PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Titing Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rymarob Joaquin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rush
vs
Joaquin

165 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Titing Rush!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rymarob Joaquin!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rush fails with the takedown

and Joaquin counters with a single leg into guard. Rush didn't expect that.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Joaquin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Joaquin trying to control the position from guard on top but Rush is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joaquin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rush avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Joaquin controls from within his opponent's guard.

Joaquin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Rush misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joaquin tries to clinch but Rush moves out of range.
A shot to the liver by Rush. Beautiful body shot.
Rush misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rush with a lazy takedown attempt

and Joaquin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rush's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Titing Rush. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Joaquin trying to control but Rush is working from the bottom.
Joaquin preventing the sweep.
Joaquin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rush is keeping the position for now.
Joaquin throws a big right hand that misses.
Joaquin stands and throws Rush's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Rush tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Joaquin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Joaquin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rush to his feet.
Rush is breathing heavily.
Joaquin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Joaquin wants it to stay on the feet.
Joaquin tries to close the distance and clinch but Rush swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Joaquin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Joaquin lands in his opponent's guard.
Joaquin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joaquin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Joaquin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rush keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin uses his free foot to push down on Rush's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rush.
Rush might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rush is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Rush avoids a series of strikes thrown by Joaquin.
Joaquin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Joaquin has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rush's face.
Joaquin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Joaquin looking to finish with strikes here!
Joaquin punching from mount but Rush doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin looking to control and managing it successfully.
Joaquin throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rush because Joaquin loaded up on that one.
Joaquin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Joaquin takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rymarob Joaquin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Joaquin scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Joaquin content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rush knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Joaquin on the ground.
Rush wants to control but Joaquin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rush won't allow Joaquin to pass to mount.
Rush regains full guard. Nicely done.
Joaquin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Joaquin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Joaquin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joaquin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Well, if Joaquin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Joaquin thows a huge punch but Rush dodges it nicely.

Joaquin escapes and gets back to his feet.
Rush lands a slapping body shot.
Rush tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Joaquin has a takedown stuffed.
Joaquin stuffs the takedown attempt from Rush. Rush gets slowly back to his feet.
Joaquin shoots in for a takedown but Rush shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Joaquin throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rush was covering up waiting for the punch and Joaquin finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rush can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Joaquin controls the pace.
This has been an exciting period of action!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin pushing down on Rush's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Joaquin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rymarob Joaquin hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Joaquin fails with an attempt to clinch.

Rush gets caught napping as Joaquin dives in and scores a takedown. Rush manages to retain guard.
Joaquin trying to control the position from guard on top but Rush is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rush avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin is pushing down on Rush's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rush is fighting to maintain full guard but Joaquin has managed to sneak the leg through.
Joaquin is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Joaquin throwing shots but Rush is blocking nicely.
Joaquin content to control rather than advance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rymarob Joaquin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Joaquin is looking to clinch.
Joaquin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rush shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Joaquin as he jumps to the side.
Joaquin doesn't manage to clinch there - Rush circles away.
Joaquin shoots in looking for a takedown but Rush manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Joaquin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rush tries to close the distance and clinch but Joaquin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Joaquin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rush.
Joaquin blocks a head kick by Rush.
Rush tries to close the distance and clinch but Joaquin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rush misses with a kick to the body.

Joaquin shoots in and gets a takedown into Rush's guard.
Joaquin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Joaquin remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An elbow from Joaquin crashes against the mat.
A lull in the action here.

Joaquin looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Joaquin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush is trying to control Joaquin's posture but Joaquin avoids it.

Joaquin decides to stand back up.

Joaquin shoots in and bounces Rush off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Joaquin engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
This has been an exciting period of action!

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rush.

Joaquin drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rush is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Joaquin is stalling in the full guard.

Joaquin drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Joaquin seems to have locked his on tight now - Rush screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Joaquin, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Rymarob Joaquin!