PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Neil Gilas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Rutherford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gilas might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Remember The Name - Fort Minor. Neil Gilas has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gilas
vs
Rutherford

176 cm
25
213 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

187 cm
25
201 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

On Tap (160Q & Laundry)

Reaper Combatwear

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Neil Gilas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Rutherford!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, William Gold and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutherford bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gilas's head.
Rutherford cracks Gilas with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Gilas scores with a jab to the body.
Rutherford takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rutherford lands with a nice body kick.
Rutherford steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gilas.
Rutherford throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gilas's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Rutherford connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gilas scrambles back to his feet.

Gilas feints and as Rutherford raises his hands in defense, Gilas changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rutherford bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gilas's guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rutherford makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rutherford looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gilas looking for a sweep. Not yet Gilas, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutherford is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rutherford scoring with some ground and pound.
Rutherford stopping the sweep attempt from Gilas.
Rutherford chips away with some ground and pound.
Rutherford preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gilas is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rutherford works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gilas landing with the ground and pound.
Gilas trying to control but Rutherford is working from the bottom.
Gilas throwing strikes from guard but Rutherford blocks nicely.
Rutherford pulls Gilas in to control the position.
Gilas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rutherford has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rutherford is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilas is looking to work some ground and pound but Rutherford has wrist control.
Gilas postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gilas throwing strikes but missing.
Gilas trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutherford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rutherford 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gilas is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Gilas preventing the sweep.
Gilas trying to control but Rutherford is working from the bottom.
Rutherford is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rutherford is controlling the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gilas is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rutherford's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rutherford's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Neil Gilas will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rutherford throws a big shot that misses.
Rutherford takes a swing at Gilas's ribcage but misses.
Rutherford fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rutherford throws the kick towards the body but Gilas avoids it.
And Gilas counters with a quick kick to the body but Rutherford blocks it.
A cross from Rutherford lands.
Rutherford misses with an uppercut. Gilas saw that one coming.
Gilas feinted with a counter takedown.
Rutherford is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Gilas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rutherford.
Gilas takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gilas takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gilas changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rutherford tries to avoid it but Gilas manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rutherford to the ground. Rutherford escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Gilas or perhaps it was just good defense by Rutherford, which made it look bad.
Thomas Rutherford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilas lands a nice looking body shot.
Thomas Rutherford is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rutherford looks to throw the jab but Gilas is out of range.
Gilas fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rutherford avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neil Gilas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rutherford is looking to land body kicks.
Gilas shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Rutherford throws an overhand right that lands on Gilas's shoulder, as Gilas tries to avoid the shot.
Nice body kick there by Rutherford.

Rutherford closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
I was talking to Gilas's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Rutherford has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilas wants to stall.
Gilas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rutherford has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rutherford lands a left hand.
Rutherford swings wildly with an uppercut but Gilas uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gilas.
Gilas blocks an uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for Rutherford.
Rutherford misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gilas looking to stall.
Rutherford lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gilas backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutherford doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rutherford lands a right hand that snaps the head of Gilas backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rutherford.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rutherford.
Gilas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rutherford misses with a body punch.
Rutherford swings wildly with an uppercut but Gilas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rutherford throws a head punch that misses.
Rutherford scores with a shot to the side of Gilas's head.
Rutherford lands a body punch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gilas.
Rutherford lands with a short shot to the head.
Rutherford being controlled against the cage.
Rutherford misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rutherford throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gilas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilas is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rutherford softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gilas wants a takedown but no success here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rutherford.
Rutherford is pressed up against the cage. Gilas has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rutherford down to the mat. Rutherford avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rutherford lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Rutherford lands a left and a right that send Gilas crashing to the mat, dazed. Rutherford thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Neil Gilas has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rutherford takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rutherford keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Thomas Rutherford seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gilas takes a body punch but keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Rutherford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Neil Gilas's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rutherford lands a nice shot that snaps Gilas's head back.
Rutherford scores with a nice strike.
Rutherford throws a looping overhand right but Gilas ducks down to avoid it.
Gilas is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Gilas misses with an uppercut. Rutherford saw that one coming.
Rutherford lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Rutherford fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rutherford swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gilas.

Gilas throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rutherford was covering up waiting for the punch and Gilas finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gilas working some strikes from top position.
Rutherford working a defensive guard here.
Gilas is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilas working some strikes from top position.
Rutherford pulls Gilas in close to prevent any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rutherford is on top in guard.

Gilas lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gilas trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutherford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilas working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rutherford's head.
Rutherford pulls Gilas in close to prevent any damage.
Rutherford looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gilas trying to control but Rutherford is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutherford looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutherford, not yet.
Gilas is looking to work some ground and pound but Rutherford has wrist control.
Rutherford looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutherford, not yet.
Gilas chips away with some ground and pound.
Rutherford is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Gilas controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rutherford lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rutherford trying to control but Gilas is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutherford throwing strikes from guard but Gilas blocks nicely.
Gilas wants to control but Rutherford passes easily into half guard.
Rutherford content to control rather than advance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gilas keeping control of the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Thomas Rutherford.
I think Rutherford has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 26:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Rutherford!
Thomas Rutherford took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'Rutherford's own Pedro'.