PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stanko Sablich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rutten's entrance music is Pride. A fine choice. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Rutten
vs
Sablich

185 cm
20
214 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

190 cm
27
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bas Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Stanko Sablich!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rutten drives through and clinches with Sablich against the cage.
Rutten working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rutten scores with a shoulder strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rutten creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rutten lands a left hand.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rutten rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sablich moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sablich misses with a head kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rutten!
Sablich lands a head kick!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rutten shoots for a double leg takedown but Sablich sprawls well. He's pushed Rutten's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sablich tries to clinch up.
Sablich pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sablich tries to clinch
and Rutten counters with a stiff right hand.

Sablich gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rutten wants to control from the top but Sablich keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sablich is looking to stand up but Rutten isn't so interested in that idea.

Rutten is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Rutten thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rutten postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sablich keeping moving, preventing Rutten from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rutten trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sablich not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rutten sitting in guard, not really doing much.

We're going to have a standup here because Bas Rutten wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Sablich tries to clinch but Rutten is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutten throws a series of punches but Sablich avoids them all with ease.
Sablich tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rutten shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A head kick misses from Sablich.
Sablich 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 Sablich off to one side.
Rutten fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bas Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rutten tries to land knees in the clinch but Sablich avoids the damage to the body.
Rutten looking for a takedown.
Rutten tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Rutten escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sablich tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rutten swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sablich wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Sablich misses with a low kick.
Sablich misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sablich slips a jab and a cross from Rutten.
Sablich is looking to clinch.
Rutten swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rutten swats away the attempt to clinch by Sablich.
Sablich tries to clinch but Rutten moves out of range.
Rutten misses with a head kick.
Sablich throws a head kick that misses

and Rutten holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The referee calls for Rutten to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rutten lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sablich backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rutten.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bas Rutten dominated that round.
That's time! Rutten's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

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

Rutten goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Sablich rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rutten's guard! Nice work there by Sablich!
Sablich wants to stand but Rutten has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rutten controlling the position.
Sablich trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sablich trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rutten's guard.
Sablich trying to control the position from guard on top but Rutten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sablich looking to sit in guard and control but Rutten gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten trying to control but Sablich is working from the bottom.
Rutten has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Rutten stands up from Sablich's guard - Rutten perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rutten stuffs the takedown.
Sablich fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sablich.
Bas Rutten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stanko Sablich.
Sablich is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sablich tries to clinch but Rutten is having none of it.
Rutten lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rutten.
Sablich is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rutten closes the distance and clinches up with Sablich, looking for a takedown. Rutten pushes Sablich against the cage but Sablich circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sablich closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rutten circles away.
Sablich throws a head kick that misses.
A left and a right from Rutten both land. Nice combination.
Sablich shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bas Rutten is winning the standup battle so far.
Sablich on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rutten. Rutten obviously looking to wear him down.
Sablich tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rutten counters with a crisp one two that drops Sablich! Rutten thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Sablich to his feet! Sablich is in big trouble!

Sablich is rocked!
Rutten feints and then cracks Sablich's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sablich down.
Sablich is still on wobbly legs! Can Rutten finish him?

Rutten rushes Sablich and presses him up against the cage.
Rutten makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rutten scores with a knee to the head.

Rutten breaks the clinch.

Rutten has Sablich up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rutten pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sablich is trying desperately to land a takedown but Rutten is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Sablich.

Rutten has managed to clinch.
Sablich seems to have recovered his senses.
Rutten scores with a shoulder strike.
Rutten is looking to take this one to the mat.
Rutten using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sablich has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rutten lands a right hand.
Come on Rutten - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rutten.

Rutten escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rutten swats away the attempt to clinch by Sablich.
Sablich gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rutten counters with a three punch combo that has Sablich backing up. Sablich nods at Rutten to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rutten misses with a wild body shot.
Sablich misses with a head kick.
Rutten uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sablich.
Rutten lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sablich's sensitive parts.

Rutten forces Sablich back against the cage and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sablich backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rutten.
Rutten lands with a short shot to the head.
Rutten is looking for a takedown.
Rutten leaning his opponent against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A hook to the body from Rutten.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bas Rutten dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Sablich misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sablich tries to clinch up but Rutten circles away and keeps his distance.

Rutten pushes Sablich up against the cage in a clinch.
Sablich takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rutten tries to land a knee to the head but Sablich blocks with his arms.
Sablich using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rutten has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sablich is looking to break free of the clinch but Rutten has double underhooks.
Rutten lands a body punch.
Rutten keeps control of Sablich as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rutten lands an elbow that stopped Sablich in his tracks for a moment.
Rutten lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Rutten escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rutten has Sablich up against the cage in a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Rutten.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sablich is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rutten landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rutten lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rutten effectively controlling the action here.
Rutten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sablich working hard to break the clinch.
Rutten manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten wants a takedown.
Rutten tries to land a knee to the head but Sablich blocks with his arms.

Rutten breaks the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Rutten.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sablich.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sablich throws a head kick that misses.
Stanko Sablich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sablich is looking to land body kicks.
Rutten fails to land with a series of punches.
A head kick misses from Sablich.
Sablich tries to clinch up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sablich.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutten misses with a head kick.
Sablich misses the jab.
Sablich has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sablich showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rutten.
Sablich doesn't manage to clinch there - Rutten circles away.
Bas Rutten is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rutten lands a high kick!
Rutten bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sablich tries to clinch up.
Sablich tries to clinch up but Rutten circles away and keeps his distance.
Sablich tries a head kick but it misses.
Rutten throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sablich on the side of the head.
Sablich shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rutten pinned against the cage. Rutten gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rutten scores with a one two! Sablich had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sablich tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rutten sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sablich somewhat.
Bas Rutten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stanko Sablich.

Rutten decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rutten missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rutten with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Sablich avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rutten.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sablich blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rutten.

Rutten seems to be looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bas Rutten showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rutten has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bas Rutten!
Bas Rutten decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.