PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Juliano Hafele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hafele comes into the arena with Charlie Brown Jr. - No passo a passo blaring out of the sound system. The key to victory for Juliano Hafele has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hafele
vs
Rua

182 cm
18
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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TechNutri - HIGHEST quality with LOWEST price.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Juliano Hafele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Leandro Rodrigues and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hafele swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Hafele shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Hafele is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.

Hafele shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rua is trying to defend but Hafele finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Hafele is trying to control the action in half guard but Rua is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Hafele seems to be working for a kimura but Rua defends the submission attempt.

Rua kicks Hafele off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Hafele.
Hafele tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rua swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juliano Hafele. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua takes one to the side of the head.
Rua takes one to the chin there.
Hafele moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Hafele gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rua moves into the clinch.

Hafele decides to pull guard.

Rua decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from Hafele. Hafele gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hafele is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hafele circles away.
Rua looks gassed!
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hafele shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rua defends it nicely.
Hafele tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Rua. No joy for Hafele on that attempt.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hafele fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Horrible takedown by Hafele or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.
Hafele takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Rua drives through and clinches with Hafele against the cage.
Rua tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hafele can't get the takedown.
Hafele blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Rua works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Rua got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hafele has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rua has managed to get both his arms back between Hafele's legs - danger averted.
Hafele looking for a sweep. Not yet Hafele, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hafele throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hafele wants to control but Rua passes easily into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua decides to return to a standing position.
Hafele shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hafele lands a two punch combo.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hafele scores with a jab to the body.
Hafele throws a combination. Rua tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Juliano Hafele will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hafele shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rua as he jumps to the side.
Hafele tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily

and Rua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Hafele is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Hafele goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rua prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juliano Hafele. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rua pulls guard successfully.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but Hafele is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Rua pushes Hafele off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hafele closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Nice sprawl there from Rua as Hafele shoots in.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hafele swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hafele bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A left and a right from Hafele both land. Nice combination.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Hafele swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice shot by Hafele.
Rua scores with a jab to the jaw.

Rua has closed the distance and engaged Hafele in a clinch.
Rua has Hafele pressed against the cage, preventing Hafele from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hafele is pressed up against the cage. Rua has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hafele down to the mat. Hafele avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Rua has Hafele up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua prevents the takedown attempt.
Rua will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hafele up against the cage.

Rua manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hafele preventing the sweep.
Hafele wanted to stand there but Rua had control of the position.

Rua is looking for a triangle but Hafele pushes his legs off easily.
Hafele trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.
Hafele has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hafele working some strikes from top position.
Rua is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hafele works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hafele wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.
Hafele wants to pass to mount but Rua is defending the position.
Hafele seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rua does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Rua 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!

Nice takedown defense from Rua. No joy for Hafele on that attempt.
Hafele lands with a hook. Rua tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Hafele throws out a powerful jab.
Hafele tries to clinch up.
Hafele swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Hafele tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hafele striking off his back but it's not causing Rua any problems.
Hafele working a defensive guard here.
Rua trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hafele's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hafele wants to sweep but no luck.
Hafele is working hard here to advance position.
Rua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hafele swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hafele is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.

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

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hafele tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Hafele throws a one two combo.

It looks like Antonio Rua has been cut.
Hafele looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rua is fending him off so far but Hafele persists. Nope, Rua circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juliano Hafele. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hafele tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hafele shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rua as he avoids it easily.

Hafele gets a takedown into half guard.
Hafele works his way into full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Hafele tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Hafele lands a big elbow.

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.

Hafele has control of Rua's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rua regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Hafele gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juliano Hafele showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hafele 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!