PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ed Ruth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keo Kalanie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ed Ruth could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Keo Kalanie's chin.

Ruth
vs
Kalanie

185 cm
18
213 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

190 cm
19
214 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ed Ruth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Keo Kalanie!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruth decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Kalanie has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Hilo Fight lab. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Ruth with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Ruth knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kalanie on the ground.
Kalanie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ruth.
Kalanie on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kalanie is looking to control Ruth's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kalanie avoid being mounted?
Ruth sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Ruth is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kalanie actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruth perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kalanie wants to get back to his feet.
Ruth is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Ruth looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ruth stands up over Kalanie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruth working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ruth is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ruth looking to pass the guard.
Ruth distracts Kalanie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ruth chips away with some ground and pound.
Ruth controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruth working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ruth stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kalanie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ruth landing with the ground and pound.
Ruth wants to pass the guard but Kalanie is keeping the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ruth's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ruth is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

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

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Ruth closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruth landing a few strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kalanie sneaks back into half guard.
Ruth sitting and controlling from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ruth fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kalanie sprawls well initially but Ruth persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ruth slows the pace down in half guard.
Kalanie is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Ruth is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kalanie is looking for a sweep. Ruth is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
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.
Ruth lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kalanie trying to control here.
Kalanie on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kalanie works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ed Ruth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ruth stands up over Kalanie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've been hearing good reports from Ruth's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Ruth's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Ruth landing some decent shots from guard.
Ruth stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kalanie swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ruth is stalling in the full guard.
Ruth has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ruth with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ruth is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Kalanie is rocked!
Ruth stays in close to Kalanie's body and controls the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ruth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruth slows the pace down.

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.
Ruth is putting a hurting on Kalanie here, landing some big shots from side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The referee asks Ruth politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ruth prefers to stall for the moment though.
Ruth landing a few strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Ruth dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ruth keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ruth stuffs the takedown attempt from Kalanie. Kalanie gets slowly back to his feet.

Ruth decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ruth wants to pass to mount but Kalanie is defending the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalanie is trying to get back to full guard.
Ruth keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalanie is looking to control Ruth's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kalanie avoid being mounted?
Ruth trying to control the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keo Kalanie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kalanie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ruth.
A little feinted left hand from Ruth on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Kalanie gets caught napping as Ruth dives in and scores a takedown. Kalanie manages to retain guard.
Ruth controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ruth landing with the ground and pound.

Kalanie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ruth gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Kalanie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ruth defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kalanie wants to control the position but Ruth says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Ruth working Kalanie over with strikes.
Ruth perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kalanie won't allow Ruth to pass to mount.
Kalanie wants to improve his position but Ruth is controlling well.
Ruth trying to pass the guard but Kalanie defending well.
Keo Kalanie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four 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.
Ruth looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ruth lands strikes from half guard.
Ruth is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ed Ruth is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ruth shoots in and bounces Kalanie off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ruth wants to pass the guard but Kalanie is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ed Ruth showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ruth has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:25
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:25
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ed Ruth!