PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Seb Sha (ranked 680 p4p, 101 weight class) and John Ruth (ranked 308 p4p, 42 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Sha
vs
Ruth

187 cm
33
210 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

178 cm
29
195 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)
Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

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 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Seb Sha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, John Ruth!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Josh West and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruth ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ruth swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sha moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sha closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ruth circles away.
Ruth misses with a hook.
Sha went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Sha throws a right hand that misses
and Ruth counters with a straight right hand.
A left lands for Ruth.
Ruth fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ruth shoots in for a double leg but Sha sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sha ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ruth has a takedown stuffed.
As Ruth backs away, Sha returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Seb Sha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Ruth.
Ruth scores with a nice head shot.
A big right from Ruth misses.
Sha looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Sha as Ruth shoots in.
Sha throwing a counter right hand but Ruth manages to avoid it.
Ruth is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sha sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sha fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ruth just manages to avoid it.
John Ruth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Ruth.
Sha looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Ruth moves out of range as Sha strikes.
Ruth stuns Sha with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Ruth misses with an uppercut.
An attempted straight right counter from Sha misses the target.
Ruth scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sha changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ruth tries to avoid it but Sha manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ruth to the ground. Ruth escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ruth's coach down at Q Club was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Ruth's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Ruth misses with a right hand
and Sha counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ruth shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sha as he jumps to the side.
Ruth doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sha counters with a stiff right hand.
Sha uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ruth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sha walks into a straight right hand from Ruth.
Sha connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Ruth's hands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sha swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sha bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sha avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ruth throws a poor cross that misses
and Sha connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Ruth clinches with his opponent.
Ruth misses with a punch on the inside.
Ruth lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ruth throws a head punch that misses.

Ruth's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ruth shoots and misses
and Sha counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ruth throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ruth fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sha manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ruth has closed the distance and engaged Sha in a clinch.

Sha breaks from the clinch.
A big left from Ruth misses.
Sha changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Ruth lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Ruth lands a nice shot to the body.
Ruth misses with a straight left.
A cross from Ruth lands.
Ruth misses with a body shot
and Sha counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sha connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ruth. Ruth circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ruth misses the jab.
Sha moves out of range of the strikes.
Ruth keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Ruth thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sha shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ruth manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sha got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ruth has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sha has managed to get both his arms back between Ruth's legs - danger averted.
Sha tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruth is retaining full guard.
Sha scoring with some ground and pound.
Sha looking to pass the guard.

Ruth is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sha is aware though and is defending well.
Ruth not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sha is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sha trying to control but Ruth is working from the bottom.
Sha preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Ruth will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ruth misses with a straight left.
Ruth looks to land a left hand but Sha moved out of range nicely.
Sha is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Seb Sha is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice defenses there by Sha.
Ruth slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Ruth misses with a takedown attempt
letting Sha counter with a right hand.
Sha moves out of range as Ruth strikes.

Ruth shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Sha is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Sha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sha keeping moving, preventing Ruth from controlling successfully.

Ruth avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruth scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sha manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ruth manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ruth is looking for a triangle but Sha pushes his legs off easily.
Ruth keeping full guard, as Sha tries to pass.
We've been hearing good reports from Sha's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruth trying to control the position.
Ruth is pulling down on Sha's head to control his posture.
Sha wants to control from the top but Ruth keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sha keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ruth's head.
Ruth avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sha trying to control but Ruth is working from the bottom.
Sha working some strikes from top position.
Sha working some strikes from top position.

Ruth working for a triangle but Sha defends it easily.
Sha wants to control from the top but Ruth keeps moving.
Sha stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ruth swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ruth had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sha defends it easily.
Sha postures up in Ruth's guard and throws a big left but Ruth blocks it.
Sha trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ruth keeping full guard, as Sha tries to pass.
Seb Sha overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ruth looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Ruth is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sha stands and throws Ruth's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sha advances to full mount.
Ruth wants to hold on but Sha pushes him away.
Ruth is desperately trying to improve his position but Sha has a good base and remains in mount.
Sha dominating with strikes here.
Ruth tries to reverse the position but Sha maintains control.
Ruth is bucking up trying to escape but Sha cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Ruth keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Sha.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruth tries to hold on but Sha postures up.
A nice elbow there by Sha.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sha with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seb Sha dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sha clobbers Ruth with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Ruth lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Sha uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ruth.
Ruth scores with a shot to the body.
Ruth fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sha manages to avoid it.
Ruth shoots and misses
and Sha cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sha keeps the fight on the outside.
Ruth lands with a right hand.
Sha tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ruth sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sha somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruth misses with a right hand
and Sha counters with a right hand to the body.
Sha bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruth tries to clinch but Sha moves out of range.
Ruth throws a right hand that misses
and Sha counters with a stiff right hand.
Sha scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Sha takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Nice shot by Ruth.
Ruth blocks a jab.
Ruth swings for the body but Sha moves out of range.
Ruth lands a nice looking body shot.
Ruth shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sha as he jumps to the side.
Ruth shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sha but Sha pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Seb Sha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Ruth.
Sha throws a nice looking combination but Ruth bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruth misses with a left hand

and Sha counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ground and pound from Sha.
Sha lands strikes from half guard.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Sha wants to pass the guard but Ruth is defending well.
Sha drops an elbow to the side of Ruth's head.
Sha prevents Ruth from improving his position.

Ruth actively working from the bottom here.
Ruth takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ruth won't allow Sha to pass to mount.
Ruth on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ruth is refusing to be controlled, as Sha sits in half guard.
Ruth trying to hold on to Sha's head to control him but Sha postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Sha there.
Sha wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ruth keeps working.
Ruth is trying to maintain the position but Sha is very close to passing his half guard.

Sha is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ruth defends it well.
Ruth is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sha scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ruth manages to get to full guard.
Sha stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ruth swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sha trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sha is in close to Ruth's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Ruth throws his legs up looking for a submission but Sha uses it to pass to side control.
Ruth wants to control but Sha postures up.
Sha working the ground and pound.
Sha in side control lands a decent elbow.
Ruth sneaks back into half guard.
Sha wants to pass to mount but Ruth is defending the position.
Sha scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seb Sha showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sha has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Seb Sha!
Seb Sha thanked the fans post fight for their support.