PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wanderlei Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and TONG POE (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). POE has chosen DJ Hype & DJ Zinc - Disappear as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Wanderlei Rua has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rua
vs
POE

193 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

199 cm
22
200 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Marvel Combat

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderlei Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, TONG POE!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Mauricio Rocha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but POE swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.
POE trying to land knees to the body.
POE missing with knees to the body.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from POE.
Rua avoiding damage as POE throws knees to the body.
POE landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Rua jumps guard and drags POE to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
POE has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.

POE gets to his feet - Rua follows without any prompting.

POE has closed the distance and engaged Rua in a clinch.
Rua has POE pushed against the cage.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but POE avoids the damage to the body.
Rua is trying to break the clinch but POE has him pressed against the cage.
Rua is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from POE.
Rua wants a takedown but no success here.
Rua drops down looking for an ankle pick but POE pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rua counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rua.
A short right from Rua.
Rua manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rua tries to break free but POE pushes him back against the cage.
POE putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rua in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
POE avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.
Rua lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
POE gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rua.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wanderlei Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
POE is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.
Rua tries to pull guard but POE holds him up against the cage and eventually Rua drops back down to his feet.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua looking for a takedown.
Rua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but POE has him pressed against the cage.

Rua decides to pull guard.

POE decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.

POE forces Rua back against the cage and clinches.

Rua has picked POE up - he's going for a ride! Rua dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for POE on the ground.
POE has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rua is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to control from POE's half guard. POE has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Rua is breathing heavily.
POE is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
POE has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Rua stops POE from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rua trying to control but POE is working from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as POE holds on and takes a little breather.
POE tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rua wants to stand and escape but instead POE has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

POE stands up from Rua's guard - POE perhaps looking for a knockout.
POE closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rua counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. POE is lucky that one didn't land flush.
TONG POE seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
POE clinches but Rua breaks the clinch
and Rua counters with a low kick, right behind POE 's knee.
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 Wanderlei Rua will probably get the nod.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by POE.
POE wants to clinch but Rua slips to the side

and Rua counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rua.
Rua stalling the fight.
Rua wants to break the clinch but can't.
POE trying to land knees to the body.

Rua manages to break the clinch.

POE clinches up with Rua and pushes him back against the cage.
Rua tries to break free but POE pushes him back against the cage.
Rua tries to pull guard but POE won't allow it.
POE missing with knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua working hard to break the clinch.
Rua fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rua looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wanderlei Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
POE tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
POE connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rua's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua looking for a takedown.
Rua softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
POE lands a knee to the head.
POE trying to land knees to the body.

Rua gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

POE kicks off Rua and gets to his feet.
POE clinches but Rua breaks the clinch

and Rua counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rua.
POE trying to land knees to the body.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rua wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rua goes for a takedown in the clinch but POE prevents it.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rua counters with a thumping low kick.
POE blocks a jab.
POE clinches but Rua breaks the clinch
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.

POE clinches.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from POE.
Rua is working for takedown but POE is calmly controlling the position for now.
POE lands a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
POE is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
POE landing knees to the body.
Rua changes levels and goes for a takedown here. POE fights it off and pushes away nicely.
POE tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rua moves into the clinch.
Rua misses with an elbow strike.
POE avoids the elbow strike from Rua, against the cage.
POE is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.
Rua is trying to break the clinch but POE is controlling him.
POE lands a good knee to the midsection. Rua won't want to take too many of those.
Rua is trying to maintain a safe position but POE gets an underhook and turns Rua into the cage.
POE crunches a lovely knee into Rua's ribcage.
POE tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rua avoids it.
Rua tries for a takedown. No joy.
POE landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
POE tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rua is trying to work for a single leg takedown but POE pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
POE putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rua in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
POE unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rua lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
POE trying to land knees to the body.
POE scores a nice knee to the body.
Rua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but POE has him pressed against the cage.
Rua goes for a takedown attempt but POE pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
POE tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

POE clinches with his opponent.
Rua looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
POE utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
POE tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rua avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but TONG POE will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

POE tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.

POE takes the fight into the clinch.
Rua lands a shot to the body.
Rua tries to throw a body punch but POE avoids it by throwing Rua back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Rua fails to land.
Rua goes for a takedown attempt but POE pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
POE tries to clinch up.

POE pushes Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
POE managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Rua avoiding damage as POE throws knees to the body.
Rua looking to slow down the pace here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. POE smiles and moves away.

POE has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rua avoiding damage as POE throws knees to the body.
POE tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
Rua has a couple of punches blocked by POE.
Rua tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. POE just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wanderlei Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from POE.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rua jumps guard but POE stands there with Rua around his waist. Rua gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
POE is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rua avoiding damage as POE throws knees to the body.
Rua wants to get back to striking at distance but POE won't allow it.
Rua wants a takedown.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
POE tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rua avoids it.

Rua is trying to trip POE. He has hold of a leg but POE is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rua persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

POE uses the cage to get back to his feet.
POE tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rua looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
POE doesn't manage to clinch there - Rua circles away.
POE is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - POE looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but POE circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
POE tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.

POE moves into the clinch successfully.
POE putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rua in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rua wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
POE keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rua's efforts to push away.
POE lands a good knee to the midsection. Rua won't want to take too many of those.
POE using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rua looking for a takedown.
POE working Rua over with knees to the body.
Rua wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rua has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rua looking for a takedown.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rua tries to break the clinch but POE is controlling the position.
Rua using the Thai plumb to throw knees but POE has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
POE trying to land knees to the body.
POE trying to land knees to the body.
POE landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
POE misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Rua avoiding damage as POE throws knees to the body.
Rua tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. POE smiles and moves away.
POE wants to clinch up but Rua keeps it at a distance.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown. POE fights it but they end up in guard.

POE is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to TONG POE.
I think POE 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... TONG POE!