PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zlad Masters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Conor Ruttenum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruttenum has chosen Run this town as his entrance music. Conor Ruttenum has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Masters
vs
Ruttenum

184 cm
25
190 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

191 cm
22
186 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

KAISER

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zlad Masters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Conor Ruttenum !
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Reed Andrews and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruttenum is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Masters closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ruttenum circles away.
Masters goes for a double leg but Ruttenum avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ruttenum continues to drive forward.
As Masters backs off Ruttenum throws a huge counter combo but Masters manages to avoid it all.

Masters shoots in and gets a takedown into Ruttenum 's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Ruttenum manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Masters is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ruttenum is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zlad Masters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruttenum prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ruttenum lands a nice uppercut.

Masters has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Ruttenum is trying to keep an underhook but Masters manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruttenum is not content to let Masters control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Masters is trying to work for a kimura but Ruttenum is defending well.
Ruttenum is trying to stand.

Masters is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Masters is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Ruttenum actively working from the bottom here.

Masters is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Masters is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Masters has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masters is controlling the pace.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ruttenum is looking to improve his position.

Masters is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Masters is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ruttenum defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters is pressing down on Ruttenum 's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ruttenum is holding on for now.

Masters is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ruttenum has managed to free his arm - good work.
Masters is trying to control the action in half guard but Ruttenum is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Masters looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Ruttenum is defending against the submission attempts here by Masters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruttenum actively working from the bottom here.
Ruttenum really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Masters. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ruttenum is staying active underneath Masters, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Masters is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Masters is trying to work for a kimura but Ruttenum is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Masters shoots in but no luck this time.
Ruttenum throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ruttenum .
Masters fails with a takedown attempt.
Ruttenum tries to close the distance and clinch up but Masters swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ruttenum has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Masters is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Ruttenum tries to close the distance and clinch up but Masters swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruttenum throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Masters.
Masters defending well as Ruttenum loads up on a big left hand.
Ruttenum doesn't manage to clinch there - Masters circles away.
Good shot there by Ruttenum .
Conor Ruttenum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruttenum is looking to clinch.
Masters went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Masters circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masters half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Ruttenum fails in his attempt to clinch.

Ruttenum takes the fight into the clinch.

Masters has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Ruttenum regains guard immediately.
Masters stops Ruttenum from standing up.
Ruttenum is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Ruttenum is breathing heavily.
Masters trying to control but Ruttenum is working from the bottom.
Masters pushes down on Ruttenum 's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Masters is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Ruttenum is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Zlad Masters!
Zlad Masters took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.