PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tomas Rumiantsev (ranked 1174 p4p, 1737 weight class) and Benjamin Harris (ranked 124 p4p, 187 weight class). Benjamin Harris has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rumiantsev
vs
Harris

170 cm
25
140
11 - 5 - 1

174 cm
23
144
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

30th Century Beer Store

Hype Nutrition
Bloodbath MMA Clothing

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 11 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Tomas Rumiantsev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benjamin Harris!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Kavanagh and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harris throws a sloppy head kick and Rumiantsev moves out of range easily.
Rumiantsev lands a glancing blow to the side of Harris's head.
Rumiantsev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Harris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Harris swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rumiantsev drops down looking for a counter takedown but Harris sprawls and moves away.

Harris gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rumiantsev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Harris has a couple of punches blocked by Rumiantsev.
Rumiantsev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Rumiantsev gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Harris is trying to control but can't.
Rumiantsev trying to mount his opponent but Harris defends it.
Harris is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rumiantsev's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rumiantsev's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rumiantsev tries to roll but Harris sticks to his back.
Rumiantsev looking very determined here, making life difficult for Harris.
Rumiantsev is really stuck here.
Rumiantsev looking very determined here, making life difficult for Harris.
Rumiantsev can't escape the position.

Harris looking for the choke but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Harris has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Harris avoiding Rumiantsev 's attempts to control his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rumiantsev is trying to break free.

Rumiantsev is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Rumiantsev tries to escape the position.

Harris has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Rumiantsev has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Harris working for the choke.
Rumiantsev tries to escape but Harris has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris wants to control but Rumiantsev is keeping busy.

Harris patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Harris avoiding Rumiantsev 's attempts to control his hands.
Harris has the hooks in. Rumiantsev is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Harris looking to break Rumiantsev's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Rumiantsev remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Harris will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Harris looking for the choke but no joy.
Rumiantsev trying to control the position but Harris manages to sink in the hooks.

Harris patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Harris doesn't have the hooks in and Rumiantsev manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rumiantsev stands and throws Harris's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Harris sneaks back into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rumiantsev lands a nice short elbow.
Harris is trying to get back to full guard.
Rumiantsev frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rumiantsev lands a nice shot to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harris tries to hold on but Rumiantsev pushes him away.
Harris tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rumiantsev scoring with strikes but Harris is staying in there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Benjamin Harris will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Harris throws a nice looking combination but Rumiantsev bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Harris lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rumiantsev backs up against the cage.

Rumiantsev gets tackled into the cage by Harris. Harris maintains the clinch.
Rumiantsev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rumiantsev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Harris blocking some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harris.
Rumiantsev lands a shot to the body.
Rumiantsev tries to throw a body punch but Harris avoids it by throwing Rumiantsev back against the cage.
Rumiantsev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rumiantsev throws a punch but it's blocked by Harris.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris is looking to control Rumiantsev's arms but Rumiantsev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Harris has his back to the cage.
Rumiantsev scores with a nice hook to the head.
Harris blocks a body shot from Rumiantsev.
Harris is trying to push Rumiantsev away but Rumiantsev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rumiantsev goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rumiantsev has him pressed against the cage.
Rumiantsev goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Harris blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rumiantsev can't find room to land a body shot as Harris controls the action.
Harris blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rumiantsev.
Rumiantsev cracks Harris with a nice body shot.
Rumiantsev throws a punch but it's blocked by Harris.
Harris misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rumiantsev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Harris presses Rumiantsev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rumiantsev tries to work over Harris's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Harris lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rumiantsev misses with a punch to the body.
A shot in the inside from Harris.
Rumiantsev lands a nice shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rumiantsev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Harris's efforts to push away.
Harris is looking to break free of the clinch but Rumiantsev has double underhooks.
Tomas Rumiantsev has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rumiantsev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rumiantsev misses with a body punch.
Harris blocks an uppercut.
Harris lands with a light punch inside.
Rumiantsev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Harris backwards.
Rumiantsev digs a right hand underneath Harris's ribcage. Harris let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rumiantsev throws a head punch that misses.
Harris lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Harris tries to circle away but Rumiantsev has him pinned against the cage.
Rumiantsev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Harris backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rumiantsev.
Rumiantsev lands with a right to the head.

Harris's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris throws a series of punches but Rumiantsev avoids them all with ease.
Benjamin Harris seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rumiantsev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harris manages to avoid it.
Harris throws a series of punches but Rumiantsev moves out of range.
Harris swinging wildly here.
Rumiantsev avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rumiantsev throws a hook to the side of Harris's head but Harris sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Harris lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rumiantsev circles away quickly and effectively.
Rumiantsev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Harris.
Harris throws a sloppy head kick and Rumiantsev moves out of range easily.
Rumiantsev uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Harris.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rumiantsev throws out a loose jab but Harris uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harris lands a head kick. Rumiantsev smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Rumiantsev throws a jab when Harris was well out of range.
Harris throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Harris throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Harris throws a head kick that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rumiantsev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Benjamin Harris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rumiantsev loads up on a big right hand but Harris slips the punch.
Harris has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.

Rumiantsev drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rumiantsev wants to pass the guard but Harris is keeping the position.
Harris is trying to keep Rumiantsev in close.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Benjamin Harris will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Rumiantsev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Harris keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rumiantsev.
Harris is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Benjamin Harris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rumiantsev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harris manages to avoid it.
Harris is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Rumiantsev blocks a head kick by Harris.
Rumiantsev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A slow jab from Harris misses its intended target.
Harris swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Harris will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rumiantsev scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rumiantsev blocks a jab.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rumiantsev paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rumiantsev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Harris.
Harris throws a lazy right hand but Rumiantsev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Harris looks to score with a jab to the body but Rumiantsev is just out of range.
Harris scores with a jab to the head.
Rumiantsev misses with a wild body shot.
Harris throws a push kick but Rumiantsev slaps the foot to one side.
Rumiantsev misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harris.
Rumiantsev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Harris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A right-left combo lands from Harris.
Rumiantsev throws a body shot but no joy.
Rumiantsev lands the left hand.
Tomas Rumiantsev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris cracks Rumiantsev with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Harris throws a head kick that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harris fails to land with a series of punches.
Harris takes a swing at Rumiantsev's ribcage but misses.

Rumiantsev drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rumiantsev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
We've been hearing that Rumiantsev has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Rumiantsev stays in close to Harris's body and controls the position.
Harris looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Harris controls Rumiantsev momentarily but Rumiantsev frees himself.

Harris throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rumiantsev trying to control but Harris is working from the bottom.
Harris wants to get back to his feet but Rumiantsev is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rumiantsev is looking to pass into half guard but Harris pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Harris is in guard.

Rumiantsev trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Rumiantsev pulls Harris in close to prevent any damage.

Rumiantsev is working an open guard so Harris takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rumiantsev misses the shot to the body.
Rumiantsev throws a jab but it's blocked by Harris.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rumiantsev on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Harris throws a push kick but Rumiantsev slaps the foot to one side.
Benjamin Harris is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Harris throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A jab from Harris misses.
Rumiantsev takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rumiantsev takes a swing at Harris's ribcage but misses.
Harris slips a jab from Rumiantsev.
Rumiantsev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Harris.
Rumiantsev tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Harris manages to circle out of the way.
Harris chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rumiantsev darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benjamin Harris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Harris winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benjamin Harris!
An out of breath Benjamin Harris thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.