PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jay Sunruz (ranked 1935 p4p, 262 weight class) and Johny Handicks (ranked 1390 p4p, 193 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Sunruz
vs
Handicks

186 cm
23
180 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

175 cm
24
181 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jay Sunruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johny Handicks!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sunruz looking to score a takedown here. Handicks is defending well but Sunruz drives through and ends up in Handicks's guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Handicks holds on and takes a little breather.
Handicks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Handicks 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.
Handicks is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Sunruz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Handicks has his hands on Sunruz's head, controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sunruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Handicks has wrist control.
Handicks 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.
Handicks working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handicks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Handicks working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sunruz.
Sunruz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Handicks keeping moving, preventing Sunruz from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sunruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Handicks controlling Sunruz's posture.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Sunruz postures up in Handicks's guard and throws a big left but Handicks blocks it.
Sunruz trying to control but Handicks is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Handicks looking to score a takedown here. Sunruz is defending well but Handicks drives through and ends up in Sunruz's guard.

Sunruz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Handicks can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sunruz holds on and takes a little breather.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Handicks working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Sunruz wants to sweep here but Handicks controlling him for the moment.
Sunruz wants to stand but Handicks is controlling the position.
Handicks wants to control from the top but Sunruz keeps moving.
Sunruz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Sunruz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Handicks is aware though and is defending well.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sunruz is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sunruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sunruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Handicks pulls Sunruz in close to prevent any damage.
Handicks looking to control.
Sunruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Handicks is retaining full guard.
Handicks trying to control the position.
Sunruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sunruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Handicks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sunruz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Handicks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four 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.
Handicks pulls Sunruz in close to his closed guard and prevents Sunruz from doing any damage or advancing position.
Sunruz throwing strikes but missing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Handicks is on top in guard.

Sunruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Handicks must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sunruz keeping moving, preventing Handicks from controlling successfully.
Handicks engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sunruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Sunruz, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Sunruz dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Handicks stuffs the takedown attempt from Sunruz. Sunruz gets slowly back to his feet.

Sunruz gets the takedown into side control.
Handicks is trying to get back to half guard.
Handicks parries the strikes from Sunruz easily there. Sunruz is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Handicks to escape.
Sunruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Handicks keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handicks is trying to get back to half guard.
Sunruz lands a nice forearm strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An elbow from Sunruz crashes against the mat.
Handicks managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Sunruz.
Handicks sneaks back into half guard.
Sunruz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Handicks does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Handicks is looking to control Sunruz's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Handicks avoid being mounted?
Sunruz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sunruz trying to pass the guard but Handicks defending well.
Sunruz is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sunruz throws some wild stikes that Handicks manages to avoid easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handicks really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sunruz misses with a head shot.
Handicks really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sunruz looking to control but Handicks is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sunruz cracks Handicks with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Handicks tries to reverse the position but Sunruz maintains control.

Sunruz goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Handicks turns into him and now he's in Sunruz's guard.
Handicks throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sunruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Handicks is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Handicks trying to control but Sunruz is working from the bottom.

Sunruz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Handicks looking to sit in guard and control but Sunruz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sunruz landing some decent shots from guard.
Sunruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Handicks can do to turn this around?
Handicks keeping moving, preventing Sunruz from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sunruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Handicks has momentary wrist control but Sunruz slips an elbow through the middle.
Handicks wants to sweep here but Sunruz controlling him for the moment.
Handicks keeps trying to improve his position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sunruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Handicks looking for a sweep. Not yet Handicks, not yet.

Sunruz drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Handicks dives on top into guard.

Sunruz has control of Handicks's left arm, preventing Handicks from doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sunruz wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Sunruz dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Sunruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sunruz throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Handicks counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Donk. Handicks catches Sunruz right on the button with a cross.
Handicks misses with a looping left.

Sunruz throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Handicks tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Sunruz is in Handicks's guard.
Sunruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Handicks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Handicks is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sunruz throws a big elbow that misses.
Handicks is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sunruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Handicks is keeping the position for now.
Sunruz stopping the sweep attempt from Handicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sunruz wants to control from the top but Handicks keeps moving.
Handicks trying to keep a closed guard but Sunruz is proving a slippery customer.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Handicks avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sunruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Handicks's head.
Handicks pulls Sunruz in close to prevent any damage.
Sunruz sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sunruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Handicks controls Sunruz momentarily but Sunruz frees himself.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sunruz fails with the takedown
and Handicks counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Sunruz shoots for a takedown but Handicks saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jay Sunruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Handicks jabs at Sunruz's body.
Handicks moves out of range as Sunruz strikes.
Sunruz tries for a takedown but Handicks circles away easily
and Handicks counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jay Sunruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sunruz with a poor takedown
and Handicks counters with a nice uppercut.
Handicks jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sunruz feinted with a counter takedown.
Sunruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Handicks swivels and escapes.
Sunruz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Handicks counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handicks missing with a left hand there. Sunruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sunruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Handicks sprawls well. Handicks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sunruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Handicks looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sunruz, as that shot connected.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sunruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Handicks, which made it look bad.
Handicks slips a straight right by Sunruz.
Sunruz tests Handicks's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sunruz avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sunruz shoots and misses
enabling Handicks to counter with a crisp jab.
Sunruz lands a two punch combo.
Sunruz doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Handicks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sunruz misses with a wild combination.
Sunruz throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Handicks counters with a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A big left from Handicks misses.
Sunruz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Handicks.
Sunruz feinted with a counter takedown.
Handicks rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sunruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Sunruz looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Handicks moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johny Handicks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sunruz 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight for Jay Sunruz!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Jay Sunruz!
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight as a draw!

Jay Sunruz wins by majority decision!
A victorious Jay Sunruz thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.