PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel La Ruso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Aronoff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). La Ruso comes to the cage accompanied by Miagi's Flute. Aronoff has chosen New Disease by Spineshank as his entrance music. Derek Aronoff is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

La Ruso
vs
Aronoff

190 cm
23
240 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

177 cm
23
218 lbs
4 - 7 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel La Ruso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derek Aronoff!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aronoff tries to bum rush La Ruso with a series of wild strikes but La Ruso uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A swing and a miss from Aronoff.
Derek Aronoff seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aronoff throws a shot from downtown. La Ruso moves away and avoids it.

La Ruso looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
La Ruso is looking to advance position but Aronoff has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
La Ruso wants to control but Aronoff is having none of it.
Aronoff can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as La Ruso is looking to escape.
La Ruso is looking to improve his position but Aronoff isn't that keen on the idea.
La Ruso regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
La Ruso is trying to maintain the position but Aronoff is very close to passing his half guard.
La Ruso wants to improve his position but Aronoff is controlling well.

La Ruso is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Aronoff pulls his head out easily.
La Ruso is trying to stand back up but Aronoff is controlling him
Aronoff wants to pass to mount but La Ruso is defending the position.
La Ruso is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
La Ruso is refusing to be controlled, as Aronoff sits in half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Aronoff misses with a double jab.
La Ruso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Aronoff.
Aronoff misses with an uppercut. La Ruso saw that one coming.
Aronoff drops La Ruso with a left and a right! Oh, La Ruso is hurt - Aronoff dives into side control looking to finish!

La Ruso is rocked!

It looks like Daniel La Ruso has been cut.
Aronoff controlling the position.
Oh La Ruso is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Aronoff is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, La Ruso has escaped the position, nice work there.
La Ruso tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Aronoff presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
La Ruso seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
La Ruso is desperately trying to improve his position but Aronoff has a good base and remains in mount.
La Ruso is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
La Ruso is trying desperately to improve position.
Aronoff sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
La Ruso tries to lock up and control but Aronoff gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
La Ruso slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

La Ruso is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Aronoff pulls his head out easily.
La Ruso is breathing heavily.

La Ruso looking for submissions off his back.
Aronoff controlling the action here.
La Ruso trying to control from the bottom.
Aronoff is keen to just control but La Ruso is a slippery customer.
Aronoff trying to control the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Aronoff dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Daniel La Ruso'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.

Aronoff ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Aronoff tries a head kick but it misses.
Aronoff throws a sloppy head kick and La Ruso moves out of range easily.
Aronoff throws a combination but it was largely blocked by La Ruso.
Daniel La Ruso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aronoff throws a low kick but it's checked well by La Ruso.
A bone on bone clash there as La Ruso blocks the leg kick.
Aronoff misses with a body shot.
Aronoff throws a series of punches but La Ruso moves out of range.
Aronoff misses with a few strikes there.

La Ruso closes the distance and clinches.
La Ruso lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aronoff is looking to break free of the clinch but La Ruso has double underhooks.
Aronoff is breathing heavily.
Aronoff wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Aronoff wants to get back to striking at distance but La Ruso won't allow it.
Aronoff takes an elbow to the forehead.
Aronoff wants to break free but La Ruso has control.
Aronoff has had enough of the clinch but La Ruso keeps him there for the moment.
La Ruso is working for takedown but Aronoff is calmly controlling the position for now.
Aronoff on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
La Ruso tries to land knees in the clinch but Aronoff avoids the damage to the body.
La Ruso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Aronoff jumps guard.
La Ruso advances position into side control!
La Ruso trying to control the position but Aronoff is working away.
Aronoff prevents La Ruso from improving position.

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.

La Ruso is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Aronoff has escaped the position, nice work there.
La Ruso tries to stand but Aronoff controls the position and pulls La Ruso into his guard.
La Ruso postures up.
La Ruso works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Aronoff trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aronoff trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but La Ruso manages to pass to mount!

La Ruso is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Aronoff can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

La Ruso goes for an armbar but Aronoff turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Aronoff.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

La Ruso looking for subs off his back but Aronoff has passed one foot through into half guard.
Aronoff looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
La Ruso is staying active underneath Aronoff, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
La Ruso is trying to control but Aronoff passes into side control!
La Ruso tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Aronoff showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Daniel La Ruso's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Aronoff throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Aronoff avoids the head kick by La Ruso.
Aronoff looks to land a body kick but La Ruso moved away.
Aronoff throws a series of punches but La Ruso moves out of range.
La Ruso moves out of range of the strikes.
Jab from Aronoff.
Aronoff throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
The fighters circling - Aronoff throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Aronoff takes a swing at La Ruso's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aronoff scores with a jab to the body.
Aronoff throws a sloppy head kick and La Ruso moves out of range easily.
Aronoff is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Aronoff takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
La Ruso feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Aronoff's calf.
Aronoff lands a with a good body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
La Ruso misses with a body kick.
Aronoff throws a head kick that misses
and La Ruso counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Aronoff takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Aronoff on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by La Ruso. La Ruso obviously looking to wear him down.
La Ruso is looking to clinch but Aronoff is avoiding it.

La Ruso has taken the fight to the clinch.
La Ruso lands a knee to the body.
Aronoff is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
La Ruso missing with knees to the body.
La Ruso trying to land knees to the body.
La Ruso looking for a takedown.
Aronoff prevents the takedown attempt.
La Ruso keeps control of Aronoff as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Aronoff tries to break the clinch but La Ruso is controlling the position.
Aronoff landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

La Ruso pulls Aronoff into guard.

La Ruso working for a triangle but Aronoff defends it easily.

La Ruso working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Aronoff doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Aronoff manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
La Ruso wants to improve his position but instead Aronoff has moved into half guard.
La Ruso wants to control but Aronoff is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
La Ruso trying to get back to full guard but Aronoff takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Aronoff controlling his opponent.
La Ruso sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Aronoff performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
La Ruso is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Aronoff's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Aronoff's back!
La Ruso is looking to control Aronoff but Aronoff is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Aronoff defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

La Ruso looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Aronoff is controlling La Ruso 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
Daniel La Ruso has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Derek Aronoff is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Aronoff showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Daniel La Ruso.
I think Aronoff 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Derek Aronoff!