PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between AJ Llewellyn (ranked 2168 p4p, 1832 weight class) and Tama Ruiha (ranked 307 p4p, 246 weight class). Llewellyn kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Doomsday. Ruiha is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Polynesian Traditional Music. 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.

Llewellyn
vs
Ruiha

189 cm
29
196
9 - 4 - 0

180 cm
31
194
14 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Highland Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, AJ Llewellyn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Tama Ruiha!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Richard Clark and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruiha just misses with a punch to the body.
Ruiha misses with a left hand

and Llewellyn counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ruiha won't be happy with that.
Ruiha is working to avoid the ground and pound but Llewellyn connects with a decent elbow.
Llewellyn has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Llewellyn punching from mount but Ruiha doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Ruiha really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Llewellyn is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ruiha can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Poor strikes thrown by Llewellyn there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Ruiha felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Llewellyn wants to control the pace but Ruiha is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiha is desperately trying to improve his position but Llewellyn has a good base and remains in mount.

Llewellyn looking for a guillotine from mount but Ruiha is having none of it.
Llewellyn trying to control but Ruiha is having none of it.

Llewellyn has hold of Ruiha's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Ruiha manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Llewellyn trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Llewellyn controlling his opponent.
Llewellyn mounts Ruiha! Really nice guard pass there!

Llewellyn working for a guillotine from mount but Ruiha is in no mood to give up.
Llewellyn controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Llewellyn seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Ruiha is holding on tight.
Llewellyn controlling from mount.

Llewellyn working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Llewellyn wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

Llewellyn looking to secure an arm triangle but Ruiha defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiha stops Llewellyn from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

Llewellyn looking to secure an arm triangle but Ruiha defends it well.
Llewellyn with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Llewellyn takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Llewellyn dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Llewellyn slips a straight right by Ruiha.
Llewellyn swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Ruiha slips a jab from Llewellyn.
Ruiha pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Llewellyn tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ruiha paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A punch lands to the side of Ruiha 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Llewellyn connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Llewellyn shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ruiha sprawls well. Ruiha wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Llewellyn gets slowly back to his feet.
Ruiha throws a right hand that misses

so Llewellyn counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Llewellyn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ruiha works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Llewellyn works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ruiha blocking the ground and pound attempt from Llewellyn.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ruiha can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Llewellyn is looking to advance position but Ruiha won't allow it.

Llewellyn trying to work for an americana but Ruiha has managed to regain full guard.
Llewellyn looking to pass the guard.

Llewellyn drops back looking for a leg! Ruiha is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ruiha manages to kick Llewellyn off! Llewellyn jumps back into Ruiha's guard.
Llewellyn controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Llewellyn advances position into side control!
Llewellyn advances to full mount.
Llewellyn throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Llewellyn tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Llewellyn trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Llewellyn forces the positional change into back control.
Llewellyn tries to get the hooks in deep but Ruiha pushed the leg off.

Llewellyn has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Even with his hooks in, Llewellyn manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Llewellyn goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Ruiha escapes and is now in half guard on top.
Llewellyn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Llewellyn manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Llewellyn is pulling down on Ruiha's head to control his posture.

Llewellyn looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Ruiha is defending well. Llewellyn quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Ruiha has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Llewellyn celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). AJ Llewellyn!
AJ Llewellyn decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.