PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roy Royler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jethro Rusted (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royler comes to the cage accompanied by Metallica - Fuel. Roy Royler has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Royler
vs
Rusted

180 cm
35
182 lbs
28 - 11 - 1

185 cm
23
179 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class 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 28 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Roy Royler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jethro Rusted!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Royler showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rusted.
Rusted lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Royler throws a sloppy head kick and Rusted moves out of range easily.
A left lands for Royler.
Rusted connects with an inside leg kick.
Rusted thows a left - swing and a miss!
Royler throws a wild body kick that Rusted sees coming a mile off.
Rusted misses with a leg kick
and Royler counters with a straight right hand.
Rusted swings away with a leg kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rusted fakes the leg kick and cracks Royler in the body.
Royler thumps Rusted with a low kick.
Rusted lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rusted misses the jab.
Royler connects with a right hand. Rusted shakes it off.
Some bone on bone action there as Royler checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Rusted finds it's way through Royler's defenses.
Royler throws a series of punches but Rusted avoids them all with ease.
Rusted is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Rusted fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Royler throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rusted.
Royler misses with a wild body shot.
Royler checks a low kick from Rusted.
Rusted throws out a leg kick but Royler moves out of range and Rusted only half commits.
Royler shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Rusted blocks a head kick by Royler.
Royler throws the left hand but Rusted avoids the punch easily.

Rusted closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Royler's guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Rusted working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Royler working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rusted.
Rusted trying to control the position from guard on top but Royler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rusted looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusted trying to control but Royler is working from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rusted looking to sit in guard and control but Royler gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Royler wants to stand and escape but instead Rusted has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusted trying to control the position from guard on top but Royler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rusted passes Royler's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rusted is trying to control. Royler wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rusted prevents Royler from improving his position.

Rusted seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Royler has recovered full guard.
Royler avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rusted throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rusted passes Royler's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rusted throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Royler trying to control from the bottom.
Royler won't allow Rusted to pass to mount.
Rusted seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Royler wants to control but Rusted is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jethro Rusted dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rusted throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rusted fails with a takedown attempt.
Royler takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rusted misses with a low kick.
Royler fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rusted just manages to avoid it.
Rusted keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rusted with the counter takedown but Royler avoids it easily.
Royler throws a head kick but Rusted moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Royler throws a head kick that misses.
Rusted throws a low kick but it's checked well by Royler.
Royler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rusted swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Royler fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rusted manages to avoid it.
A head kick from Royler lands but Rusted takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusted connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A nice inside leg kick there by Rusted. That's going to slow Royler down.
Royler blocks a head kick by Rusted.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rusted.
Rusted looks to land a body kick but Royler moved away.
Royler tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rusted.
Rusted goes for a double leg but Royler avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Royler continues to drive forward.
Rusted has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Royler staying out of range there.
Royler keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rusted goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Royler lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rusted has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rusted and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Rusted feints the counter takedown.
Rusted throws a wild body kick that Royler sees coming a mile off.
Royler wants to land a leg kick but Rusted is out of range.
Jethro Rusted seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Royler swings for the body but Rusted moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rusted.
Roy Royler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jethro Rusted.
Rusted misses with a hook
and Royler counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Rusted pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Royler.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Royler staying out of range there.
Jab from Royler.
Rusted takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Rusted throws a sloppy head kick
and Royler counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rusted tries to land a front kick but Royler steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Royler throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Roy Royler is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rusted looks to land a left hand but Royler moved out of range nicely.
Royler scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Royler tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rusted was well out of range. Poor timing from Royler.
Rusted misses with a looping left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusted lands a body shot.
A clash of legs there as Rusted blocks the low kick.
Rusted loads up on a big right hand but Royler slips the punch.
Royler lands with an uppercut that bounces Rusted off the cage and back into range.
An inside leg kick from Rusted misses.
Rusted moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Rusted throws a front kick that sends Royler stumbling back into the cage.
Rusted ducks under a wild hook from Royler.
Royler backing away here, and Rusted unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Rusted swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Royler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rusted moves away.
And Rusted tries to counter it with a takedown but Royler pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Royler throws a leg kick but Rusted checks it.
Rusted throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Royler.
Rusted misses with a body shot
and Royler counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Rusted shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rusted in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Royler has control of Rusted's left arm, preventing Rusted from doing any damage.
Rusted is looking to work some ground and pound but Royler has wrist control.
Rusted controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Royler is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rusted trying to control the position from guard on top but Royler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rusted postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jethro Rusted will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rusted misses with a head kick.
Rusted scores with a punch to the head.
Royler misses with a wild body shot.
Rusted shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Royler sprawls well. Royler wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rusted gets slowly back to his feet.
Rusted tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Royler scores with a nice body kick.
Royler has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rusted finds it's way round the side to connect with Royler's head.
Rusted uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Royler.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rusted fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Royler tries a head kick but it misses.
Rusted is looking for the big counter here.
A leg kick checked by Rusted.
Rusted looks for the body kick but Royler saw that one coming.
Rusted throws a push kick but Royler slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rusted. Royler does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rusted misses with a head kick.
Rusted misses with a looping right.
Rusted throws out a leg kick but Royler moves out of range and Rusted only half commits.
Royler swings for the body but Rusted moves out of range.
Royler scores with a leg kick.
Rusted throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Rusted tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Royler was well out of range. Poor timing from Rusted.
Nice body kick from Rusted.
Rusted with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A low kick from Rusted misses
and Royler counters with a straight right hand.
Rusted misses with an uppercut. Royler saw that one coming.
Royler thinks about countering with a head kick.
Royler slips a straight right by Rusted.
Rusted fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Royler has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rusted lands a nice leg kick that just misses Royler's sensitive parts.
Roy Royler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusted avoids the body shot from Royler.
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 is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Rusted shoots in but no luck this time.
Rusted connects with a good right hand that stumbles Royler. Royler circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Royler dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rusted takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rusted lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rusted shoots in looking for a takedown. Royler tries to sprawl out of it but Rusted keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Royler manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Roy Royler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jethro Rusted.
Royler throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rusted with a poor takedown
and Royler counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rusted thinking.
Royler throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Royler.
Rusted looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Royler lands with a thumping leg kick.
Nice shot by Royler.

Royler lands a big head kick that sends Rusted tumbling to the mat! Royler takes a step backwards and waves Rusted back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Rusted is rocked!
Royler punishes Rusted's body with a nice straight punch.
Rusted is still on wobbly legs! Can Royler finish him?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Royler darts in and lands a big hook, right on the button! Rusted's legs crumble underneath him as he falls to the canvas! The ref tackles Royler before he gets to land any more shots to his stricken foe.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Roy Royler!
Post fight, an emotional Roy Royler said 'Not talking so much shit now, are we? I challenge Cajun Xander, a fight to the death!'.