PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Knope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Rubey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Knope
vs
Rubey

198 cm
28
250 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

200 cm
30
270 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Knope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chris Rubey!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Steve Erwin and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rubey fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Knope looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Knope cracks Rubey with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

It looks like Chris Rubey has been cut.
Ben Knope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knope has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rubey.
Knope connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rubey circles away from the clinch attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rubey.
Knope was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Rubey lands with a nice body punch.
Knope scores with a jab to the body.
Knope stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Rubey ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Rubey gets the takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rubey trying to control the position but Knope is working away.
Rubey tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Rubey misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rubey slows the pace down.
Knope tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rubey wants to stand but Knope is controlling his arm.
Rubey working the head and body with strikes.
Rubey throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Rubey wants to stand but Knope is controlling his arm.
Knope on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Knope tries to improve position but can't.
Rubey remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Rubey is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Knope is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knope is trying to control Rubey's posture but Rubey avoids it.
Knope is letting Rubey control him for a moment.
You can see the frustration on Knope's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Knope tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rubey wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Knope can't do much from the bottom here.
Knope tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rubey wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rubey swings around for an armbar but Knope sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rubey's guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rubey trying to control the position.
Rubey looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Knope trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rubey's guard.
Rubey keeping moving, preventing Knope from controlling successfully.
Rubey is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rubey working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rubey wants to lay and pray for a moment but Knope keeps working.
Knope tries to get to full guard but Rubey has control of the leg.
Rubey is keen to just control but Knope is a slippery customer.
Rubey scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rubey seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Knope does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Knope is trying to maintain the position but Rubey is very close to passing his half guard.
Knope is trying to stand.
Knope is looking to improve his position.
Knope wants to control but Rubey is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rubey is keen to just control but Knope is a slippery customer.
Knope slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rubey is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Knope wants to sweep here but Rubey controlling him for the moment.
Rubey pushes down on Knope's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rubey wants to take a breather but Knope is having none of it.

Rubey is working for a submission of some sort.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Rubey is looking for a kimura but Knope is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rubey to get the leverage.
Knope tries to roll over but Rubey keeps him under control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rubey working Knope over with strikes.
Knope is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rubey looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rubey working the head and body with strikes.
Rubey is pressing down on Knope's thigh, looking to free his foot. Knope is holding on for now.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Rubey lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rubey missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Knope wants to improve his position but Rubey is controlling well.
Rubey not doing much here.
Rubey tries to stand and escape but Knope is controlling the position.
Rubey seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Knope is in trouble now - Rubey has advanced to mount!

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Rubey lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Rubey jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Knope is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Knope and Rubey has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Knope struggling a bit here.
Knope sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rubey has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Knope wants to control but Rubey is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rubey tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Knope.
Knope trying to hold on to Rubey's head to control him but Rubey postures up.

Rubey is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Knope doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rubey.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rubey trying to control the action but Knope is working from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Rubey seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rubey not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knope is looking to improve his position.
Knope wants to control but Rubey is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Rubey dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chris Rubey's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Knope slaps away a takedown attempt from Rubey, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Rubey looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Knope is trying to get back to full guard.
Rubey prevents Knope from standing back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knope keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rubey thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Chris Rubey has got the better of the ground game so far.
Knope won't allow Rubey to pass to mount.
Knope has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rubey is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knope is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Rubey decides to stand up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Knope.
Knope working away.
Knope fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Knope tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rubey sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knope thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rubey's head.
Knope throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rubey moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rubey trying to control the position.
Knope postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Knope wants to control from the top but Rubey keeps moving.
Rubey wants to sweep here but Knope controlling him for the moment.
Rubey is still trying to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rubey trying to keep a closed guard but Knope is proving a slippery customer.
Rubey is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Knope throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
We've been informed that Rubey has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Rubey fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Knope avoids it really well and circles away.
Knope keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ben Knope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Rubey.
Knope misses with an uppercut.
Knope misses with a jab, cross combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Knope looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A solid leg kick lands there for Knope.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knope misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ben Knope is winning the standup battle so far.
Knope tries to clinch up.
Rubey dives in and grabs Knope's left leg, looking for a takedown. Knope pushes down on Rubey's head and hops out.

Knope closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Rubey has hold of one of Knope's legs. Knope is fighting the takedown attempt but Rubey gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Rubey with a nice head shot there.
Rubey wants to stand and escape but instead Knope has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rubey wants to sweep but no luck.
Knope landing some decent shots from guard.
Knope postures up in Rubey's guard and throws a big left but Rubey blocks it.
Rubey controls Knope momentarily but Knope frees himself.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Knope controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rubey manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Knope manages to get himself to full guard.

Knope is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Knope is working hard here to advance position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Knope holds on and takes a little breather.
Rubey postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rubey is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rubey tries to free his leg and advance position but Knope is retaining full guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rubey tries to stand but Knope is controlling from the bottom.
Knope working a defensive guard here.
Rubey stopping the sweep attempt from Knope.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Knope throws an off balance right hand
and Rubey counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rubey fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Knope.
Knope misses the shot to the body.
Rubey doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Knope wants to clinch.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Knope lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Knope.
Knope takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rubey dives in for a single leg takedown but Knope sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
Knope throws a wild body kick that Rubey sees coming a mile off.
Rubey tries to land a front kick but Knope steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Knope ducks under a wild hook from Rubey.
Knope pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rubey is out of range and Knope settles back down.
Knope feints a jab promting Rubey to slip. Knope then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rubey slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Rubey throws a series of punches but Knope avoids them all with ease.
Knope fails with an attempt to clinch.
Knope tries to clinch there but Rubey circles away.
Rubey throws a series of punches but Knope moves out of range.

Knope gets a double leg takedown into Rubey's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knope postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Rubey keeping full guard, as Knope tries to pass.
Knope trying to control the position from guard on top but Rubey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Rubey working a defensive guard here.
Knope won't allow Rubey to sweep him here.
Rubey is trying to control the position but Knope postures up.
Rubey is pulling down on Knope's head to control his posture.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rubey is on top in guard.

Rubey wants to control from the top but Knope keeps moving.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rubey controls from within his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Knope is on top in guard.

Rubey is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Knope chips away with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knope is working Rubey over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Knope missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Knope wants to control from the top but Rubey keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Knope showed his dominance in that final round.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight for Chris Rubey!
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight as a draw!
Judge John Mangel scores the fight for Chris Rubey!

Chris Rubey wins by majority decision!
An out of breath and clearly excited Chris Rubey thanked Spartan Nutrition for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).