PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between jun tagalog (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

tagalog
vs
Rua

186 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, jun tagalog!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

tagalog darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
tagalog not landing any meaningful shots this time.
tagalog throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.
Rua moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
tagalog won't allow Rua to get back to his feet.
tagalog landing with the ground and pound.
tagalog postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
tagalog won't allow Rua to get back to his feet.
tagalog chips away with some ground and pound.
tagalog content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
tagalog loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
tagalog throws a strike but Rua rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as tagalog holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.

tagalog kicks Rua off and gets to his feet.
Rua tries to clinch up but tagalog circles away and keeps his distance.
tagalog avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but tagalog swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but tagalog pushes him off.
jun tagalog seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

tagalog scores with a takedown into Rua's guard.

Rua has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but tagalog can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rua keeping full guard, as tagalog tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to stand up but tagalog isn't so interested in that idea.
Rua looks gassed!
tagalog thows a big elbow that misses.
tagalog is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
tagalog content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rua is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rua with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing tagalog can't handle though.
tagalog lands a couple of elbows.
Rua working a defensive guard but tagalog manages to pass into side control anyway.
tagalog scores with a couple of short elbows.
Rua takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
tagalog lands an elbow.
tagalog cracks Rua with a big elbow.
Rua taking a bit of punishment here - tagalog scoring with strikes.
tagalog cracks Rua with a big elbow.
tagalog prevents Rua from escaping the position.
tagalog working the ground and pound.
tagalog knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rua on the ground.
tagalog working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
tagalog throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Rua taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rua is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but tagalog has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Rua manages to get back to half guard.
tagalog is nestled in close to Rua, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rua is trying to stand back up but tagalog is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoiding damage under a succession of punches from tagalog.
Rua is trying to stand.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Rua gets caught flat footed, as tagalog shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
tagalog lands a couple of digs.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as tagalog accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
tagalog throws a big right hand that misses.
Rua is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
tagalog trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

tagalog avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
tagalog stops Rua from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

jun tagalog dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rua slaps away a takedown attempt from tagalog, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rua tries to clinch up but tagalog circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but tagalog swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
tagalog circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - tagalog circles away.
tagalog has a takedown stuffed.
tagalog shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rua pinned against the cage. Rua gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for jun tagalog. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua wants to clinch up but tagalog keeps it at a distance.
tagalog changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rua tries to avoid it but tagalog manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rua to the ground. Rua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but tagalog pushes him off.
jun tagalog is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
tagalog swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

tagalog looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rua working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from tagalog.
tagalog has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rua working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from tagalog.
tagalog postures up in Rua's guard and throws a big left but Rua blocks it.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but tagalog is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
tagalog lands a couple of decent looking shots.
tagalog working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
tagalog makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst tagalog is controlling him.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rua tries to clinch but tagalog moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
tagalog shoots for a double leg takedown but Rua sprawls well. He's pushed tagalog's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from tagalog. tagalog gets slowly back to his feet.

tagalog scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
tagalog thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
tagalog thows a huge punch but Rua dodges it nicely.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.
Rua is trying to maintain the position but tagalog is very close to passing his half guard.
tagalog thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rua's head.
tagalog not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rua is trying to stand.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
tagalog circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua throws a head kick but tagalog moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
tagalog keeps the fight on the outside.
No luck for tagalog with that takedown attempt.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
tagalog keeps the fight on the outside.
tagalog is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua is looking to clinch but tagalog is avoiding it.
tagalog fails with a takedown attempt.
tagalog looks for a takedown but Rua sprawls well.
tagalog shoots for a double leg takedown but Rua sprawls well. He's pushed tagalog's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rua tries to clinch but tagalog moves out of range.
Rua stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rua wants it to stay on the feet.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua wants to clinch up but tagalog keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

tagalog shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
tagalog fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Rua is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
tagalog lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
tagalog lands a big elbow.
Rua squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
tagalog lands a heavy elbow.
tagalog is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rua really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
tagalog lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rua hang on?
Rua's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
tagalog lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rua hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

jun tagalog dominated that second round.
That's time! tagalog's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

tagalog shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. tagalog showed some decent athleticism there.
tagalog thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rua to regain full guard.
jun tagalog overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rua looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but tagalog puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. tagalog lands a nice short elbow.
tagalog drops an elbow to the side of Rua's head.
tagalog seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
tagalog not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rua is looking to get back to is feet but tagalog passes into side control.
tagalog prevents Rua from escaping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua tries to get back to half guard but can't.
tagalog lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rua down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is trying to get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
tagalog keeps the fight on the outside.

tagalog has managed to clinch.
tagalog drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rua pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rua stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rua wants it to stay on the feet.
Rua tries to clinch up

and tagalog counters with a nice double leg into guard.
tagalog pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rua is keeping the position for now.
tagalog throwing strikes from guard but Rua blocks nicely.
Rua working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from tagalog.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
tagalog tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.
tagalog postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Rua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
tagalog trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua wants to clinch

and tagalog counters by clinching up.
Rua has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. tagalog is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua throws a head punch that misses.
Rua taking a breather.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Rua throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
tagalog dodges an elbow strike from Rua.
Rua is trying to force a seperation but tagalog has the dominant position.
Rua tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. tagalog smiles and moves away.
tagalog will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for jun tagalog. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua looks to clinch

so tagalog counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Rua is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Rua has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes tagalog off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Rua looks to clinch

and tagalog counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
tagalog throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.
tagalog looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
tagalog thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rua is looking to escape.
tagalog throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice sprawl there from Rua as tagalog shoots in.
Rua tries to clinch but fails miserably

and tagalog counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rua's guard now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
tagalog is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.
tagalog throwing strikes from guard but Rua blocks nicely.
tagalog trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
tagalog loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
jun tagalog is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua wants to stand and escape but tagalog is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
jun tagalog showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for tagalog, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... jun tagalog!