PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marty Samuels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Rutten is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Samuels
vs
Rutten

153 cm
18
136 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

166 cm
22
139 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Marty Samuels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Glass and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutten circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rutten swats away the attempt to clinch by Samuels.
Samuels fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Samuels has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rutten looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Samuels lands a knee to the body.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rutten closes the distance but Samuels moves to the side

and Samuels counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rutten is trying to control but can't.
Rutten is holding on to half guard well.
Rutten wants to improve his position but Samuels is controlling well.
Samuels missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Rutten looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Samuels wants to free his trapped foot but Rutten is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rutten gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten wants to stand up but Samuels is controlling him.
Samuels missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Samuels wants to stand and escape but instead Rutten has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Samuels could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rutten trying to control the position from guard on top but Samuels is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rutten gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Rutten closes the distance and clinches.
Rutten lands a right hand.

Samuels manages to break the clinch.
Rutten circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rutten counters with a nice double leg into side control. Samuels won't be happy with that.
Rutten looks gassed!
Samuels is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Rutten's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Samuels might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Samuels misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Samuels is looking for a sweep.
Rutten looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Samuels is avoiding damage well.
Rutten working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Samuels striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

Rutten stands up and beckons Samuels to his feet.
Rutten displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Samuels.

Samuels rushes Rutten and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Samuels lands an elbow inside that Rutten shrugs off.
Samuels jumps guard but Rutten stands there with Samuels around his waist. Samuels gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marty Samuels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samuels changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rutten fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Samuels closes the distance and clinches up with Rutten, looking for a takedown. Samuels pushes Rutten against the cage but Rutten circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rutten clinches with his opponent.
Rutten unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rutten scores with a knee to the head.
Samuels tries for a takedown but Rutten manages to get underhooks.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rutten.

Rutten manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rutten has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Rutten working for a triangle but Samuels defends it easily.
Rutten wants to stand but Samuels is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten striking off his back but it's not causing Samuels any problems.

Samuels gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Rutten misses with a double jab.
Rutten tries to clinch but Samuels is having none of it.
Rutten throws a head kick that misses

and Samuels counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rutten trying to keep a closed guard but Samuels is proving a slippery customer.
Rutten wants to stand up but Samuels is controlling him.
Samuels postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rutten pushes Samuels off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rutten wants to clinch but Samuels slips to the side

and Samuels counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Samuels stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Rutten will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Samuels looks for the body kick but Rutten saw that one coming.
Samuels shoots and misses
and Rutten counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Samuels shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rutten counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Rutten closes the distance and pushes Samuels back into the cage.
Samuels tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rutten avoids it.
Rutten throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Samuelss head.
Samuels blocks an elbow strike from Rutten.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A left hand lands to the body for Rutten.
Samuels looking to throw knees to the head but Rutten is blocking nicely.
Rutten working Samuels over with knees to the body.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Samuels closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Rutten pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Rutten clinches with his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Samuels misses with a knee strike.
Rutten blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Samuels drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marty Samuels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samuels looking to slow down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Samuels managing to block the knees to the body from Rutten.
Rutten wants to break the clinch but can't.
Samuels drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Samuels missing with knees to the body.

Samuels escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Samuels shoots and misses
and Rutten counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Samuels is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Samuels forces Rutten back against the cage and clinches.
Samuels can't get the takedown.
Samuels fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rutten pushes off an throws an elbow but Samuels leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Samuels is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rutten using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rutten throws an elbow that misses.

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.
Rutten landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Samuels using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Samuels drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rutten gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rutten prevents the takedown attempt.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rutten is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Samuels putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rutten in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rutten tries a knee to the head but Samuels blocks it.
Rutten looking to throw knees to the head but Samuels is blocking nicely.
Samuels has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rutten creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rutten tries to circle away but Samuels has him pinned against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Rutten scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Samuels's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Samuels closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rutten cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rutten gets a takedown into half guard.
Joe Rutten has got the better of the ground game so far.
Samuels throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Rutten manages to pass to side control.
Samuels is trying to buck Rutten off.
Samuels wants to get back to his feet but Rutten is dominant here and he's now got Samuels's back!
Rutten scores with punches to the body.

Rutten is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Samuels is defending well though. Rutten let's go of the attempt for now.

Rutten is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Samuels has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rutten working for the choke.

Samuels is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.
Samuels looks to clinch

and Rutten counters with a single leg into guard. Samuels didn't expect that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rutten decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Samuels, up you get!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Samuels with a poor takedown
and Rutten counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Samuels misses with a takedown attempt
and Rutten counters with a head kick.

Rutten shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rutten showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Samuels tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rutten counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Rutten decides to stand and escape the position.
Samuels takes a swing at Rutten's ribcage but misses.
Samuels closes the distance but Rutten moves to the side
and Rutten counters with a head kick.
Rutten tries to clinch but Samuels is having none of it.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch but Samuels swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Samuels swats away the attempt to clinch by Rutten.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch but Samuels swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Samuels with a poor takedown
and Rutten makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Samuels really felt that one!
Samuels shoots for a takedown but Rutten saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rutten lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samuels tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rutten avoids the head kick by Samuels.
Rutten connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Samuels's hands.
Rutten misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Rutten has taken the fight to the clinch.
Samuels putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rutten in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rutten scores with a knee to the head.
Samuels lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.
Samuels makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rutten looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Samuels misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rutten.
Rutten misses with a knee strike.
Rutten takes a knee right on the jaw!
Samuels changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rutten fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marty Samuels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samuels shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rutten counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rutten.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Samuels tries to pull guard but Rutten holds him up against the cage and eventually Samuels drops back down to his feet.
Rutten tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Samuels avoids it.
Samuels trying to stall but Rutten improves his position.
Rutten is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A short left from Rutten.

Samuels's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rutten fails with an attempt to clinch.
Samuels clinches but Rutten breaks the clinch
and Rutten counters with a straight right hand.
Rutten fails to land the takedown.

Rutten moves into range and clinches up with Samuels.
Samuels is working for takedown but Rutten is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rutten throws an elbow but it misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Samuels.
Rutten looking to throw knees to the head but Samuels is blocking nicely.

Rutten breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rutten closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rutten avoids a wild elbow strike from Samuels.
Rutten working Samuels over with knees to the body.
Samuels tries to break free but Rutten pushes him back against the cage.
Samuels jumps guard but Rutten stands there with Samuels around his waist. Samuels gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Samuels fails to pull guard.

Rutten pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Samuels tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rutten counters with a shoot takedown. Samuels fights it but they end up in guard.

Rutten decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rutten misses with the combination.
Samuels moves in looking to clinch but Rutten pushes him off.
Samuels has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samuels fails with an attempt to clinch.

Rutten fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Samuels, pushing him back against the cage.
Samuels fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Samuels fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rutten tries to break free but Samuels pushes him back against the cage.
Samuels fails to pull guard.
Samuels wants to stall.
Rutten working Samuels over with knees to the body.
Samuels fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Samuels tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Samuels avoids a wild elbow strike from Rutten.
Samuels on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Samuels blocks an elbow strike from Rutten.
Rutten tries to land knees in the clinch but Samuels avoids the damage to the body.
Rutten is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Samuels takes a shot to the head.
Marty Samuels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samuels throws a knee to the head but misses.
Joe Rutten is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Samuels lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Rutten comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rutten has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight for Joe Rutten!
Judge James Glass scores the fight for Joe Rutten!
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight for Joe Rutten!

Joe Rutten wins by unanimous decision!