PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Max Handle (ranked 2764 p4p, 357 weight class) and John Ruth (ranked 3054 p4p, 384 weight class). Handle comes to the cage accompanied by Right On. Max Handle has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Handle
vs
Ruth

170 cm
35
190 lbs
20 - 22 - 0

178 cm
24
195 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 20 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Max Handle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Ruth!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Trevor Gratis and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Handle throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ruth misses with a straight right.
Handle has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Death Valley Training Facility in the buildup to the fight.
Good shot there by Ruth.
Nice sprawl there from Handle as Ruth shoots in.
Handle is looking to counter punch.
Handle throws a shot from downtown. Ruth moves away and avoids it.
Ruth scores with a decent looking hook.
Ruth waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Handle.
Ruth lands with a nice body punch.
Ruth lands a jab to Handle's midsection.
Handle throws a right hand that Ruth ducks under and follows up with a left that Ruth also avoids with ease.
We've been informed that Ruth has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Ruth uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Handle.
Handle avoids the body shot from Ruth.
Ruth lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Ruth scores with a hook to the body. Handle takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruth connects with a right hand. Handle shakes it off.
Handle throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ruth scores with a body shot.
Handle throws a right hand that Ruth ducks under and follows up with a left that Ruth also avoids with ease.
Handle uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ruth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruth misses with a straight right.
Handle avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A punch combination from Ruth misses.
A slow jab from Handle misses its intended target.
Handle tries to bum rush Ruth with a series of wild strikes but Ruth uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Handle throws an overhand right that lands on Ruth's shoulder, as Ruth tries to avoid the shot.
Ruth drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Handle defends it well.
Ruth fails with a takedown attempt.
Handle rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruth moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Handle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Handle misses with a straight left.
Ruth throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ruth scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Jab from Ruth.
Ruth feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Handles jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Handle throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ruth sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruth throws a lazy right hand but Handle sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Handle's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Handle duly obliges.
Ruth swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ruth displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Handle throws out the jab.
Ruth pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Handle back to the cage. Ruth follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Ruth slips a straight right by Handle.
Handle throws a head kick that misses.
Ruth listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Handle is rocked!
A jab from Ruth misses.
Ruth throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Max Handle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Handle misses with an uppercut. Ruth saw that one coming.
Ruth shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Max Handle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Ruth.
Handle avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ruth misses the shot to the body.
Ruth uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Handle.
Handle throws a hook to the side of Ruth's head but Ruth sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruth gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Handle.
Ruth slips under a jab from Handle.
Ruth throws a lazy right hand but Handle sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ruth scores with a nice right hand.
Ruth bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Handle's head backwards.
No joy there for Ruth, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Ruth darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ruth thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Handle's head.
Ruth scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Handle taking some punishment here, with Ruth in his half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruth tries to pass to full mount but Handle defends it.
Handle tries to get to full guard but Ruth has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruth is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Ruth is looking for a kimura here.
Handle regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Ruth.
Handle utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ruth's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ruth works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ruth is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ruth lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Ruth dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Ruth.
Handle looks to land a right hand but Ruth moved out of range.
Handle slips a jab from Ruth.
Ruth walks into a jab.
Handle throws a hook but Ruth avoids it easily.
Handle connects with the punch.
Handle scores with a crisp jab that stopped Ruth in his tracks.
Handle uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ruth.
Handle uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ruth.
Handle misses with the combination.
Ruth throws a hook but Handle blocks it.
Handle throws a jab when Ruth was well out of range.
Max Handle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Handle misses with a hook. Ruth ducked under it nicely.
Handle wants to slow Ruth down by chopping away at his legs.
Ruth throws an overhand right that lands on Handle's shoulder, as Handle tries to avoid the shot.
Ruth moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Handle steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ruth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruth scores with a shot to the body.
Ruth swings widly with a right hand
and Handle counters with a straight right hand.
Nice defenses there by Handle.
Handle is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Some wild striking there from Handle.
Ruth smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Handle tries a head kick but it misses.
Ruth misses with a looping left.
A head kick misses from Handle.
Nice straight punches there by Ruth. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ruth.
Ruth connects with a body shot.
Ruth throws a lazy right hand but Handle sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Handle takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Oh Handle is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Handle misses with a straight left.
Handle seems to have got his legs back now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jab by Ruth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruth loads up on a big right hand but Handle slips the punch.
Ruth scores with a sloppy right hand. Handle should have avoided that one.
Handle throws out a loose jab but Ruth uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ruth lands a slapping body shot.
Handle throws a big shot that misses.
Good shot there by Ruth.
Handle looks to throw the jab but Ruth is out of range.
Handle moves out of range as Ruth strikes.
Ruth throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ruth missing with a left hand there. Handle was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
It looked like Handle wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Handle throws a hook to the side of Ruth's head but Ruth sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Handle throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ruth waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Handle.
Ruth sizes up Handle with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Handle keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Some wild striking there from Ruth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Ruth misses.
Handle keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ruth.
Nice body punch from Ruth.
Handle throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ruth lands with a right that hurts Handle. Handle looks to clinch but Ruth throws a short knee that drops Handle. This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch and Knee). John Ruth!