PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Elvin Ruez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Strife (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruez's entrance music is Face Breaker - Poison Pen. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ruez
vs
Strife

178 cm
23
163 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

180 cm
28
165 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Elvin Ruez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Strife!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strife circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ruez checks a leg kick nicely.
Strife takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ruez blocks a jab.
Ruez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Strife wants to clinch up but Ruez keeps it at a distance.

Ruez looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ruez wants to control from the top but Strife keeps moving.
Ruez is looking to work some ground and pound but Strife has wrist control.
Ruez stopping the sweep attempt from Strife.
Strife keeping moving, preventing Ruez from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruez passes into half guard.
Ruez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Strife keeps working.
Ruez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ruez performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Ruez drops an elbow to the side of Strife's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Strife tries to kick Ruez off but Ruez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ruez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Strife is not content to let Ruez control the position.
Strife wants to get back to full guard.
Ruez thows a huge punch but Strife dodges it nicely.
Ruez wants to free his trapped foot but Strife is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Strife wants to control but Ruez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ruez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Strife clinches but Ruez breaks the clinch
and Ruez counters with a stiff right hand.
Strife throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ruez stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Strife throws a low kick but Ruez avoids it.
Ruez checks the leg kick nicely there.
Strife connects with an inside leg kick.
Nice body kick there by Strife.
A jab from Strife does it's job there.
Ruez swinging wildly here.

Ruez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Ruez is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruez wants to take a breather but Strife manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Ruez.

Ruez decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Strife, up you get!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruez avoids the body shot from Strife.
No joy there for Ruez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ruez slips a straight right by Strife.
Strife tries to land a leg kick but Ruez saw it coming and moves away.
A combination from Ruez does no damage.
Ruez looks to land a combination but Strife avoids it well.
Ruez misses with a looping right.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strife keeps Ruez at a distance using the push kick.
Ruez ducks under a wild hook from Strife.
Strife misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ruez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elvin Ruez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Strife feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ruez's calf.
Strife missing with a left hand there. Ruez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Strife cracks Ruez with an open hand slap.
Strife scores with a leg kick.

Strife gets a clinch.
Strife has had enough of the clinch but Ruez keeps him there for the moment.
Strife misses with a knee strike.
Strife stalling the fight.
Strife has Ruez pressed against the cage, preventing Ruez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Strife throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ruez blocks it with crossed arms.
A short uppercut from Ruez.
Ruez misses with a punch to the body.
Ruez trying to stall but Strife improves his position.
Ruez misses with a punch on the inside.
A short right from Ruez on the inside.
Ruez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ruez presses Strife against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Strife manages to break the clinch.
A big right from Strife misses.
John Strife seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Strife misses with an uppercut. Ruez saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strife lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ruez at a distance.
Strife's corner calls for a 1-2. Strife obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Strife thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ruez if he has to take too many more of those.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Strife throws a big shot that misses.
John Strife seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strife misses with a wild body shot.
Elvin Ruez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strife misses the shot to the body.
Ruez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Strife throws out the jab.
John Strife is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Strife just misses with a punch to the body.
Strife waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ruez.
Strife lunges at Ruez with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Ruez's hand.
Ruez slips a straight right by Strife.
Ruez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Strife tries to avoid it but Ruez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Strife to the ground. Strife escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Strife uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ruez.
Ruez throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ruez misses with a jab, cross combination.
A nice combination there by Ruez.
Strife looks to land a right hand but Ruez moved out of range.
Ruez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ruez!
Ruez misses with a head kick.
Ruez avoids a punch combination nicely.
Strife lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Strife fails in his attempt to clinch.
Strife misses with an uppercut.
Strife misses with a wild combination.
Strife looks to clinch

so Ruez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruez wants to pass the guard but Strife is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ruez controls from within his opponent's guard.
Strife tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ruez wants to control from the top but Strife keeps moving.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

We're going to have a standup here because Elvin Ruez wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Strife connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Ruez looks for a takedown but Strife sprawls well.
Ruez misses with a double jab
and Strife counters with a straight right hand.
Strife pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ruez lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Strife clinches up against the cage.
Ruez digs a right hand into Strife's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Strife's gas tank.
A right hook to the body lands for Ruez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice body punch from Ruez.
Ruez lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Strife or not.
Ruez can't break the clinch.
Strife has Ruez pressed against the cage.
Ruez lands an elbow just above Strife 's eye.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Strife showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ruez has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ruez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Ruez does no damage.
Ruez ducks under a wild hook from Strife.
Ruez moves away from the strike by Strife.
Ruez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Strife swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ruez stalks Strife and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Strife's face. Strife staggers backwards, shaken.
Ruez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Strife counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Strife tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Ruez is able to avoid easily.
Strife dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ruez. That did some damage!
Ruez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ruez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Strife has managed to clinch.
Ruez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Strife walks away with a smile on his face. Ruez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strife on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Strife takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Strife misses with a hook to the body
enabling Ruez to counter with a crisp jab.
Strife cracks Ruez with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Ruez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ruez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Strife throws out the jab.
Ruez tries to clinch there but Strife circles away.
Ruez moves out of range as Strife strikes.
Strife pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Strife avoids a punch combination nicely.
Strife gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ruez throws a series of punches but Strife moves out of range.
Strife slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Ruez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Ruez blocks the low kick.
Strife scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Ruez tries to clinch but Strife is having none of it.
Strife circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ruez moves out of range as Strife strikes.

Ruez clinches up against the cage.

Ruez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ruez blocks a head kick by Strife.
Ruez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Strife.
Strife avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Strife digs a good hook to Ruez's body.
Strife lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ruez at a distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruez stalks Strife and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Strife's face. Strife staggers backwards, shaken.
Strife misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Strife misses with a low kick as Ruez jumps back.
Strife throws a leg kick
and Ruez counters with a right hand to the body.
Ruez wants to clinch
and Strife counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Strife ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ruez's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ruez duly obliges.
Strife wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Strife jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ruez lands with an overhand left.
Ruez bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Strife's head backwards.
Ruez tries to clinch there but Strife circles away.
Strife misses the shot to the body.
Ruez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Strife tries to avoid it but Ruez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Strife to the ground. Strife escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elvin Ruez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Strife.
Ruez misses with a body kick.
Nice defenses there by Ruez.
Strife swats away the attempt to clinch by Ruez.
Strife lands a jab to the nose.
Nice uppercut there from Ruez.
Ruez bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Ruez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Ruez drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Ruez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Strife has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ruez has managed to get both his arms back between Strife's legs - danger averted.

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 Elvin Ruez.
I think Ruez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Elvin Ruez!