PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jamal Zulu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mauricio Rua could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jamal Zulu's chin.

Rua
vs
Zulu

187 cm
22
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

197 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jamal Zulu!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Rua slips a jab and a cross from Zulu.
Zulu just misses with a punch to the body.
Rua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rua sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Zulu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Zulu.
Zulu takes a swing at Rua's ribcage but misses.
Zulu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Zulu throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.
Rua avoids the body shot from Zulu.
Zulu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Zulu fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Zulu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zulu attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Zulu just misses with a punch to the body.
Zulu tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Zulu throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice defenses there by Rua.
Zulu throws a low kick but Rua avoids it.
Zulu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Zulu.
Zulu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.
Zulu tries to land a front kick but Rua steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rua stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Zulu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Zulu misses its intended target.

Zulu looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zulu pushes down on Rua's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rua is refusing to be controlled, as Zulu sits in half guard.
Zulu trying to control the pace.
Rua throws a strike from the bottom but Zulu passes into side control!
Zulu working the ground and pound.
Zulu looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rua is avoiding damage well.
Rua 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.
Zulu tries to advance to mount but Rua denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zulu throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Zulu wants to control but Rua is keeping him busy.
Zulu throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Zulu trying to control the position but Rua is working away.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zulu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zulu is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rua rather than just go for the knockout.
Zulu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.
Rua tries to clinch but Zulu is having none of it.
Zulu misses with a double jab.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Rua gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua keeping full guard, as Zulu tries to pass.
Zulu would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Zulu from controlling successfully.
Rua tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zulu controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rua is striking but Zulu is not phased and passes to half guard.
Rua is trying to get back to full guard.
Rua is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua takes a body punch but keeps moving.
An inside leg kick from Zulu misses.

Zulu bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rua is pushing Zulu's head away, looking to escape. Zulu manages to hold on to the position though.
Rua is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zulu's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Zulu throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.

Rua is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Zulu pulls his head out easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zulu wants to take a breather but Rua is having none of it.
Rua wants to get back to full guard.
Zulu is thwarting Rua's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Zulu dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rua shoots and misses

and Zulu counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Zulu.
Zulu throwing strikes from guard but Rua blocks nicely.
Zulu throws a big right hand that misses.
Zulu is standing up over Rua. Rua looks to escape but Zulu dives into side control.
Zulu is chipping away with strikes.
The referee asks Zulu politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Zulu prefers to stall for the moment though.
Rua taking a bit of punishment here - Zulu scoring with strikes.
Rua is trying to buck Zulu off.
Rua is working to avoid the ground and pound but Zulu connects with a decent elbow.
Rua takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zulu advances to full mount.
Rua tries to hold on but Zulu postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Zulu controlling from mount.
Rua tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zulu has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rua's face.
Zulu controlling from mount.
Zulu putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zulu pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Zulu's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zulu throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Zulu tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zulu avoids the attempt from Rua to control.
Zulu punishing his opponent with strikes.
Rua working to try and regain half guard.
Zulu unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Zulu gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rua is looking to improve his position but Zulu isn't that keen on the idea.
Zulu putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zulu looking to finish Rua with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rua!
Zulu lands with some strikes.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Zulu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rua. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Zulu landing punches.
Rua tries to hold on but Zulu postures up.
Zulu landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Zulu punching from mount but Rua doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Zulu's attempts to control the action.
Rua can't escape the position.
Zulu throws some wild stikes that Rua manages to avoid easily.
Rua holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Zulu tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Rua is trying desperately to improve position.
Rua sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Rua regains full guard. Nicely done.
Zulu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rua has an active guard here but Zulu has managed to pass into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Zulu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Zulu throws a series of strikes that have Rua backpedaling.
Zulu feints and then cracks Rua's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rua down.

Zulu closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rua to the mat! Rua manages to get full guard.
Zulu controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Zulu wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.
Rua will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Zulu from controlling successfully.
Zulu passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Jamal Zulu has got the better of the ground game so far.

Zulu tries for a kimura but Rua is defending well.
Zulu trying to control the position but Rua is working away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua sneaks back into half guard.
Rua is trying to control but can't.
Rua punching from the bottom.
Zulu passes to full mount!
Rua working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rua is trying to stand up.
Zulu connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Rua flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rua is in all sorts of trouble here.
Zulu lands a big shot there that rocks Rua but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Zulu tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Rua tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zulu can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rua is looking to escape.
Zulu misses with a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua can't escape the position.
Zulu looking to finish Rua with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rua!
Zulu putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zulu throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Rua is looking to improve his position but Zulu isn't that keen on the idea.
Rua is working hard here to advance position.
Zulu is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rua tries to hold on but Zulu pushes him away.
Rua tries to reverse the position but Zulu maintains control.
Zulu in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Zulu landing punches.
Rua is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rua in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Zulu lands a heavy elbow.
Zulu trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rua tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rua sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Zulu is keen to just control but Rua is a slippery customer.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zulu blocks the strikes from Rua.
Rua moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zulu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jamal Zulu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zulu has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 26:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jamal Zulu!