PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cole Unger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josip Ruzic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruzic has chosen Kid N Play - Gettin' Funky as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Unger
vs
Ruzic

178 cm
24
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
44
192 lbs
45 - 19 - 2

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Good chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cole Unger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 45 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Josip Ruzic!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Unger gets caught napping as Ruzic dives in and scores a takedown. Unger manages to retain guard.
Ruzic wants to pass the guard but Unger is keeping the position.
Ruzic prevents Unger from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruzic wants to control from the top but Unger keeps moving.
Unger manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ruzic manages to get himself to full guard.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ruzic is on top in guard.

Ruzic is pushing down on Unger's leg trying to pass to half guard. Unger is fighting to maintain full guard but Ruzic has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ruzic tries to pass to full mount but Unger defends it.
Unger tries to get to full guard but Ruzic has control of the leg.

Ruzic is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Unger defends it well.
Unger knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ruzic on the ground.

Ruzic seems to be working for a kimura but Unger defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruzic is trying to control. Unger wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Ruzic is working for a submission of some sort.
Ruzic wants to pass the guard but Unger is defending well.
Ruzic is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Unger!
Ruzic looking to finish with strikes here!
Ruzic wants to control the pace but Unger is squirming around nicely.
Unger is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ruzic with the ground and pound from mount.
Unger is in all sorts of trouble here.
Unger regains half guard.
Unger is looking to improve his position.
Ruzic wants to pass the guard but Unger is defending well.

Ruzic is working for a submission of some sort.

Ruzic is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Unger has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ruzic is looking for a kimura but Unger is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ruzic to get the leverage.
Ruzic wants to free his trapped foot but Unger is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Unger trying to control here.

Ruzic is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Unger doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ruzic.
Ruzic stops Unger from getting back to his feet.
Ruzic trying to pass the guard but Unger defending well.

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.
Ruzic is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Ruzic moves nicely into side control.

Ruzic looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Unger tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ruzic taking a breather here.
Unger is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josip Ruzic dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ruzic pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ruzic tests Unger's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ruzic thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Unger if he has to take too many more of those.
Josip Ruzic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Ruzic does it's job there.
A telegraphed right hand from Unger misses the target.
Ruzic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ruzic lands with a cross.
Unger tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ruzic paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ruzic scores with a body shot.
Unger throws a lazy right hand but Ruzic sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruzic darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Ruzic moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Ruzic getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
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!
Unger uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ruzic.
Unger is looking to counter the offense by Ruzic and move into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Unger takes one to the side of the head.
Good shot there by Ruzic.
Ruzic moves into range and connects with a jab.
Ruzic cracks Unger with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Unger needs to keep his hands up - Ruzic had a free shot at his head there.
Ruzic tests Unger's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ruzic lands a really nice looking cross but Unger seems unphased.
Ruzic 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.
Ruzic has a takedown stuffed.
Unger ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruzic moves away.
Ruzic looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Ruzic throws a push kick but Unger slaps the foot to one side.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ruzic.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruzic throws a leg kick which misses Unger's front leg but catches the back leg as Unger tries to avoid it.
Ruzic connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Unger's hands.
Ruzic clobbers Unger with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Nice body punch from Ruzic.
Unger fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Ruzic on the side of the head.
Ruzic fails with a takedown attempt.
Unger on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ruzic scoring well with a low kick there.
Ruzic connects with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Unger has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Unger has Ruzic up against the cage in a clinch.
Ruzic scores with a shoulder strike.
Ruzic misses with a punch to the body.
Unger misses with a hook from the clinch.

Ruzic breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ruzic throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Unger counters with a stiff right hand.
Ruzic throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ruzic misses with a low kick.
Ruzic tries a head kick but it misses.
Ruzic lands with a nice combination. Unger backs away looking to recover.
Ruzic throws a jab when Unger was well out of range.
Ruzic rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Unger counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruzic punishes Unger's body with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic swings for the body but Unger moves out of range.
Josip Ruzic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ruzic fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A low kick from Unger misses
and Ruzic connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cole Unger is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ruzic closes this distance looking for a takedown but Unger circles away.
Cole Unger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josip Ruzic.
Unger moves out of range of the body kick from Ruzic.
Unger moves out of range of the strikes.
Ruzic punishes Unger's body with a nice straight punch.
Ruzic has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Ruzic scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Unger moves forwards but Ruzic connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Unger avoids the head kick by Ruzic.
Unger misses with an uppercut. Ruzic saw that one coming.
Unger lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ruzic at a distance.
Ruzic fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josip Ruzic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ruzic keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Unger looks to throw a body kick
and Ruzic counters with a good low kick that Unger was not able to check.
Ruzic scores with a jab.
Ruzic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Unger has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Ruzic swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Unger showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ruzic.
Unger misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Ruzic connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ruzic pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Unger throws a chopping leg kick but Ruzic manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ruzic throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A shot to the liver by Ruzic. Beautiful body shot.
Unger feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ruzic's calf.
Unger fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruzic ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ruzic scores with the left hand. Unger knows he should have avoided that one.
Unger is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Unger takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Unger takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ruzic scores with a hook to the body. Unger takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Unger throws a jab when Ruzic was well out of range.
Ruzic throws out a counter right but Unger avoids it with no problem.
Good exchange - Ruzic coming out on top.
Ruzic throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ruzic throws a nice looking combination but Unger bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Unger throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ruzic bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Cole Unger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruzic throws a right hand that Unger ducks under and follows up with a left that Unger also avoids with ease.
Nice cross by Ruzic.
A big left from Ruzic misses.
Ruzic scores with a jab to the head.
Unger throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ruzic connects with a solid leg kick.
Ruzic throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ruzic closes this distance looking for a takedown but Unger circles away.
Ruzic goes for a double leg but Unger avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Unger continues to drive forward.
Unger fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ruzic just manages to avoid it.
Unger swings for the body but Ruzic moves out of range.
Ruzic swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Ruzic scores with a jab to the body.
Unger looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Unger takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Unger moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ruzic.
Unger misses with a hook from the clinch.
Unger is trying to break free.
Ruzic has had enough of the clinch but Unger keeps him there for the moment.
Ruzic misses with some punches.
Unger swings wildly with an uppercut but Ruzic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ruzic working aggressively here.
Ruzic struggles to land a body shot inside as Unger controls his hands.
Ruzic throws a head punch that misses.
Unger is looking to break free of the clinch but Ruzic has double underhooks.
Ruzic misses with some punches.
Unger blocking some punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Unger.
Ruzic misses with a body punch.
Ruzic blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic scores with a hook to the body.
Ruzic misses with a body punch.
Unger digs a right hand underneath Ruzic's ribcage. Ruzic let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A shot in the inside from Ruzic.
Unger misses with the head strike.
Unger controlling the action here for a moment.
Unger lands with a right to the head.
Ruzic misses with a punch to the body.
Ruzic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cole Unger has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Unger swings wildly with an uppercut but Ruzic uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ruzic.
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!
A head punch on the inside from Ruzic fails to land.
Unger misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ruzic works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josip Ruzic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ruzic 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josip Ruzic!
A relieved looking Josip Ruzic thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.