PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leopold Stotch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Rutter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Stotch
vs
Rutter

178 cm
20
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Cyber Fighter Clothing (GTI)

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 Sydney, Leopold Stotch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steven Rutter!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Damien Edna and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutter throws a jab when Stotch was well out of range.
A slow jab from Rutter misses its intended target.
Stotch is looking to chop away at Rutter's legs.
Stotch lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Stotch.

It looks like Steven Rutter has been cut.
Stotch misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stotch misses with a two punch combination.
Rutter throws a right hand that Stotch ducks under and follows up with a left that Stotch also avoids with ease.
Stotch shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rutter but Rutter pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rutter throws an overhand right that lands on Stotch's shoulder, as Stotch tries to avoid the shot.
Stotch tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rutter swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Stotch looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rutter!
Stotch thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Poor strikes thrown by Stotch there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Stotch landing punches.
Rutter wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stotch sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Stotch trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Stotch throws a strike there. Rutter manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.
Stotch thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rutter's head.
Stotch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rutter pushes Stotch off looking to stand but Stotch dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rutter walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rutter slips a jab and a cross from Stotch.
Rutter ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stotch staying out of range there.
Rutter connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Leopold Stotch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stotch lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Stotch is breathing heavily.
Stotch throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Rutter shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Stotch tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
It looks like Rutter is going to stand back up.
Stotch trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stotch missing with punches from the bottom.
Rutter takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stotch throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Rutter manages to pass to side control.
Stotch is looking for a sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rutter misses with a looping right.
Stotch scores with a decent looking hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rutter lands with a nice combination. Stotch backs away looking to recover.
Stotch with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rutter counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rutter thows a left - swing and a miss!
Stotch steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rutter.
Stotch misses with the combination.
Rutter scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Rutter throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Stotch misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rutter pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Stotch clinches with his opponent.

Rutter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rutter drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Left hook, right uppercut from Rutter.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rutter has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Stotch cracks Rutter with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rutter misses the jab.
Rutter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stotch manages to avoid it.
Stotch throws a leg kick
and Rutter connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
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 Leopold Stotch will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steven Rutter's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stotch throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rutter.
Stotch shoots in for a takedown but Rutter shows good takedown defense.
Stotch shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rutter but Rutter pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rutter misses with a straight right.
Rutter missing with a left hand there. Stotch was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Leopold Stotch is winning the standup battle so far.
Rutter buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rutter, as that shot connected.
Rutter throws a nice looking combination but Stotch bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stotch uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rutter.
Rutter throws a looping overhand right but Stotch ducks down to avoid it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Stotch closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stotch is trying to break free.

Rutter breaks from the clinch.
Stotch shoots in and drives through. Rutter sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leopold Stotch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rutter scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Stotch misses with a double jab.
Stotch keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rutter moves out of range of the leg kick from Stotch.
Leopold Stotch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutter misses with a body shot.
Rutter throws a series of punches but Stotch avoids them all with ease.
Stotch moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Stotch slips a straight right by Rutter.
Rutter might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Stotch thuds his right hand into Rutter's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A decent looking cross lands there for Stotch.
An inside leg kick from Stotch misses.
Rutter looks to score with a jab to the body but Stotch is just out of range.
Stotch blocks a jab.
Stotch ducks under a wild hook from Rutter.
Stotch misses with a wild combination.
Rutter misses with a hook.
Rutter throws a jab but it's blocked by Stotch.
Stotch scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rutter keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rutter cracks Stotch with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Stotch misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stotch slips a straight right by Rutter.
Stotch connects with a crisp jab.

Stotch gets a clinch.
Rutter tries to pull guard but Stotch holds him up against the cage and eventually Rutter drops back down to his feet.

Rutter pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stotch walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rutter checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Stotch misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rutter.
Rutter looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Stotch connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A jab from Rutter misses.
Some wild striking there from Stotch.
Rutter throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A big right from Rutter misses.
Rutter misses with a looping left.
Rutter missing with a left hand there. Stotch was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Good shot there by Stotch.
A jab from Rutter misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stotch scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Stotch lands with a shot to the body.
Rutter misses with a looping right.

Stotch scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Stotch is keen to just control but Rutter is a slippery customer.

Stotch is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Stotch is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Stotch wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rutter keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rutter has one foot on Stotch's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Stotch cracks Rutter with a right hand to the side of the head.
Stotch slips under a jab from Rutter.
Stotch lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Stotch displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rutter throws out the jab.
Rutter needs to keep his hands up - Stotch had a free shot at his head there.
Stotch darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rutter has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Stotch finds it's way round the side to connect with Rutter's head.
Stotch looks to land a right hand but Rutter moved out of range.
Horrible takedown by Stotch or perhaps it was just good defense by Rutter which made him look bad.
Rutter lands a front kick.
A swing and a miss from Rutter.
Stotch fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Leopold Stotch will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steven Rutter's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Stotch bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rutter holds on to Stotch's head and controls the position momentarily.
Stotch tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Stotch fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Rutter really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stotch. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rutter managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Stotch.

Stotch looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Stotch throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stotch prevents Rutter from escaping the position.
Stotch is looking to take a break and control but Rutter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stotch shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stotch avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rutter throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stotch.
Stotch scores with a one two! Rutter had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rutter falls off balance throwing a combination

and Stotch counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Stotch.

Rutter kicks Stotch off and gets to his feet.
Stotch looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutter misses with a hook. Stotch ducked under it nicely.
Rutter ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rutter throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rutter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Stotch counters with a straight right hand.
Stotch wants to land a leg kick but Rutter is out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Rutter as Stotch shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leopold Stotch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters circling - Stotch throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A big left from Rutter misses.

Rutter fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stotch, pushing him back against the cage.
Stotch prevents Rutter from breaking the clinch.
Rutter keeps control of Stotch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stotch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Rutter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rutter throws out a loose jab but Stotch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rutter has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Stotch misses with a few strikes there.
Stotch shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rutter as he avoids it easily.
Stotch takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stotch throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rutter.
Rutter throws a hook to the side of Stotch's head but Stotch sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rutter misses with the combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Rutter misses the target.
Rutter throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stotch.
Leopold Stotch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rutter throws a looping overhand right but Stotch ducks down to avoid it.
Stotch lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Stotch misses with a double jab.
Rutter showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stotch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Stotch.
Stotch lands a few punches from side control.
Stotch wants to control but Rutter is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stotch throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Stotch is looking to take a break and control but Rutter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rutter sneaks out the side door and pushes Stotch away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Steven Rutter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stotch goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rutter misses with a few strikes there.
Stotch stalks Rutter and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rutter's face. Rutter staggers backwards, shaken.
Stotch fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rutter manages to avoid it.
Stotch finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leopold Stotch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stotch, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leopold Stotch!