PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Kain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Rafael Rua enters the cage!

Kain
vs
Rua

180 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Kain !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rafael Rua!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kain shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rua pinned against the cage. Rua gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kain moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rua avoids the head kick by Kain .
Kain circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kain looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rua takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua looks gassed!
Some wild striking there from Kain .
A head kick from Kain lands but Rua takes it in his stride.

Rua has managed to clinch.
Rua blocks an elbow strike.
Kain is trying to drag Rua to the mat but Rua just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Kain 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 drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kain gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kain misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Rua letting Kain take a breather here.
Kain lands a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kain looking to throw knees to the head but Rua is blocking nicely.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kain stalling the fight.
Kain working Rua over with knees to the body.

Kain breaks the clinch.
Kain throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kain turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kain misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kain lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kain turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rafael Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kain throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rua was covering up waiting for the punch and Kain finishes the takedown easily into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kain accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Rua working for a triangle but Kain defends it easily.
Kain in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kain pushes down on Rua's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Kain decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Kain throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kain with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Kain , right into the meat.

Kain changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rua looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Kain landing strikes.

Kain stands up.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Kain shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kain was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kain thowing shots but they're missing.
Kain is looking to stand but Kain has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Rua is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua prevents Kain from taking his back.
Kain wants to control the pace but Rua is squirming around nicely.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kain misses with a head shot.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kain takes Rua's back.

Kain is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Rua knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Rua for a finish.
Kain keeps control of the position as Rua tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kain doesn't have the hooks in and Rua manages to turn into his guard.
Rua stands and throws Kain 's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Rua tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Rua goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Kain rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rua's guard! Nice work there by Kain !
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kain drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kain jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rua had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kain defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Kain dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kain .
Rua gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

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

Rua escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kain gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rua working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kain doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kain manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kain wanted to stand there but Rua had control of the position.

Rua escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kain gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rua looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rua is breathing heavily.

Kain gets to his feet. Rua looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kain bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Kain bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kain working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Kain trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
Kain wants to stand but Rua has his arm trapped.
Kain is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rua tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kain wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Kain decides to stand back up.
Kain scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Kain forces Rua back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kain using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua can't get the takedown.
Kain is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rua has Kain pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kain manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
John Kain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Rua.
Kain landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kain using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rua throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kain blocks it with crossed arms.

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

Kain has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rua decides to pull guard.

Rua looking for a guillotine here but Kain defends easily.

Kain got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rua has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kain has managed to get both his arms back between Rua's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Rua is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kain is aware though and is defending well.
Kain tries to stand but Rua is controlling from the bottom.

Kain got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rua has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kain has managed to get both his arms back between Rua's legs - danger averted.

Rua working for a triangle but Kain defends it easily.

Rua is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kain is aware though and is defending well.

Rua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Rua looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
John Kain overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kain can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rua has his foot on Kain 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kain works his way back into a safe position though.
Kain trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kain trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice sprawl there from Rua as Kain shoots in.
Kain keeps the fight on the outside.
Kain lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rua tries for a takedown but Kain circles away easily
and Kain counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt
and Kain counters with a nice low kick that buckles Rua's knee momentarily.
Kain feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rua's calf.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Kain dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Good leg kick by Kain there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kain shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rua counters by clinching up.
Kain has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rua avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rua goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kain prevents it.
Rua's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Kain .
Kain lands a damaging elbow.

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

Rua drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kain dives on top into guard.
Kain has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.

Kain thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rua is on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua has gone for a leg lock! Kain slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rua's guard.

Kain decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kain tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rua sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kain somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Kain . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kain will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt

and Kain counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kain .

Kain stands up from Rua's guard - Kain perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kain closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Kain throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kain avoids the body shot from Rua.
Kain turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kain misses with the combination.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kain as he avoids it easily.
Rua throws the kick towards the body but Kain avoids it.
Kain looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kain throws a leg kick which misses Rua's front leg but catches the back leg as Rua tries to avoid it.
A good leg kick by Kain .
Kain fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rua.
Kain misses with a series of wild punches.
Kain scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kain shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rua is trying to defend but Kain finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kain is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Rua moves into full guard.
Kain thows a big elbow that misses.
Kain is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Kain from controlling successfully.
Kain has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Rua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kain with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Kain .

Rua is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Kain 's half guard.

Rua is working for a kimura but Kain is defending it quite comfortably.

Rua is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kain has managed to free his arm - good work.
John Kain is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rua is working for a kimura but Kain is defending it quite comfortably.
Rafael Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kain trying to control from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Kain showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kain has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Kain !