PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bob Barker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barker comes to the cage accompanied by Little bit Counrty. Ruiz has chosen U're the Best Around as his entrance music. Marco Ruiz struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 171.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Marco Ruiz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Barker
vs
Ruiz

189 cm
23
170 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

183 cm
20
178 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bob Barker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marco Ruiz!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barker lands with a nice combination. Ruiz backs away looking to recover.
Barker throws a right hand that Ruiz ducks under and follows up with a left that Ruiz also avoids with ease.
Bob Barker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barker throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ruiz.
Barker tries to clinch but Ruiz moves out of range.
Barker goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Barker misses with a few strikes there.

Ruiz drives through and clinches with Barker against the cage.
Barker stops a takedown attempt from Ruiz.

Barker manages to break the clinch.
Barker misses with a few strikes there.
A nice combination there by Barker.
Barker connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barker pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barker rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruiz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barker listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Nice shot by Barker.
Nice takedown defense from Barker. No joy for Ruiz on that attempt.
Ruiz looks gassed!
Barker lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Barker connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ruiz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barker.
Barker throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Barker misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ruiz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Barker looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Ruiz decides to stand back up. Ruiz steps back and let's Barker get back to his feet.
Ruiz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barker as he jumps to the side.
Bob Barker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Ruiz.
Nice jab there from Barker.
Barker throws a hook but Ruiz blocks it.
Barker tries to bum rush Ruiz with a series of wild strikes but Ruiz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ruiz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barker as he jumps to the side.
Barker misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barker scores with a one two! Ruiz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Barker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barker tries to clinch up.

Barker gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ruiz jumps guard but Barker stands there with Ruiz around his waist. Ruiz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ruiz tries for a takedown but Barker manages to get underhooks.
Ruiz tries to pull guard but Barker won't allow it.

Barker manages to break the clinch.
Ruiz takes one on the button.
Barker misses with a series of wild punches.
Barker throws a jab but it's blocked by Ruiz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barker darts in trying to clinch
and Ruiz counters with a one-two to the body.
Barker throws a series of punches but Ruiz moves out of range.
Ruiz takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Barker throws a series of punches but Ruiz avoids them all with ease.
Barker throws a right and a left that Ruiz avoids nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruiz ducks under a wild hook from Barker.
Barker tries to clinch up

and Ruiz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Barker dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Barker tries to clinch but Ruiz is having none of it.
Barker throws an off balance right hand

and Ruiz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ruiz.
Ruiz preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruiz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ruiz tries to free his leg and advance position but Barker is retaining full guard.
Ruiz trying to control but Barker is working from the bottom.
Ruiz looking to sit in guard and control but Barker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ruiz trying to control the position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barker throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz is pulling down on Barker's head to control his posture.
Barker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ruiz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Ruiz just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Barker throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ruiz counters with a thumping low kick.
Barker lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Bob Barker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ruiz on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Barker misses with a series of wild punches.
Barker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barker lunges at Ruiz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Ruiz's hand.
Barker misses with a combination

and Ruiz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ruiz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ruiz's guard.
Barker scoring with some ground and pound.
Ruiz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barker.
Ruiz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Barker wants to stand but Ruiz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Barker won't allow Ruiz to sweep him here.
Barker postures up and lands a big shot to Ruiz's brow.
Ruiz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Barker decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ruiz, up you get!
Barker throws a right and a left that both miss.

Barker darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ruiz regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barker gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Barker lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Barker lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barker throws a nice head kick!
Barker lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ruiz scores with a leg kick.
Ruiz shoots and misses
and Barker makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Barker keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A punch lands to the side of Ruiz 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Ruiz lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Barker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Left hook, right uppercut from Barker.
Ruiz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barker circles away.
Bob Barker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Ruiz.
Barker scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Ruiz keeps the fight on the outside.
Barker tries to bum rush Ruiz with a series of wild strikes but Ruiz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barker misses with a two punch combination.
Barker is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruiz dodges the punch combination from Barker.
Barker works over Ruiz's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Barker dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Barker clobbers Ruiz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Ruiz tries for a takedown but Barker sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barker tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ruiz counters with a single leg into guard. Barker didn't expect that.
Barker keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Ruiz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Barker keeping full guard, as Ruiz tries to pass.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ruiz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Barker is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barker being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ruiz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Barker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Barker throws a series of punches but Ruiz moves out of range.
Ruiz fails with the takedown
and Barker counters with a series of strikes. Ruiz will be more careful next time no doubt.
Barker misses with a combination

and Ruiz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Barker won't be happy with that.
Barker is not content to let Ruiz control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barker on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Barker tries to get out of the position.
Barker is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Barker is trying to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Barker bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Barker takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Barker, as that shot connected.
Barker misses with a series of wild punches.
A punch lands to the side of Ruiz 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Barker connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Barker lands with a straight right. Ruiz didn't see that one coming.
Ruiz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bob Barker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Ruiz.
Barker connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ruiz momentarily.
Barker lands the left hand.
Ruiz defending well as Barker loads up on a big left hand.
Barker throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ruiz.
Ruiz blocks a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barker throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruiz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Barker counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Marco Ruiz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Barker trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ruiz's guard.
Ruiz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Barker's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barker keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Ruiz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ruiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Barker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barker wants to sweep here but Ruiz controlling him for the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruiz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Barker manages to escape and get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bob Barker.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Barker, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Barker!