PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Ruccio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ruccio
vs
Jones

179 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
18
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Ruccio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Jones!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ruccio counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ruccio lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Jones tries to clinch but Ruccio moves away
and Ruccio counters with a right hand to the body.

Ruccio throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Jones was covering up waiting for the punch and Ruccio finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Jones has his feet on Ruccio's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jones tries to clinch there but Ruccio circles away.

Ruccio closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Ruccio is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ruccio 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is looking to get back to full guard here but Ruccio has managed to pass to side control instead.
Ruccio is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Jones gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruccio winds up and cracks Jones with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Jones is looking to get back to is feet but Ruccio passes into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruccio cracks Jones with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Ruccio tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ruccio has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Ruccio trying to control the position but Jones is working away.
Jones manages to get back to half guard.

Jones looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Jones is looking for a sweep. Ruccio is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ruccio is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Jones trying to control from the bottom.
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jones regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ruccio works over Jones with some ground and pound from guard.
Ruccio trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
Jones is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ruccio trying to control the position from guard on top but Jones is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four 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.
Jones shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ruccio pinned against the cage. Ruccio gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ruccio as he jumps to the side.
John Ruccio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcus Jones.

Ruccio is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Jones's half guard.
Jones wants to stand back up but Ruccio manages to pass into side control.
Jones trying his best to control but Ruccio has mounted him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Ruccio dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Jones misses with a takedown attempt

and Ruccio holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Jones stalling in the clinch but Ruccio improves position.

Ruccio gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Ruccio is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Jones still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Jones has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Ruccio is not content to let Jones control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruccio tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones trying to control the action but Ruccio is working from the bottom.
Jones tries to advance to mount but Ruccio denies him.
Jones throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Ruccio struggling a bit here.
Jones wants to control but Ruccio is keeping him busy.
Jones sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Ruccio is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's two 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.
Ruccio wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
John Ruccio overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Jones tries for a kimura but Ruccio is defending well.
Jones in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Ruccio gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ruccio avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jones.
Jones stops Ruccio from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones trying to pass the guard but Ruccio defending well.
Ruccio preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Ruccio looks like he's trying to stand up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Ruccio rushes Jones and presses him up against the cage.
Ruccio stalling in the clinch.
Ruccio putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Jones in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ruccio is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Jones can do to turn this around?
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Jones is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to pull guard but Ruccio won't allow it.
Jones should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Jones tries a knee to the head but Ruccio blocks it.

Ruccio jumps guard and drags Jones to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Jones looking to sit in guard and control but Ruccio gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ruccio looking to pass the guard.
Jones throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jones trying to control the position.

Jones looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
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 John Ruccio will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Jones shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jones.
A lazy body kick from Jones

and Ruccio counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Jones!
Jones bucks up and tries to throw Ruccio off but instead Ruccio has got his back!
Ruccio has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Jones's body.
Jones trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Ruccio.
Jones rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Ruccio is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Jones wants to improve his position but Ruccio is controlling well.
Ruccio wants to stand up but Jones is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Jones is pressing down on Ruccio's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ruccio has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Jones is proving hard to escape from.
Jones looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ruccio controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ruccio postures up.

Ruccio is sitting in close to Jones's body. Jones has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Ruccio is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Ruccio is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Jones.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Marcus Jones!