PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tota Liddel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josip Ruzic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liddel comes to the cage accompanied by Ektomorf - Show your fist. Ruzic has chosen Kid N Play - Gettin' Funky as his entrance music. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Liddel
vs
Ruzic

185 cm
25
192 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

185 cm
27
192 lbs
23 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

RMC - Rio Mma Clothing
Canadian Fighter 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 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tota Liddel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Josip Ruzic!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Daniel Cesar and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liddel tries a head kick but it misses.
Ruzic has a takedown stuffed.

Liddel gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ruzic to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ruzic postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ruzic thows a big elbow that misses.
Liddel keeping moving, preventing Ruzic from controlling successfully.
Ruzic sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Liddel's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruzic tries to pass the half guard into mount. Liddel knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Ruzic is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Liddel is just riding it out for now. Ruzic eventually gives up the hold.
Ruzic is stalling here. Liddel is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Ruzic seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Liddel has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic is trying to improve his position.
Ruzic wants to control but Liddel postures up.
Ruzic tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Liddel easily slips into full mount!
Ruzic working to try and regain half guard.
Liddel trying to control but Ruzic is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ruzic is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Liddel wants to control the pace but Ruzic is squirming around nicely.
Ruzic working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddel scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ruzic?
Liddel takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ruzic working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Liddel controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josip Ruzic dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Liddel pivots, looking for a leg kick but Ruzic is out of range and Liddel settles back down.
Liddel fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Ruzic moves out of range of the body kick from Liddel.
Liddel takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Ruzic checks a leg kick.
Ruzic on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Liddel. Liddel obviously looking to wear him down.
Ruzic scores with a three punch combo!
Ruzic dives in and grabs Liddel's left leg, looking for a takedown. Liddel pushes down on Ruzic's head and hops out.
Ruzic is looking to score with low kicks.
Ruzic scoring well with a low kick there.
Ruzic takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Liddel misses with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Liddel connects with a solid leg kick.

Ruzic closes the distance and clinches.
Ruzic is trying to drag Liddel to the mat but Liddel just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddel prevents a body shot from Ruzic.
Ruzic tries to stall but Liddel uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Liddel lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ruzic backwards.
Ruzic blocks an uppercut.
Ruzic is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Tota Liddel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josip Ruzic.
Liddel swings wildly with an uppercut but Ruzic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Still in the clinch, Ruzic scores with a nice short uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Liddel.
Ruzic working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ruzic is working for takedown but Liddel is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ruzic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Liddel's elbow.
Ruzic lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic scores with a knee to the head.
Ruzic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Liddel misses with some punches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Liddel lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ruzic is working for takedown but Liddel is calmly controlling the position for now.
Liddel throws a head punch that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liddel lands with a left to the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ruzic as Liddel tries to tie him up.
Liddel can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Ruzic wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ruzic taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Liddel has a couple of punches blocked by Ruzic.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ruzic throws a punch but it's blocked by Liddel.
Liddel misses with a body punch.
Ruzic misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right handed body shot lands from Ruzic.
Ruzic tries to pull guard but Liddel won't allow it.
Liddel scores with a shot to the side of Ruzic's head.

Ruzic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Liddel misses with a body kick.
Liddel is looking to land body kicks.
Ruzic scores with a nice head shot.
Tota Liddel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ruzic keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Liddel.
Liddel throws a big shot that misses.
Ruzic scores with a punch to the head.
Nice body punch from Liddel.
Liddel tries to land a front kick but Ruzic steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Liddel.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruzic steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Liddel. That one must have hurt.
Ruzic blocks a leg kick.
Ruzic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ruzic lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Liddel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Liddel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tota Liddel is winning the standup battle so far.
Ruzic is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Liddel.
Ruzic throws a wild body kick that Liddel sees coming a mile off.
Liddel misses with an attempted mid kick.
Liddel tries to bum rush Ruzic with a series of wild strikes but Ruzic uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Some bone on bone action there as Ruzic checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Liddel throws a head kick that misses.
Liddel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Liddel misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tota Liddel will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Liddel attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ruzic tests Liddel's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ruzic missing with a left hand there. Liddel was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Liddel blocks a leg kick.
Ruzic scores with a spinning back kick!
Ruzic throws a low kick but Liddel avoids it.
Ruzic throws a shot to the body.
Ruzic throws a jab but it's blocked by Liddel.
Liddel misses with a leg kick.
Liddel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Liddel tries a head kick but it misses.
Good leg kick by Ruzic there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Liddel slaps away a takedown attempt from Ruzic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Liddel throws out a leg kick but Ruzic moves out of range and Liddel only half commits.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruzic just misses with a punch to the body.
Liddel throws a wild body kick that Ruzic sees coming a mile off.
Ruzic throws the left hand but Liddel avoids the punch easily.
Ruzic takes a swing at Liddel's ribcage but misses.
Liddel walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ruzic wants to clinch.
Ruzic connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ruzic ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Liddel looks to land a body kick but Ruzic moved away.
Liddel misses with a hook. Ruzic ducked under it nicely.
Ruzic misses with a kick to the body.
Liddel takes one on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruzic is looking to land body kicks.
Ruzic has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Liddel.
Jab from Liddel.
Liddel is looking to score with low kicks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Liddel with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sloppy strikes from Ruzic. Those never looked like landing.
Ruzic takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Liddel cracks a nice hook into Ruzic's ribs.
Ruzic finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Ruzic rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Liddel counters with a slapping leg kick.
Liddel listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Ruzic staying out of range there.
Ruzic avoids the body shot from Liddel.
Ruzic misses with an uppercut
and Liddel makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Ruzic really felt that one!
Liddel lands with a nice body punch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Liddel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddel delivers a nice body kick.
Ruzic chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Liddel can pounce on him.
Liddel looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Liddel delivers a nice body kick.
Liddel plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
An inside leg kick from Liddel misses.
Liddel with a hook.
A jab from Liddel does it's job there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Liddel.
Ruzic stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Liddel.
Ruzic has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Ruzic there as he acknowledges the shot.
Liddel throws a push kick but Ruzic slaps the foot to one side.
Liddel throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Liddel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddel lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ruzic thows a body shot but no joy.
Ruzic moves out of range as Liddel throws a body kick.
Ruzic looks to score with a jab to the body but Liddel is just out of range.
Liddel throws a right hand that Ruzic ducks under and follows up with a left that Ruzic also avoids with ease.
Ruzic on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ruzic shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Liddel.
Liddel fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Ruzic on the side of the head.
Ruzic throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruzic is looking to score with low kicks.
Ruzic tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Liddel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Liddel looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Ruzic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tota Liddel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Liddel 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tota Liddel!
A relieved looking Tota Liddel thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.