PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Temirbek Yuldashev (ranked 945 p4p, 890 weight class) and Rufus Rutger (ranked 124 p4p, 115 weight class). Yuldashev comes to the cage accompanied by Лезгинка - Мой нанак. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Yuldashev
vs
Rutger

187 cm
22
206
7 - 2 - 0

193 cm
22
210
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
FF Gear

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Temirbek Yuldashev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rufus Rutger!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Steve Montenegro and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rutger drives through and clinches with Yuldashev against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yuldashev.
Rutger lands a nice shot to the body.
Rutger's coach down at FF Forever was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Rutger's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Yuldashev lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Rutger.
Rutger misses with a punch on the inside.
Yuldashev misses with a punch to the body.

Yuldashev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rutger moves out of range of the strikes.
Rutger is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Rutger catches Yuldashev with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A slapping leg kick lands for Yuldashev.
We've been told by Yuldashev's head coaches at Lakeside Jiu-Jitsu that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Rutger connects with a solid leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutger connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rutger looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yuldashev keeps the fight on the outside.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yuldashev. Rutger does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rutger tries to counter with a clinch but Yuldashev shakes him off and moves away.
Yuldashev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The crowd cheers as Rutger lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yuldashev doesn't seem phased though.
Rutger looks to land a left hand but Yuldashev moved out of range nicely.
Rutger scores with a decent looking hook.
Yuldashev throws a sloppy head kick
and Rutger counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rutger misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yuldashev throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A little jabbing left from Rutger on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Yuldashev clinches.

Yuldashev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A low kick from Yuldashev misses
and Rutger counters with a two punch combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yuldashev swings widly with a right hand
and Rutger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Yuldashev misses with a body kick.
Yuldashev throws a leg kick
and Rutger counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Yuldashev misses with a kick to the body
and Rutger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rutger throws a leg kick but Yuldashev moved away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuldashev avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yuldashev is looking to counter punch.
Yuldashev throws a leg kick
and Rutger counters with a nice uppercut.
Yuldashev scores with a crisp jab that stopped Rutger in his tracks.
Yuldashev throws a body punch but Rutger moves out of range.
Rutger feints a counter leg kick.
Rutger uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Yuldashev.
Rutger just misses with a punch to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Rutger lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Yuldashev has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Yuldashev and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Rutger wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yuldashev lands a nice shot to the body.
Rutger throws a right and a left that Yuldashev avoids nicely.
Rutger takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rutger moves out of range as Yuldashev throws a body kick.
Rutger throws a leg kick
and Yuldashev counters with a nice body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Rutger dominated that round.
That's time! Yuldashev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nice cross by Rutger.
Yuldashev scores with a jab to the head.
Yuldashev keeps the fight on the outside.
Yuldashev misses with an uppercut. Rutger saw that one coming.
Rutger swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Rutger has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yuldashev tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Rutger is able to avoid easily.
Rutger is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Yuldashev jabs at Rutger's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A shot to the liver by Rutger. Beautiful body shot.
Rutger misses the shot to the body.
Yuldashev swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A solid leg kick lands there for Yuldashev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutger scores with the left hand. Yuldashev knows he should have avoided that one.
Rutger fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rutger works the jab nicely.
Yuldashev thuds his right hand into Rutger's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A big left from Rutger misses.
Yuldashev waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rutger.
Yuldashev throws a hook but Rutger avoids it easily.
Nice defenses there by Yuldashev.
A shot to the liver by Rutger. Beautiful body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutger misses with a body shot
and Yuldashev counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rutger thinking.
Rutger connects with a nice looking jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yuldashev throws a head kick that misses.
Yuldashev throws a body shot but no joy.
Yuldashev throws the kick towards the body but Rutger avoids it.
Rutger unleashes a big counter combination but Yuldashev bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Rutger takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Yuldashev tests Rutger's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Yuldashev moves out of range as Rutger strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuldashev throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rutger's head.
Rufus Rutger seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yuldashev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Yuldashev misses with an uppercut
and Rutger counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rutger avoids the head kick by Yuldashev.
Good standup being displayed there by Yuldashev as he connects with a hook.

Rutger has taken the fight to the clinch.
Yuldashev lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rutger backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rutger.
Yuldashev scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rutger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yuldashev breaks the clinch.
Crunch! Yuldashev slams his shin into Rutger's torso.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yuldashev feints and then cracks Rutger's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rutger down.

Yuldashev gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Yuldashev digs a right hand underneath Rutger's ribcage. Rutger let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Yuldashev blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rutger lands a body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yuldashev.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rutger.
Yuldashev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rutger fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rutger tries to break free but Yuldashev pushes him back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Rutger.
Rutger is trying to break the clinch but Yuldashev has him pressed against the cage.

Rutger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Yuldashev throws an off balance right hand
and Rutger counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Temirbek Yuldashev dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Yuldashev throws a nice inside leg kick.
Yuldashev staying out of range there.
Rutger lands a nice hook to Yuldashev's body. Yuldashev takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Yuldashev lands a body shot.
Rutger throws a good cross that connects.
Rutger throws a looping overhand right but Yuldashev ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yuldashev throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rutger counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rutger digs a good hook to Yuldashev's body.
Yuldashev throws a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutger swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
It looked like Yuldashev wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Yuldashev misses with a wild body shot.
A little jabbing left from Rutger on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A low kick from Yuldashev misses
and Rutger counters with a leg kick.
Rutger fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yuldashev manages to avoid it.
Rutger throws a one two combo.
Yuldashev cracks Rutger with a good jab.
A big left from Yuldashev misses.
Yuldashev throws a head kick but Rutger moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutger moves out of range as Yuldashev throws a body kick.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Rutger staying out of range there.
Rutger tests Yuldashev's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A shot to the liver by Rutger. Beautiful body shot.
Yuldashev misses with a jab to the body
and Rutger counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rutger falls off balance throwing a combination
and Yuldashev counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuldashev connects with an inside leg kick.
Rutger fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Yuldashev has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Yuldashev misses with a head kick.
Yuldashev uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rutger.
Yuldashev swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rutger displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yuldashev throws out the jab.
Rutger blocks a jab.
Rutger doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yuldashev defending well as Rutger loads up on a big left hand.
Rutger ducks under a wild hook from Yuldashev.
Yuldashev takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Yuldashev with the inside leg kick.
Rutger misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yuldashev.
Rutger lands a head shot.
Yuldashev misses with a wild body shot.
Rutger throws a lazy right hand but Yuldashev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
It looked like Yuldashev was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Rutger.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rufus Rutger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rutger 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

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