PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Murilo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roger Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murilo Rua has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rua
vs
Johnson

205 cm
25
270 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

204 cm
22
279 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Murilo Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roger Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Rua misses the target.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Johnson was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
Rua bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Johnson staying out of range there.
Rua scores with a punch to the head.
Rua thows a body shot but no joy.
Johnson misses with a looping right.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Rua throws the left hand but Johnson avoids the punch easily.
Rua misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Johnson was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rua, as that shot connected.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Murilo Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt - Rua sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rua counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnson tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.
Johnson tries to clinch
and Rua counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Rua changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rua misses with a straight left.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fighters circling - Johnson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Roger Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua scores with a hook to the body. Johnson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rua with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Rua throws a hook but Johnson blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands with a nice body punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A shot to the liver by Rua. Beautiful body shot.
Johnson looks gassed!
Rua moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Rua circles away.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua lands with a hook. Johnson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Rua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A punch combination from Rua misses.
Rua throws a right hand that Johnson ducks under and follows up with a left that Johnson also avoids with ease.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rua. Johnson does a little dance to reset his feet.

Rua darts in and clinches Johnson up against the ropes.
Johnson lands a good knee to the midsection. Rua won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Johnson throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Rua lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Johnson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Johnson prevents a body shot from Rua.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Johnson obliges.
Rua misses with a punch to the body.

Johnson has hold of one of Rua's legs. Rua is fighting the takedown attempt but Johnson gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson is stalling in the full guard.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.
Johnson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Johnson passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying to get an arm triangle but Rua is defending well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rua is avoiding damage well.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Johnson misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
A lull in the action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson tries to score with some ground and pound. Rua controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Rua circles away.
Horrible takedown by Johnson or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.
Rua takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Johnson scores with a hook to the body. Rua takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson closes the distance but Rua moves to the side
and Rua counters with a nice body shot.
Johnson looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Rua misses with a looping left.
Rua throws a left and a right that both miss

and Johnson moves into the clinch.
Johnson lands an elbow inside.
Johnson lands a damaging elbow.
Johnson scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Murilo Rua has been cut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson landing knees to the body.
Johnson lands a knee to the head.
Johnson leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Rua misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a body punch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Johnson jumps into guard, dragging Rua to the mat.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Johnson holds on and takes a little breather.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Rua wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Johnson working for a triangle but Rua defends it easily.
Rua wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rua defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions 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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Johnson is on top in guard.
Johnson stands and throws Rua's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Johnson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rua is looking for a sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua dodges the ground and pound from Johnson.
Rua on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rua tries to get out of the position.
Johnson trying to control the position but Rua is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Murilo Rua's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Rua circles away.

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Johnson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Johnson crunches a lovely knee into Rua's ribcage.
Stalling in the clinch from Johnson.
Johnson lands an elbow inside that Rua shrugs off.
A head punch on the inside from Rua fails to land.
Johnson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua takes a knee right on the jaw!
Johnson lands a nice uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Johnson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Johnson pulls guard successfully.
Johnson pulls Rua in to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Johnson with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Johnson lands an elbow just above Rua 's eye.
Johnson lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Johnson connects with a knee to the head.
Johnson landing knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua takes an elbow to the temple.

Johnson ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Johnson no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rua would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Johnson pulls Rua in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Rua is proving a slippery customer.
Johnson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rua manages to get himself to full guard.
Johnson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Rua being controlled here, momentarily.

Roger Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Roger Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson moves into range and connects with a jab.
Rua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rua fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Johnson obliges.
Johnson leaning against his opponent.
Rua misses with a punch on the inside.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Johnson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Johnson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Johnson is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Johnson pulls guard.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rua is one step ahead there.

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rua can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roger Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 26:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 26:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 26:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roger Johnson!