PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danny Troy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Rutten
vs
Troy

166 cm
22
139 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

171 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Danny Troy!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Steven Brown and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rutten misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rutten takes one on the button.

It looks like Joe Rutten has been cut.
Troy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rutten swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rutten clinches.
Rutten has had enough of the clinch but Troy keeps him there for the moment.

Troy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Troy looks to clinch

and Rutten counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Troy is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rutten lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Troy backwards.
Troy working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Troy landing knees to the body.
Rutten unloads a knee to the mid-section. Troy lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Troy wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rutten landing knees to the body.
Rutten misses with a knee to the head.
Troy has had enough of the clinch but Rutten keeps him there for the moment.
Rutten lands with a light punch inside.
Rutten wants to get back to striking at distance but Troy won't allow it.
Rutten working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Rutten jumps guard.

Rutten pushes Troy off and scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rutten lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Rutten avoids a punch combination nicely.
Troy tries to clinch but Rutten moves away

and Rutten counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Troy pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Troy avoids a wild elbow strike from Rutten.
Troy lands a body shot in the clinch.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Troy is looking to clinch.
Troy wants to clinch but Rutten slips to the side

and Rutten moves into the clinch.
Troy comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Troy lands a shoulder strike.
A nice left hand lands by Rutten.
Rutten tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Troy dodges an elbow strike from Rutten.
A knee to the head by Troy.
Rutten is breathing heavily.
Troy is trying to break free.
Troy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rutten lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rutten fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Troy lands an elbow just above Rutten 's eye.
Troy can't break the clinch.
Troy with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Troy lands a left hand.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rutten has had enough of the clinch but Troy keeps him there for the moment.
Troy misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rutten.
Troy with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Troy lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Troy lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troy is trying to break the clinch but Rutten has him pressed against the cage.
Troy comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Troy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Troy clinches up with Rutten and pushes him back against the cage.
Rutten working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Troy wants to break free but Rutten has control.
Rutten wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Troy has him pressed against the cage.
Troy scores with a knee to the head.
Troy digs a right hand underneath Rutten's ribcage. Rutten let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rutten wants to break the clinch but can't.
Troy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rutten prevents Troy from breaking the clinch.
A short right from Troy on the inside.
Troy lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Troy lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Troy is looking to break free of the clinch but Rutten has double underhooks.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but Rutten blocks with his arms.
Troy is leaning against Rutten and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Troy scores with a knee to the head.
Troy lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Troy lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rutten trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troy landing knees to the body.
Troy wants to break free but Rutten has control.
Rutten prevents Troy from breaking the clinch.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but Rutten blocks with his arms.
Rutten takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rutten misses with a knee to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rutten just misses with a elbow thrown towards Troy's brow.
Troy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rutten lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Troy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Troy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rutten keeps control of Troy as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Troy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A knee to the head by Rutten.
Rutten wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rutten tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Troy just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Troy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Troy tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rutten moves into the clinch.
Troy wants to break free but Rutten has control.
Rutten tries to break the clinch but Troy is controlling the position.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but Rutten blocks with his arms.
Troy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Troy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rutten throws a big shot that misses.
Troy moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Troy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rutten swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rutten tries to clinch but Troy is having none of it.
Troy cracks Rutten with a right hand to the side of the head.
Troy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Troy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Troy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Troy - that will leave a mark!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Troy lands a jab to Rutten's midsection.

Troy gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Troy misses with a short punch on the inside.
Troy lands with a left to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Troy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Rutten's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice body kick there by Rutten.
Joe Rutten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch but Troy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rutten moves in looking to clinch but Troy pushes him off.
Troy jabs Rutten right on the nose. Rutten blinks but takes it well.
Rutten lands a front kick.
Troy misses with a body kick.
Troy lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Rutten gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rutten wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rutten scores a nice knee to the body.
Troy tries to break the clinch but Rutten is controlling the position.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Troy wants to clinch but Rutten slips to the side
and Rutten makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Troy really felt that one!
Troy tries to clinch

and Rutten counters by moving into the clinch.
Troy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rutten lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Troy can't break the clinch.
Rutten jumps guard but Troy stands there with Rutten around his waist. Rutten gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Troy is trying to break the clinch but Rutten has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troy lands with a short shot to the head.
Rutten lands a hook to the side of the head.
Troy landing knees to the head.
Rutten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Troy makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rutten lands an elbow that stopped Troy in his tracks for a moment.
Troy gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Troy is looking to break free of the clinch but Rutten has double underhooks.
Rutten tries to land a knee to the head but Troy blocks with his arms.
Troy can't break the clinch.
Troy scores with a shot to the side of Rutten's head.

Troy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Troy moves in looking to clinch but Rutten pushes him off.
Troy wants to clinch

and Rutten counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rutten.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rutten won't allow Troy to get back to his feet.
Rutten is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Troy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rutten stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Troy closes the distance and pushes Rutten back into the cage.
Troy is looking to break free of the clinch but Rutten has double underhooks.
Troy working aggressively here.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Troy swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Troy is looking to break free of the clinch but Rutten has double underhooks.
Rutten with a knee to the head.
Rutten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rutten wants a takedown but no success here.
Troy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Troy can't break the clinch.
Troy lands a shoulder strike.
Rutten doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rutten.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutten misses with a knee to the head.
Troy lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Troy trying to land knees to the body.
Rutten lands with a right to the head.
Rutten is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Troy lands a left hand.
Rutten wants to get back to striking at distance but Troy won't allow it.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Troy creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rutten tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Troy has had enough of the clinch but Rutten keeps him there for the moment.
Rutten has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Troy is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rutten keeps control of Troy as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Danny Troy seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rutten using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Troy gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Troy landing knees to the head.
Troy is pressed up against the cage. Rutten has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Troy down to the mat. Troy avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Troy throws a combination that misses

and Rutten counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rutten.
Troy wants to break free but Rutten has control.
Troy managing to block the knees to the body from Rutten.
Rutten keeps control of Troy as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rutten looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Troy landing knees to the body.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but Rutten blocks with his arms.
Rutten avoiding damage as Troy throws knees to the body.
Rutten has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Troy is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Troy is trying to break the clinch but Rutten has him pressed against the cage.
Troy scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troy prevents a takedown attempt there.
Troy lands a nice knee to the body.
Troy lands an elbow that stopped Rutten in his tracks for a moment.
Rutten doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Troy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Troy looks to clinch
and Rutten counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Troy swats away the attempt to clinch by Rutten.
Rutten tries to clinch but Troy is having none of it.
Rutten circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rutten counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rutten dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joe Rutten's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Troy throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rutten.
Troy tries to clinch but Rutten moves out of range.
Troy lands with a nice combination. Rutten backs away looking to recover.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch up but Troy swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rutten throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Troy.

Rutten clinches up with Troy and pushes him back against the cage.
Rutten is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Troy gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Troy throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Troy takes an elbow to the forehead.
Troy is trying to break free.
Troy is trying to break free.
Rutten lands an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Troy.
Rutten misses with an elbow strike.
Troy lands an elbow inside.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Troy lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rutten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Troy lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Troy lands a damaging elbow.
Troy with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Troy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but Rutten blocks with his arms.
Troy keeps control of Rutten as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rutten wants to break free but Troy has control.
A hook to the body from Troy.
Troy lands a right hand.
Troy lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.

Troy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rutten keeps the fight on the outside.
Troy tries to clinch but Rutten moves away

and Rutten counters with a takedown into side control.
Rutten advances to full mount.
Troy takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rutten is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rutten misses with a head shot.
Troy regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rutten thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Troy's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rutten wants to work for an arm triangle but Troy is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Rutten stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Troy to get to his feet.
Troy tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rutten holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Troy managing to block the knees to the body from Rutten.

Troy breaks from the clinch.

Troy moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Troy throws an elbow but misses.
Troy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rutten has him pressed against the cage.
Rutten landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rutten struggles to land a body shot inside as Troy controls his hands.
Rutten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troy lands an elbow just above Rutten 's eye.
Troy lands a damaging elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troy blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Troy.
Troy working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Troy is trying to break the clinch but Rutten has him pressed against the cage.
Rutten misses with a knee to the head.
A short uppercut from Troy.
A nice left hand lands by Troy.
Rutten has had enough of the clinch but Troy keeps him there for the moment.
Rutten misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Troy.
Rutten can't find room to land a body shot as Troy controls the action.
Troy avoids a wild elbow strike from Rutten.
Troy lands with a short shot to the head.

Troy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Troy tries to clinch
and Rutten counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A nice leg kick lands there from Troy.

Rutten moves into the clinch.
Rutten takes a shot to the head.
Rutten goes for a takedown in the clinch but Troy prevents it.
Troy tries to break the clinch but Rutten is controlling the position.
Troy lands an elbow that stopped Rutten in his tracks for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Troy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rutten lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Troy makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rutten tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rutten misses with an elbow strike.
Troy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Troy lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Rutten breaks the clinch.

Rutten scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rutten missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Rutten decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Rutten stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Troy.
Troy moves away from the strike by Rutten.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Troy is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Troy is looking to clinch but Rutten is avoiding it.
Troy closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rutten holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rutten clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Rutten's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Rutten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A big right from Rutten misses.

Rutten moves into the clinch.
Rutten looking for a takedown.
Troy lands a nice elbow.
Troy with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Troy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Troy uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rutten.

Rutten clinches up against the cage.
Rutten looking to throw knees to the head but Troy is blocking nicely.
A short uppercut from Troy.
Troy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rutten is trying to break the clinch but Troy has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Troy lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Troy lands a nice shot to the body.
Troy lands an elbow inside that Rutten shrugs off.
A nice left hand lands by Troy.
Troy tries to land a knee to the head but Rutten blocks with his arms.

Troy manages to break the clinch.
Rutten fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Rutten looks to land a right hand but Troy moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten swats away the attempt to clinch by Troy.
Troy lands with a slapping head kick.
Troy wants to clinch.
Rutten changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Troy tries to avoid it but Rutten manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Troy to the ground. Troy escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Rutten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Troy clinches but Rutten breaks the clinch

and Rutten holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Troy lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.
Troy can't break the clinch.
Troy avoiding damage as Rutten throws knees to the body.
Troy gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rutten takes an elbow to the forehead.
Troy landing knees to the body.
Troy wants to break free but Rutten has control.
Troy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rutten has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rutten can't break the clinch.

Troy manages to break the clinch.
Troy tries a head kick but it misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Troy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rutten circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rutten waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Troy.
Troy tries to close the distance and clinch but Rutten swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Danny Troy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rutten throws a jab when Troy was well out of range.
Troy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rutten swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rutten looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Troy tries to clinch but Rutten is having none of it.
Rutten tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Troy was well out of range. Poor timing from Rutten.
Rutten looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troy throws a series of strikes that have Rutten backpedaling.
Troy tries a head kick but it misses.
Troy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Troy is looking to clinch but Rutten is avoiding it.
Rutten scores with a spinning back kick!
Troy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Troy circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rutten moves into the clinch.
Troy landing knees to the head.

Rutten breaks the clinch.
Troy tries to clinch up

and Rutten moves into the clinch.
Troy avoids a wild elbow strike from Rutten.
Rutten with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten tries to land knees in the clinch but Troy avoids the damage to the body.
Rutten takes an elbow to the forehead.
Troy working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Troy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rutten wants to clinch.
A head kick from Troy lands but Rutten takes it in his stride.
Troy is looking to clinch but Rutten is avoiding it.
Troy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rutten paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rutten drives through and clinches with Troy against the cage.
Rutten using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Troy has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Troy can't break the clinch.

Rutten breaks from the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Troy wants to clinch

and Rutten counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rutten.
Danny Troy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Rutten is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A short left from Troy.
Troy comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

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 Joe 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 4 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 39:37
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 38:38
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 39:37

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Joe Rutten!