PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karim Chamakh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rutten
vs
Chamakh

165 cm
36
162 lbs
18 - 5 - 0

168 cm
46
159 lbs
41 - 20 - 6

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bas Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 41 - 20 - 6, fighting out of Hilo, Karim Chamakh!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutten shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Chamakh as he avoids it easily.
Chamakh is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Rutten throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Chamakh decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rutten's guard.
Rutten wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Chamakh is now in half guard.
Chamakh prevents Rutten from improving his position.

Chamakh stands up from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutten has a takedown stuffed.
Chamakh feints the counter takedown.
Rutten misses with a hook

and Chamakh counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chamakh.
Rutten trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rutten is working an open guard so Chamakh takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rutten dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rutten takes a swing at Chamakh's ribcage but misses.
Chamakh is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Rutten tries to clinch but Chamakh moves away

and Chamakh counters with a single leg into guard. Rutten didn't expect that.

Rutten pushes Chamakh off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rutten misses with a body shot

and Chamakh counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutten is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rutten manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chamakh wants to get back to his feet.
Chamakh is staying active underneath Rutten, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rutten is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Rutten pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chamakh is keeping the position for now.
Rutten prevents Chamakh from getting back to his feet.
Rutten looking to sit in guard and control but Chamakh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rutten holds on and takes a little breather.

Chamakh stands and steps away. Rutten gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rutten throws a leg kick

and Chamakh counters with a single leg into guard. Rutten didn't expect that.
Rutten wants to improve his position but instead Chamakh has moved into half guard.
Rutten tries to roll over but Chamakh keeps him under control.
Rutten is controlling Chamakh's trapped leg to prevent Chamakh from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten wants to control but Chamakh passes into side.
Rutten tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Chamakh wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rutten trying to control but Chamakh flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Chamakh controlling well, preventing Rutten from escaping the position.
Chamakh avoiding Rutten 's attempts to control his hands.
Rutten is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chamakh walks into a left hand.
Rutten works Chamakh's body with a nice hook.
Rutten tries to clinch up

and Chamakh counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Rutten manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Rutten throws a chopping leg kick but Chamakh manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Chamakh changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rutten or perhaps it was just good defense by Chamakh, which made it look bad.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rutten misses the shot to the body.
Rutten misses with a body shot.
Chamakh drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Rutten defends it well.
Bas Rutten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rutten lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Karim Chamakh has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten throws a body punch but Chamakh moves out of range.
Rutten misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Chamakh feints the counter takedown.
Rutten throws a low kick but Chamakh moves out of range easily.
Rutten misses with a leg kick

and Chamakh counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rutten won't be happy with that.
Rutten struggling a bit here.
Rutten tries to bench press Chamakh off him but Chamakh keeps the position.
Chamakh prevents Rutten from escaping the position.
Rutten is trying to get back to half guard.
Karim Chamakh has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rutten is trying to work for a sweep but Chamakh has mounted him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Chamakh gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Rutten fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bas Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutten works the jab nicely.
Rutten with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutten swings for the body but Chamakh moves out of range.
Chamakh feints the counter takedown.
Rutten throws a right and a left that Chamakh avoids nicely.
Rutten shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Chamakh pinned against the cage. Chamakh gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bas Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chamakh dodges the punch combination from Rutten.
Chamakh with the counter takedown but Rutten avoids it easily.
A big right from Rutten misses.
And Chamakh tries to counter it with a takedown but Rutten pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Rutten closes the distance looking to clinch

so Chamakh counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rutten seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Chamakh gets to his feet - Rutten follows without any prompting.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten is trying hard to land a takedown here. Chamakh sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A slow jab from Rutten misses its intended target.
Rutten misses with a takedown attempt - Chamakh sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Chamakh feints the counter takedown.
Chamakh steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rutten.
Chamakh with the counter takedown but Rutten avoids it easily.
Rutten misses with a lunging right hand

and Chamakh counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chamakh.

Chamakh gets to his feet - Rutten follows without any prompting.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rutten digs a good body shot into Chamakh's ribs.
Rutten misses with a combination

and Chamakh counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rutten wants to control but Chamakh is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bas Rutten will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Karim Chamakh's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rutten darts in looking for a takedown but Chamakh gets double underhooks and turns Rutten into the cage.
Chamakh takes one to the side of the head.
Chamakh keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rutten rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

so Chamakh counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rutten is wriggling around but Chamakh manages to pass to half guard.

Chamakh stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chamakh keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Chamakh feints the counter takedown.
Rutten misses with a few strikes there.
Chamakh feints the counter takedown.
Bas Rutten is winning the standup battle so far.
Rutten misses with a right hand

and Chamakh counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rutten 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 one minute gone in the round.

Chamakh gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Rutten gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Chamakh counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rutten tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Chamakh manages to move to mount!
Rutten is working to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Chamakh stands up from mount. Strange move.
Rutten misses with a double jab

and Chamakh counters with a shoot takedown. Rutten fights it but they end up in guard.
Rutten is wriggling around but Chamakh manages to pass to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Chamakh stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Rutten throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rutten misses with a leg kick

and Chamakh counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chamakh.
Rutten wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Chamakh manages to pass to side control.

Chamakh stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Rutten to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutten loads up on a big right hand but Chamakh slips the punch.
Chamakh drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Rutten defends it well.
Rutten swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Chamakh counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chamakh.

Chamakh stands up from Rutten's guard - Chamakh perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rutten looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Chamakh tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rutten throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rutten tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Chamakh is able to avoid easily.
Chamakh tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Rutten has Chamakh up against the cage in a clinch.
Chamakh goes for a takedown attempt but Rutten pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten just misses with a punch to the body.
Rutten swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Chamakh counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chamakh.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rutten working a defensive guard but Chamakh passes into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rutten wants to stand back up but Chamakh manages to pass into side control.

Chamakh stands up.
Rutten rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Chamakh counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Rutten!
Rutten tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

Chamakh gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

And that's the end of the fight!
Karim Chamakh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Chamakh 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karim Chamakh!