PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Ruth (ranked 2388 p4p, 289 weight class) and Jonas Justesen (ranked 3301 p4p, 376 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ruth
vs
Justesen

178 cm
27
195 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

183 cm
25
189 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Ruth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jonas Justesen!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Justesen slips a straight right by Ruth.
Justesen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ruth connects with a jab.
Ruth throws a right hand that misses

and Justesen counters with a takedown into side control.
Ruth is looking to regain half guard here but Justesen keeps moving and retains side control.
Ruth is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruth manages to get back to half guard.
Justesen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ruth defending well though.
Ruth on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Justesen lands strikes from half guard.
Ruth tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Justesen has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ruth is trying desperately to improve position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Justesen lands a couple of good shots and Ruth has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Ruth is trying to break free.
Justesen lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Ruth hold on?!
Ruth grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Justesen lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Justesen gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Justesen lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Ruth turns into Justesen and is now in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruth throws a big right hand that misses.
Ruth postures up.
Ruth keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Justesen's head.
Justesen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Justesen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Justesen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Justesen holds on and takes a little breather.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Justesen is on top in guard.

Ruth working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Justesen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Justesen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ruth wants to improve his position but instead Justesen has moved into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Justesen drops an elbow to the side of Ruth's head.
Ruth keeping control of the position.
Ruth wants to control the action here but instead Justesen manages to pass to full mount!
Justesen with good strikes from the mount here!
Justesen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Justesen with the ground and pound from mount.
Ruth is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Justesen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Ruth can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
BOOM! Justesen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Justesen avoids the attempt from Ruth to control.
Ruth tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Justesen lands a big elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruth is looking to improve his position but Justesen isn't that keen on the idea.
Ruth in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Justesen landing strikes, looking to finish!
Ruth slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ruth is refusing to be controlled, as Justesen sits in half guard.
Ruth wants to get back to full guard but Justesen has mounted him!
Ruth tries to hold on but Justesen postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonas Justesen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Justesen takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ruth shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Justesen pinned against the cage. Justesen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Justesen has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Nice straight punches there by Ruth. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ruth.

Justesen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ruth manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruth looking for a sweep. Not yet Ruth, not yet.
Jonas Justesen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Justesen cracks Ruth with a solid left hand.
Ruth is trying to control the position but Justesen postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruth 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.
Justesen tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruth is retaining full guard.
Justesen landing with the ground and pound.
Justesen chips away with some ground and pound.
Ruth looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Justesen trying to control but Ruth is working from the bottom.
Ruth bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Justesen's guard.

Justesen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Justesen looking for a sweep. Not yet Justesen, not yet.
Ruth scoring with some ground and pound.
Ruth working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justesen keeping moving, preventing Ruth from controlling successfully.
Justesen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Ruth with a flurry of punches that miss.
Justesen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ruth is one step ahead there.
Justesen pulls Ruth in close to prevent any damage.
Ruth trying to control the position from guard on top but Justesen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Justesen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Justesen keeping moving, preventing Ruth from controlling successfully.
Ruth pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Justesen is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruth stopping the sweep attempt from Justesen.
Justesen working a defensive guard here.
Justesen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ruth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Justesen has control of Ruth's left arm, preventing Ruth from doing any damage.
Ruth won't allow Justesen to sweep him here.
Justesen controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Justesen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Justesen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Ruth throws out a loose jab but Justesen uses good head movement to avoid it.
And Justesen tries to counter it with a takedown but Ruth pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Ruth throws a right hand that misses
and Justesen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Justesen drives through with a takedown into Ruth's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruth bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Justesen's guard.

Ruth is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ruth postures up and lands a big shot to Justesen's brow.
Justesen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Justesen wants to sweep here but Ruth controlling him for the moment.
Justesen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ruth is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruth throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Justesen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Justesen looking to control.
Ruth in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Justesen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruth makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Ruth 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. This is the final round!

This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Justesen.
Ruth is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Justesen.
Justesen throws a hook to the side of Ruth's head but Ruth sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Justesen has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Justesen there as he acknowledges the shot.

Ruth gets caught napping as Justesen dives in and scores a takedown. Ruth manages to retain guard.
Ruth lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ruth throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Justesen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Justesen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ruth is one step ahead there.
Ruth connects with a couple of short punches.
Justesen is trying to control the position but Ruth postures up.
Justesen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ruth tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Justesen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Justesen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ruth 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.
Ruth keeping moving, preventing Justesen from controlling successfully.
Ruth looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Justesen puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ruth is pressing down on Justesen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ruth is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Justesen is trying to maintain the position but Ruth is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justesen desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ruth throwing shots but Justesen is blocking nicely.
Ruth has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ruth lands with a punch from half guard.
Ruth is pressing down on Justesen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Justesen is holding on for now.
Ruth scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ruth not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Justesen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ruth takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Ruth not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Justesen desperately trying to maintain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruth thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Justesen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ruth.
Justesen is holding on to half guard well.
Justesen manages to get to full guard.
Ruth working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Justesen looking to control.
Ruth throws a strike but Justesen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Justesen stands up over Ruth, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Ruth looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ruth avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Justesen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Justesen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Justesen cracks Ruth with a solid left hand.
Justesen is in close to Ruth's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Ruth looking for a guillotine here but Justesen defends easily.
Ruth wants to hit a switch here but Justesen passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Ruth there!
Justesen unloading with bombs!
Justesen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
A nice elbow there by Justesen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jonas Justesen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Justesen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jonas Justesen!