming a mile off.
Rusted misses with a head kick.
Rusted shoots in for a takedown but Gattuso shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rusted will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rusted fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rusted.
Rusted throws a head kick that Gattuso semi-blocks.
Gattuso moves out of range of the body kick.
Rusted pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rusted throws a body kick that misses
and Gattuso counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattuso connects with a single shot there.
Rusted attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Gattuso takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rusted is defended easily by Gattuso.
Gattuso looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Salvatore Gattuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jethro Rusted.
Gattuso shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rusted counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gattuso working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rusted.
Gattuso keeping moving, preventing Rusted from controlling successfully.
Gattuso wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusted trying to control the position from guard on top but Gattuso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gattuso bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rusted's guard.
Gattuso trying to control the position from guard on top but Rusted is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rusted is trying to keep Gattuso in close.
Gattuso slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rusted can't do much from the bottom here.
Rusted is not content to let Gattuso control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusted is looking to reverse the position.
Gattuso tries to score with some ground and pound. Rusted controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Gattuso tries to score with some ground and pound. Rusted controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Gattuso tries to score with some ground and pound. Rusted controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Gattuso cracks Rusted with a big right hand but Rusted just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rusted sneaks back into half guard.
Rusted has his hands clasped together around Gattuso's back. He's all about the action.
Rusted landing a few short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rusted wants to control but Gattuso is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gattuso trying to control the action but Rusted is working from the bottom.

Rusted looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gattuso trying to control the action but Rusted is working from the bottom.
Rusted slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gattuso scoring with punches to the head and body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gattuso trying to control the position from guard on top but Rusted is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jethro Rusted dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rusted connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rusted.
Gattuso moves out of range as Rusted throws a body kick.
Rusted tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gattuso was well out of range. Poor timing from Rusted.
Rusted tries a head kick but it misses.
Rusted misses with a body shot
enabling Gattuso to counter with a crisp jab.
Rusted jabs at Gattuso's body.
Rusted swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Gattuso shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rusted is trying to keep Gattuso in close.
Rusted keeping moving, preventing Gattuso from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusted can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gattuso controls the pace.
Rusted is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gattuso tries to free his leg and advance position but Rusted is retaining full guard.
Gattuso looking to sit in guard and control but Rusted gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gattuso looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rusted puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
My spies in Grappling Pro Helsinki inform me that Rusted has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rusted.
Rusted lands a couple of elbows.
Jethro Rusted has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rusted wants to control from the top but Gattuso keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rusted's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rusted lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rusted looking to sit in guard and control but Gattuso gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gattuso content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
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!
Rusted not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso wants to control from the top but Rusted keeps moving.

Rusted working for a triangle but Gattuso defends it easily.
Gattuso pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rusted is keeping the position for now.
Rusted pulls Gattuso in close to prevent any damage.
Rusted working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rusted tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gattuso throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rusted manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gattuso manages to get himself to full guard.

Gattuso is looking for a triangle here but Rusted uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rusted is working Gattuso over with some ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jethro Rusted showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A jab from Gattuso finds it's way through Rusted's defenses.
Rusted lands with a nice body kick.
Rusted shoots in and drives through. Gattuso sprawls well.
Rusted throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gattuso avoids the body shot from Rusted.
Jethro Rusted seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rusted throws a lazy body kick
and Gattuso counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rusted misses with a body shot
and Gattuso counters with a nice body kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gattuso enables Rusted to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gattuso manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rusted throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gattuso is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rusted sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gattuso throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rusted escapes and throws Gattuso's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Rusted is chipping away with strikes.
Rusted lands a few punches from side control.
Rusted tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Gattuso is looking to regain half guard here but Rusted keeps moving and retains side control.
Salvatore Gattuso has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusted wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gattuso keeps working.
Rusted throws an elbow but Gattuso slips to the side and avoids it well.
Gattuso wants to control but Rusted postures up.
Rusted lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusted lands a few punches from side control.
An elbow from Rusted crashes against the mat.
Rusted is trying to ground and pound but Gattuso uses the momentary lack of control by Rusted to regain half guard.
Rusted drops an elbow to the side of Gattuso's head.
Rusted not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rusted slips a nice elbow through Gattuso's hands, connecting with Gattuso's forehead.
Rusted throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Gattuso to regain full guard.
Rusted loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rusted controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rusted in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rusted throws a big elbow that misses.
Rusted wants to pass the guard but Gattuso is keeping the position.
Rusted controlling from the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gattuso working for a triangle but Rusted defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jethro Rusted comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rusted 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jethro Rusted!