PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rach Ruch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrew Havener (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andrew Havener has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ruch
vs
Havener

173 cm
23
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

179 cm
25
164 lbs
4 - 3 - 2

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rach Ruch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrew Havener!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruch connects with a good right hand that stumbles Havener. Havener circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ruch rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Havener moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Havener wants to clinch.
Ruch connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Havener momentarily.
Havener moves out of range of the strikes.
Ruch blocks a head kick by Havener.
Ruch throws a right hand that Havener ducks under and follows up with a left that Havener also avoids with ease.
Nice uppercut lands for Ruch. That snapped Havener's head back.
Havener is looking to clinch.
Ruch throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruch throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Havener tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ruch throws a shot from downtown. Havener moves away and avoids it.
Havener tries to close the distance and clinch but Ruch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ruch takes a jab right on the kisser.
Havener tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ruch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ruch misses with a body shot.
Havener fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Havener gets a clinch.
Havener tries to land knees in the clinch but Ruch avoids the damage to the body.
Havener trying to land knees to the body.
Havener with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Havener is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ruch is defending well for now.
With the fighters up against the cage, Havener throws an elbow but misses.
Ruch wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Havener.
Havener is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ruch is defending well for now.
Ruch wants to break free but Havener has control.
Ruch lands a body punch in the clinch.

Havener breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Havener moves in looking to clinch but Ruch pushes him off.
Ruch swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Havener counters by clinching up.
Havener has Ruch pressed against the cage, preventing Ruch from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Havener's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Ruch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sloppy strikes from Ruch. Those never looked like landing.
Havener tries to clinch there but Ruch circles away.
Havener takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Havener fails with an attempt to clinch.

Havener dives in and scores a takedown into Ruch's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Havener wants to control from the top but Ruch keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruch is adopting a defensive guard.
Havener tries to stand but Ruch is controlling from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Andrew Havener.
Havener tries to clinch but Ruch is having none of it.
Havener throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Havener tries to clinch up
and Ruch counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rach Ruch is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Havener wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andrew Havener will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ruch throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Havener misses with a straight right.
Havener shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ruch but Ruch pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Havener tries to clinch
and Ruch counters with a one-two to the body.
Havener avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ruch avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Havener feints and as Ruch raises his hands in defense, Havener changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ruch is looking to stand up but Havener isn't so interested in that idea.
Havener is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ruch controlling Havener's posture.
Havener trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Havener trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ruch's guard.
Ruch is adopting a defensive guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rach Ruch wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Ruch avoids the body shot from Havener.
Nice straight punches there by Ruch. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ruch.
Ruch fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Havener manages to avoid it.
Ruch thuds his right hand into Havener's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Ruch misses with an uppercut. Havener saw that one coming.
Ruch throws a right hand that Havener ducks under and follows up with a left that Havener also avoids with ease.
Havener wants to clinch.
Ruch tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Havener was well out of range. Poor timing from Ruch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruch throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Havener stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rach Ruch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ruch looks to score with a jab to the body but Havener is just out of range.
Ruch dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Havener tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ruch swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ruch thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ruch stalks Havener and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Havener's face. Havener staggers backwards, shaken.
Havener is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Havener tries to clinch but Ruch moves out of range.
Havener fails to land the takedown.
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!
Havener connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ruch. Ruch circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ruch throws a poor cross that misses
and Havener counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Havener steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ruch.
Ruch lands a nice looking body shot.
Ruch misses with a double jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ruch waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Havener.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruch throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruch stuffs the takedown attempt from Havener. Havener gets slowly back to his feet.
Rach Ruch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrew Havener.
Havener tries to clinch up but Ruch circles away and keeps his distance.
Havener moves in looking to clinch but Ruch pushes him off.
Rach Ruch is winning the standup battle so far.
Ruch misses with a wild combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Havener is looking to clinch but Ruch is avoiding it.
Havener throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ruch's waist but Ruch gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Havener off to one side.
Ruch throws a hook to the side of Havener's head but Havener sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The fight stays on the outside here - Havener looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A nice combination there by Ruch.

Havener closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ruch is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Havener misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruch.
Ruch blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ruch misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ruch looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Havener has Ruch pressed against the cage, preventing Ruch from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Havener misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rach Ruch dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Havener tries to clinch but Ruch moves out of range.
Donk. Ruch catches Havener right on the button with a cross.
A slow jab from Ruch misses its intended target.
Ruch misses with a shot to the body
and Havener counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ruch throws a jab but it's blocked by Havener.
Ruch stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ruch wants it to stay on the feet.
Ruch on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Ruch moves away from the strike by Havener.
Ruch misses with a double jab
and Havener counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Ruch thinking.
Havener will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ruch swinging wildly here.
Havener uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ruch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Ruch, as that shot connected.
Ruch on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Havener. Havener obviously looking to wear him down.
Havener fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ruch defending well as Havener loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Havener fails with an attempt to clinch.
Havener wants to clinch up but Ruch keeps it at a distance.
Ruch throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Havener tries to close the distance and clinch but Ruch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sloppy strikes from Ruch. Those never looked like landing.
Havener doesn't manage to clinch there - Ruch circles away.
Ruch missing with a left hand there. Havener was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Havener fails with an attempt to clinch.
Havener throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ruch's waist but Ruch gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Havener off to one side.
Rach Ruch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrew Havener.
Ruch lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Havener circles away quickly and effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ruch connects with a body shot.

Havener clinches up with Ruch and pushes him back against the cage.
Havener scores with a knee to the head.
Havener utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruch working hard to break the clinch.
Ruch can't break the clinch.
Ruch gets through Havener's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Havener tries to pull guard but Ruch forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ruch is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruch lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ruch avoids the elbow strike from Havener, against the cage.
Havener wants to get back to striking at distance but Ruch won't allow it.
Ruch wants to get back to striking at distance but Havener won't allow it.
Havener tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ruch's elbow.
Ruch on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Havener misses with a hook to the ribs.

Ruch breaks from the clinch.
Ruch looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Havener closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ruch counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ruch misses with a combination
and Havener finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruch throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ruch swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Havener to counter with a crisp jab.
Ruch misses with a straight right.
Havener moves in looking to clinch but Ruch pushes him off.

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 Rach Ruch.
I think Ruch 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a draw!