PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ismail Saidov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josip Ruzic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saidov's entrance music is Shamhan Daldaev - Eto Kavkaz. A fine choice. Ruzic has chosen Kid N Play - Gettin' Funky as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Saidov
vs
Ruzic

188 cm
41
202 lbs
22 - 18 - 1

185 cm
45
192 lbs
46 - 19 - 2

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

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 22 - 18 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Ismail Saidov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 46 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Josip Ruzic!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Sano and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saidov wants to clinch
and Ruzic counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Ruzic shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Saidov manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ruzic tries to free his leg and advance position but Saidov is retaining full guard.
Ruzic not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ruzic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ruzic is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Saidov keeping full guard, as Ruzic tries to pass.
Saidov wants to stand but Ruzic is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruzic tries to free his leg and advance position but Saidov is retaining full guard.
Ruzic controlling from the top position.
Ruzic's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ruzic thuds a left hand into Saidov's body.
Saidov doesn't manage to clinch there - Ruzic circles away.
Ruzic scores with a crisp jab that stopped Saidov in his tracks.

Saidov gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ruzic to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ruzic slips nicely into half guard.
Ruzic trying to control the action but Saidov is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruzic is trying to control the action in half guard but Saidov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Saidov wants to get back to his feet.
Saidov is staying active underneath Ruzic, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ruzic controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic tries to pass to full mount but Saidov defends it.
Ruzic is controlling the pace.
Saidov is trying to stand.
Ruzic not doing much here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Saidov tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Ruzic scores with a jab to the body.
Ruzic feints a jab promting Saidov to slip. Ruzic then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Saidov slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saidov takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Saidov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ruzic lands a head kick!
Ruzic is looking to slow Saidov down with leg kicks.
Ruzic connects with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Saidov is looking to clinch.
A little jabbing left from Ruzic on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Ruzic keeps the fight on the outside.
Ruzic digs a good body shot into Saidov's ribs.
Ruzic throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Saidov.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saidov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ruzic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ruzic fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Saidov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ruzic manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ruzic shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josip Ruzic dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ruzic lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Saidov backs up against the cage.
Ruzic scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Saidov tries to clinch up.
Saidov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Saidov is looking to clinch.
Saidov wants to clinch.
Ruzic cracks Saidov with an open hand slap.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saidov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Ruzic clinches up against the cage.
Ruzic lands a shoulder strike.
Ruzic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ruzic tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ruzic lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saidov taking a breather.

Ruzic has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Saidov is trying to keep an underhook but Ruzic manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Ruzic looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Saidov is in trouble now - Ruzic has advanced to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ruzic won't let Saidov get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Ruzic looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ruzic tries to control but Saidov wriggling away.
Saidov tries to buck Ruzic off but he can't manage it.
Ruzic content just to control the position here.
Saidov is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ruzic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Saidov is looking to escape.
Ruzic tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Saidov wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four 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.
Ruzic controlling his opponent.
Ruzic wants to control the pace but Saidov is squirming around nicely.
My spies in Valhöll GYM inform me that Ruzic has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Ruzic tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Saidov is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Saidov on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Saidov tries to get out of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruzic trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ruzic controlling the position easily from mount.
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.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ruzic lands a really nice looking cross but Saidov seems unphased.
Saidov slaps away a takedown attempt from Ruzic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Saidov takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Saidov tries to clinch but Ruzic is having none of it.
Josip Ruzic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Saidov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ruzic scores with a kick to the midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saidov takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Ruzic fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Saidov tries to clinch up but Ruzic circles away and keeps his distance.
Ruzic tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Saidov defends well and Ruzic ends up having to push Saidov into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saidov clinches up against the cage.
Saidov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Ruzic pushes Saidov back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ruzic takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ruzic misses with some punches.
Ruzic doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ruzic lands a body punch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Saidov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Saidov just leaning against Ruzic, taking a breather.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Saidov blocks an uppercut.
Saidov blocking some punches.
Ruzic misses with a hook from the clinch.

Ruzic breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saidov has closed the distance and engaged Ruzic in a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ruzic as Saidov tries to tie him up.
A short body shot lands from Ruzic as the two fighters clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ruzic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ruzic.
Ismail Saidov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ruzic.
A short uppercut from Ruzic.
Ruzic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Saidovs head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ruzic lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Saidov or not.
Saidov is struggling to control the position.
Ruzic lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Saidov.
Josip Ruzic seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A body shot lands from Ruzic.
Ruzic misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ruzic lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Ruzic scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ruzic lands with a light punch inside.
Nice body punch from Ruzic.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saidov's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ruzic scores with a shoulder strike.
Ruzic lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ruzic taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ruzic lands a left hand that snaps the head of Saidov backwards.
A short right from Ruzic.
Ruzic tries to throw a body punch but Saidov avoids it by throwing Ruzic back against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Good body shot from Ruzic.
Saidov misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruzic.
Ruzic stalling against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ruzic.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ruzic.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruzic just leaning against Saidov, taking a breather.
Ruzic blocks the elbow strike.
Ruzic is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ismail Saidov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josip Ruzic.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Saidov.
Still in the clinch, Ruzic scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ruzic working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Ruzic is leaning against Saidov and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ruzic lands a right hand.
Saidov misses with a knee strike.
Ruzic lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ruzic lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Saidov throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ruzic blocks it with crossed arms.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ruzic creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Saidov.
A short uppercut from Ruzic.
Saidov prevents a body shot from Ruzic.
Ruzic stalling.
Ruzic lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice body punch from Ruzic.

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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 25:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josip Ruzic!
Josip Ruzic seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.