PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steven Rutherford (ranked 2462 p4p, 6672 weight class) and Gvidas Montrial (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steven Rutherford is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Rutherford
vs
Montrial

183 cm
47
149
33 - 10 - 3

177 cm
24
150
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 10 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steven Rutherford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gvidas Montrial!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Montrial keeps the fight on the outside.
Montrial flicks out a counter leg kick but Rutherford steps away.
Rutherford lands with a straight right. Montrial didn't see that one coming.
Montrial just misses with a punch to the body.
As Montrial tries to get set, Rutherford tries to push him back and clinch up but Montrial manages to avoid the attempt.
Montrial throws the kick towards the body but Rutherford avoids it.
Rutherford really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nice jab there from Montrial.
Montrial lands a body shot.
Rutherford moves forwards but Montrial connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Nice straight punches there by Rutherford. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Rutherford.
Rutherford looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rutherford lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Montrial shoots in for a takedown but Rutherford shows good takedown defense.
Montrial fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rutherford is out of range.
Rutherford stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutherford moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rutherford tries to clinch but Montrial is having none of it.
Montrial throws a leg kick but Rutherford moved away.
Montrial misses with a hook. Rutherford ducked under it nicely.
A nice leg kick from Rutherford, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rutherford tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Montrial manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Rutherford. No joy for Montrial on that attempt.
Rutherford uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Montrial.
As Montrial looks to move away, Rutherford throws a big counter combo but Montrial just gets out of the way.
Rutherford slips a jab from Montrial.
Montrial throws a head kick that misses
and Rutherford counters with a nice body kick.
Montrial misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rutherford.
Montrial throws a leg kick
and Rutherford counters with a stiff right hand.
Gvidas Montrial seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Montrial takes a jab right on the kisser.
Montrial cracks a nice hook into Rutherford's ribs.
Rutherford checks the leg kick nicely there.
Montrial displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rutherford throws out the jab.
Montrial scores with a decent looking hook.

Rutherford takes the fight into the clinch.

Rutherford breaks from the clinch.
Rutherford tries to close the distance and clinch up but Montrial swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And Montrial tries to counter it with a takedown but Rutherford pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Rutherford uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Montrial.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Montrial swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rutherford lands with a straight right. Montrial didn't see that one coming.
Montrial takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Montrial looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rutherford is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Montrial misses with a low kick.
Montrial throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Rutherford is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Steven Rutherford is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Montrial fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Steven Rutherford has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gvidas Montrial.
A slow jab from Rutherford misses its intended target.
Montrial scores with a hook.
Montrial swats away the attempt to clinch by Rutherford.
Montrial takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Montrial scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Montrial gets tackled into the cage by Rutherford. Rutherford maintains the clinch.
A short uppercut from Rutherford.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rutherford.
Montrial tries to stall but Rutherford uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Montrial tries for a takedown but Rutherford manages to get underhooks.
Rutherford blocks a body shot from Montrial.
Montrial tries to circle away but Rutherford has him pinned against the cage.

Montrial breaks from the clinch.
Rutherford throws a lazy uppercut
and Montrial counters with a straight right hand.
A big right from Rutherford misses.
Rutherford throws a shot from downtown. Montrial moves away and avoids it.
Montrial lands a body shot.
Montrial misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rutherford throws a series of punches but Montrial avoids them all with ease.
Montrial throws a leg kick
and Rutherford counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montrial scores with a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Montrial. Rutherford does a little dance to reset his feet.
Montrial scores with a jab to the body.
Montrial throws a body shot but no joy.
As Montrial looks to move away, Rutherford throws a big counter combo but Montrial just gets out of the way.
Montrial steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Rutherford. That one must have hurt.
Rutherford scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A punch lands to the side of Montrial 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Montrial checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Rutherford throws the left hand but Montrial avoids the punch easily.
Rutherford takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rutherford throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Montrial misses with a low kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Montrial scoring well with a low kick there.
Nice defenses there by Rutherford.
Montrial takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Rutherford moves into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Steven Rutherford will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Montrial scores with a jab.
Rutherford steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Montrial.
Montrial uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rutherford.
A looping hook to the body misses from Montrial. Rutherford does a little dance to reset his feet.
Montrial's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Rutherford connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Montrial scrambles back to his feet.
Montrial checks the leg kick.
Rutherford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Montrial paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rutherford loads up on a big right hand but Montrial slips the punch.
Montrial wants to counter with a clinch but Rutherford pushes him away.
Montrial shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A counter left hand to the body from Rutherford misses its target.
Rutherford swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rutherford moves in looking to clinch but Montrial pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutherford fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Montrial manages to avoid it.
Rutherford pushes Montrial away with a front kick.
Rutherford dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Montrial misses with a low kick.
Montrial tries a low kick but Rutherford avoids it.
It looked like Rutherford was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Montrial.
Rutherford connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montrial pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rutherford uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Montrial.

Rutherford gets a clinch.
Rutherford lands a body shot.
Montrial misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Montrial tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rutherford avoids it.
Montrial throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rutherford blocks it with crossed arms.
Montrial scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rutherford prevents a body shot from Montrial.
Montrial misses with a punch on the inside.
Montrial tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rutherford avoids it.
Rutherford manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A head punch on the inside from Montrial fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montrial looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A hook to the body from Montrial.
Montrial stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rutherford lands an uppercut.

Rutherford breaks from the clinch.
Montrial takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Montrial with a body punch. A glancing blow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutherford moves out of range of the leg kick from Montrial.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Montrial throws a combination. Rutherford tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Montrial lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rutherford is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Montrial's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Rutherford connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Montrial scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutherford throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Good work by Rutherford as he checks the leg kick.
Montrial misses with a combination
and Rutherford makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Montrial really felt that one!
Rutherford lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rutherford doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rutherford has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Montrial finds it's way round the side to connect with Rutherford's head.
Rutherford takes one to the side of the head.
Montrial scores with a jab. Rutherford acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Montrial waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rutherford.
Montrial misses with a hook.
Montrial feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rutherfords jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Montrial looks to land a right hand but Rutherford moved out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Montrial with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Montrial throws an overhand right that lands on Rutherford's shoulder, as Rutherford tries to avoid the shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutherford avoids the body shot from Montrial.
Montrial rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rutherford counters with a straight right hand.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rutherford.
Rutherford fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Montrial.
Rutherford digs a good body shot into Montrial's ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Montrial. Rutherford does a little dance to reset his feet.

Rutherford pushes Montrial up against the cage in a clinch.
Rutherford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Montrial's efforts to push away.
Rutherford working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rutherford.
Montrial misses with a knee to the head.
Montrial misses with a knee strike.

Montrial breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gvidas Montrial will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A jab lands there for Montrial.
Rutherford lands the left hand.
Rutherford tries to close the distance and clinch up but Montrial swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rutherford sets himself, and Montrial steps forward looking for the clinch! Rutherford avoids it this time.
Rutherford checks the leg kick.
Montrial lands with a hook. Rutherford tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Montrial throws out a loose jab but Rutherford uses good head movement to avoid it.
Montrial thows a left - swing and a miss!
Montrial tries for a takedown but Rutherford sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A left lands for Rutherford.
Rutherford misses with a right hand

and Montrial counters by clinching up.
Montrial pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutherford pressing his opponent against the cage.
Montrial has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rutherford is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Montrial can't find room to land a body shot as Rutherford controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Rutherford.
Rutherford tries a body shot but Montrial blocks it.
Rutherford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Montrial's efforts to push away.
Montrial cracks Rutherford with a nice body shot.
Rutherford has Montrial pushed against the cage.
Rutherford throws a punch but it's blocked by Montrial.
Montrial tries to circle away but Rutherford has him pinned against the cage.
Montrial is trying to push Rutherford away but Rutherford has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rutherford doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rutherford misses with some punches.
Rutherford lands a right hand that snaps the head of Montrial backwards.

Montrial breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutherford throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Rutherford throws a front kick aimed at Montrial's knee but Montrial avoids it well.
Rutherford is looking to score with low kicks.
Montrial misses with a low kick.
Rutherford keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Montrial throws out a loose jab but Rutherford uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rutherford tries to close the distance and clinch but Montrial swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rutherford misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Montrial to counter with a crisp jab.
Rutherford throws an overhand right that lands on Montrial's shoulder, as Montrial tries to avoid the shot.
Montrial lands a jab to the nose.

Rutherford darts in and clinches Montrial up against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Montrial tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rutherford just stands there and leans against the cage.
Steven Rutherford has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gvidas Montrial.
A head punch on the inside from Montrial fails to land.

Montrial manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Rutherford.
Montrial takes a jab right on the kisser.
Montrial misses with a series of wild punches.
Rutherford motions for Montrial to come forward. Rutherford throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Montrial looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Montrial throws out a leg kick but Rutherford moves out of range and Montrial only half commits.
Montrial shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rutherford with the inside leg kick.
Montrial misses with an uppercut. Rutherford saw that one coming.
Rutherford was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Montrial gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Nice uppercut lands for Montrial. That snapped Rutherford's head back.
Montrial dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rutherford. That did some damage!
Montrial wants to land a leg kick but Rutherford is out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Montrial misses the target.
Rutherford staying out of range there.
A jab from Rutherford misses.
It seemed like Montrial was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montrial fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rutherford manages to avoid it.
Montrial has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Montrial there as he acknowledges the shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Montrial misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Montrial looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Montrial looks to score with a jab to the body but Rutherford is just out of range.
No joy there for Montrial, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Montrial delivers a nice body kick.
Montrial misses with an uppercut.
Rutherford bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Montrial throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rutherford smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rutherford loads up on a big right hand but Montrial slips the punch.
Montrial is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Montrial ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rutherford moves away.
As Montrial tries to get set, Rutherford tries to push him back and clinch up but Montrial manages to avoid the attempt.
Montrial misses with an uppercut. Rutherford saw that one coming.
Rutherford is looking to clinch but Montrial is avoiding it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gvidas Montrial.
I think Montrial has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Gvidas Montrial!
During a confident post fight interview, Gvidas Montrial thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.