PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rueben Whitehead (ranked 5828 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Butts (ranked 4692 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Butts is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Whitehead
vs
Butts

198 cm
27
215 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

189 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rueben Whitehead!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joe Butts!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Whitehead gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Whitehead is wriggling around but Butts manages to pass to half guard.

Butts is trying to control the action in half guard but Whitehead is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Whitehead wants to get back to full guard.
Butts prevents Whitehead from standing back up.
Butts perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Butts passes into side control, despite Whitehead's attempt to control the position.
Whitehead parries the strikes from Butts easily there. Butts is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Whitehead to escape.

Butts wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Whitehead, who protects the arm well.
Butts advances to full mount.
Butts trying to control but Whitehead is having none of it.
Butts thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitehead stops Butts from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Whitehead is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Whitehead is in all sorts of trouble here.
Butts can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Whitehead is looking to escape.
Whitehead tries to hold on but Butts postures up.
Butts landing strikes from the mount and Whitehead is in trouble!
Whitehead is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Whitehead wants to control but Butts is having none of it.
Whitehead knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Butts on the ground.
Whitehead is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Butts looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Whitehead is wriggling around trying to escape.
Butts looking to control but Whitehead is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Whitehead is looking to get to half guard.
Butts throwing strikes here but Whitehead is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Whitehead is trying desperately to improve position.
Butts wants to control the pace but Whitehead is squirming around nicely.
Whitehead regains half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butts wants to lay and pray for a moment but Whitehead keeps working.
Butts takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Butts is thwarting Whitehead's attempts to control the position.
Butts has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Whitehead is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Butts prevents Whitehead from improving his position.
Butts is trying to control. Whitehead wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Butts trying to pass the guard but Whitehead defending well.
Butts is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Butts missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Whitehead tries to get to full guard but Butts has control of the leg.
Whitehead is pressing down on Butts's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Butts stopping the sweep attempt from Whitehead.
Butts is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Whitehead wants to sweep but no luck.
Butts is pushing down on Whitehead's leg trying to pass to half guard. Whitehead is fighting to maintain full guard but Butts has managed to sneak the leg through.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Butts seems to be working for a kimura but Whitehead defends the submission attempt.

Butts is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Whitehead has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Butts dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Butts throws a body punch but Whitehead moves out of range.
Butts swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Butts tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Whitehead defends well and Butts ends up having to push Whitehead into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rueben Whitehead is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Butts swats away the attempt to clinch by Whitehead.
Whitehead tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Butts tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Whitehead looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Butts feints the counter takedown.
Whitehead avoids the body shot from Butts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Whitehead moves into range and clinches up with Butts.

Butts gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Whitehead regains guard.
Butts controlling from the top position.
Butts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitehead seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Butts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Butts keeps trying to improve his position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Whitehead holds on and takes a little breather.
Butts trying to control but Whitehead is working from the bottom.
Butts looking to pass the guard.
Whitehead controls Butts momentarily but Butts frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Butts avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Butts wants to control from the top but Whitehead keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Whitehead is looking to stand up but Butts isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Butts misses with a jab, cross combination.
Butts misses with a hook. Whitehead ducked under it nicely.

Whitehead gets a takedown into half guard.
Butts slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead throwing strikes but missing.

Butts is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Whitehead defends well.
Whitehead forces his way into half guard.

Whitehead stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Butts to get to his feet.
Whitehead tries to clinch but Butts moves out of range.
Whitehead is looking to clinch but Butts is avoiding it.
Butts looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Butts misses with an uppercut.

Whitehead gets a clinch.
Butts tries to pull guard but Whitehead forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Whitehead jumps into guard, dragging Butts to the mat.
Butts pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Whitehead is keeping the position for now.

Whitehead pushes Butts off and gets back to his feet.
Butts is breathing heavily.
Butts tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Whitehead was well out of range. Poor timing from Butts.
Butts fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Whitehead manages to avoid it.
Butts takes a swing at Whitehead's ribcage but misses.
Butts digs a good hook to Whitehead's body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Whitehead fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Butts, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Butts has Whitehead pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Butts pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Whitehead tumbling to the mat - Butts dives into Whitehead's guard.
Butts being controlled here momentarily.
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 Rueben Whitehead will probably get the nod.
That's time! Whitehead's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Butts circles away from the clinch attempt

and Butts counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Butts being controlled here momentarily.
Whitehead keeping full guard, as Butts tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butts is looking to work some ground and pound but Whitehead has wrist control.
Butts pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Whitehead is keeping the position for now.
Whitehead preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butts sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Whitehead's guard.
Whitehead wants to improve his position but Butts is controlling well.
Butts moves into full mount! Whitehead won't be happy about that!
Whitehead blocking the ground and pound.
Whitehead is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Whitehead is working hard here to advance position.
Joe Butts has got the better of the ground game so far.
Whitehead is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Butts working for a submission but Whitehead is keeping him at bay.
Whitehead tries to hold on but Butts postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butts trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Whitehead is in a horrible position here. Butts smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Whitehead can't escape the position.
Whitehead is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Whitehead is in all sorts of trouble here.
Butts trying to control but Whitehead is having none of it.
Butts is looking to work his way around to Whitehead's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Whitehead tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Butts sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Butts looking for a guillotine from mount but Whitehead is having none of it.
Butts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead is in a horrible position here. Butts smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Butts with good strikes from the mount here!
Whitehead tries to hold on but Butts pushes him away.
Whitehead can't escape the position.
Butts with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Butts has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Whitehead keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Butts has control of Whitehead's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Whitehead regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Whitehead working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butts lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Whitehead hang on?
Whitehead tries to control the position but Butts now has his back.
I really don't envy Whitehead right now.
Whitehead trying to control but not successfully.

Butts working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Whitehead is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Butts has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Whitehead taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Joe Butts!