PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Boicov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rutten
vs
Boicov

185 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
23
251 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bas Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Boicov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boicov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rutten moves in looking to clinch but Boicov pushes him off.
Boicov closes the distance and clinches up with Rutten, looking for a takedown. Boicov pushes Rutten against the ropes but Rutten circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Boicov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rutten as he avoids it easily.
Bas Rutten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Boicov.
Boicov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Boicov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rutten sprawls well. Rutten wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Boicov gets slowly back to his feet.

Boicov drives through with a takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Boicov looks gassed!
Boicov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rutten works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Rutten looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rutten looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutten, not yet.

Rutten looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boicov is looking to work some ground and pound but Rutten has wrist control.
Boicov is looking to work some ground and pound but Rutten has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boicov won't allow Rutten to get back to his feet.
Rutten trying to keep a closed guard but Boicov is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Boicov lands a couple of elbows.
Boicov won't allow Rutten to sweep him here.
Boicov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Boicov throwing strikes from guard but Rutten blocks nicely.
Rutten avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rutten preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Boicov stands up over Rutten, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Boicov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rutten looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutten, not yet.
Boicov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boicov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Boicov postures up in Rutten's guard and throws a big left but Rutten blocks it.
Boicov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boicov stands up over Rutten, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Boicov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Boicov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boicov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Boicov postures up and lands a big shot to Rutten's brow.
Rutten looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutten, not yet.
Boicov postures up in Rutten's guard and throws a big left but Rutten blocks it.
Boicov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Boicov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rutten looking for a sweep. Not yet Rutten, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boicov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boicov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Boicov working some strikes from top position.
Boicov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Boicov distracts Rutten with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Boicov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Boicov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boicov throws an elbow that misses. Rutten uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Boicov's guard. Nice move by Rutten!

Boicov looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rutten passes into half guard.

Boicov with the active half guard here but Rutten passes nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boicov manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Boicov wants to get back to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boicov is refusing to be controlled, as Rutten sits in half guard.

Boicov looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Boicov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rutten passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Boicov dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rutten tries to clinch up but Boicov circles away and keeps his distance.

Rutten shoots in and bounces Boicov off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rutten accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Boicov throws his legs up looking for a submission but Rutten uses it to pass to side control.
Rutten trying to control the position but Boicov is working away.
Rutten postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Boicov tries to buck Rutten off but Rutten is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Boicov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Boicov tries to improve position but can't.
Rutten tries to stand but Boicov is controlling his head.
Rutten trying to control the action but Boicov is working from the bottom.
Boicov tries to bench press Rutten off him but Rutten keeps the position.
Boicov should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rutten throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Rutten wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Boicov, who protects the arm well.
Boicov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boicov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rutten pulls his head out easily.
Rutten thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Boicov looking for submissions off his back.

Boicov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Boicov tries to get to full guard but Rutten has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rutten is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rutten is looking to take a break and control but Boicov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boicov is looking for a sweep. Rutten is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Boicov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rutten pulls his head out easily.
Rutten wants to stand up but Boicov has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ivan Boicov has got the better of the ground game so far.

Boicov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rutten pulls his head out easily.

Boicov looking for submissions off his back.

Boicov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rutten wants to take a breather but Boicov is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Boicov looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Rutten is trying to work for a kimura but Boicov is defending well.
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 Bas Rutten will probably get the nod.
That's time! Rutten's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Boicov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rutten pinned against the ropes. Rutten gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rutten tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rutten tries to clinch but Boicov moves out of range.
Boicov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rutten's waist but Rutten gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Boicov off to one side.
Rutten misses with a head kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rutten.
Boicov fails with a takedown attempt.
Bas Rutten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Boicov.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A good leg kick by Rutten.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rutten clinches up against the ropes.
Rutten looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Boicov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rutten prevents it.

Rutten escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rutten works over Boicov's head and body with a nice combination.
Rutten fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Boicov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rutten tries to clinch there but Boicov circles away.

Rutten shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Boicov actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boicov looking for submissions off his back.
Boicov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Boicov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rutten pulls his head out easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Boicov regains full guard. Nicely done.

Boicov had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rutten defends it easily.

Boicov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rutten is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Boicov is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rutten defends well.

Boicov has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rutten is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Boicov.
Boicov is looking for a sweep.
Rutten is looking to take a break and control but Boicov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rutten thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rutten trying to control the position but Boicov is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boicov gets back to half guard.
Boicov moves into full guard.

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

Boicov had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rutten defends it easily.

Boicov had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rutten defends it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Boicov looking for subs off his back but Rutten has passed one foot through into half guard.

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 Bas Rutten.
I think Rutten 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Ivan Boicov!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Ivan Boicov!
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Ivan Boicov!

Ivan Boicov wins by unanimous decision!