PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alex Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and roger nottingham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alex Rua had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Rua
vs
nottingham

180 cm
24
199 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

185 cm
27
192 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Powerful

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, roger nottingham!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
nottingham closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. nottingham pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rua.

Rua drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rua seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
nottingham wants to stand and escape but Rua is having none of it.
Rua lands a couple of decent looking shots.

It looks like roger nottingham has been cut.
nottingham is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Rua postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! nottingham is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rua, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
nottingham passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rua is looking for a sweep.
Rua is trying to control nottingham's posture but nottingham avoids it.

nottingham is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rua knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

nottingham looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rua is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rua controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Rua gets back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua keeping moving, preventing nottingham from controlling successfully.
nottingham advances to half guard.
nottingham is pressing down on Rua's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rua is holding on for now.
Rua trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to stand up here but nottingham is controlling him well.
Rua is not content to let nottingham control the position.
Rua wants to improve his position but nottingham is controlling well.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
nottingham not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rua wants to control but nottingham is keeping busy.
Rua is refusing to be controlled, as nottingham sits in half guard.
Rua keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rua looks for the body kick but nottingham saw that one coming.
nottingham swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.
nottingham takes a shot to the body in his stride.

nottingham changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rua looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rua is trying to get back to half guard.
Rua struggling a bit here.
nottingham working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
What's Rua going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
nottingham tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
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 Alex Rua will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on roger nottingham's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

nottingham avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rua throws a lazy right hand but nottingham sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Rua closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. nottingham did well to prevent Rua getting side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
nottingham tries to kick Rua off but Rua keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but nottingham is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
nottingham wants to get back to his feet.

Rua escapes and gets back to his feet.
Rua lands a jab to the nose.
Rua scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A punch combination from Rua misses.

Rua gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
nottingham tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
nottingham tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rua smiles and moves away.
A lazy body kick from nottingham
and Rua counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but nottingham was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
nottingham throws a sloppy body shot

and Rua counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for nottingham!
nottingham keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
nottingham tries to lock up and control but Rua gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
nottingham is trying desperately to improve position.
nottingham is just holding on here. Rua manages to take his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
nottingham trying to control the hands but Rua won't let him.
Rua throwing wild punches that miss their target.
nottingham is keeping busy.

Rua is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. nottingham defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
nottingham manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rua's guard. Nice work there by nottingham.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to sweep here but nottingham controlling him for the moment.
nottingham is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.
nottingham throws and elbow that misses. Rua uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in nottingham's guard. Nice move by Rua!
Alex Rua overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but nottingham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.
Rua sitting in guard here, content to control.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rua throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
nottingham is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.

We're going to have a standup here because Alex Rua wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
nottingham misses with a body kick.

Rua has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A jab from Rua finds it's way through nottingham's defenses.
Rua lands a nice hook to nottingham's body. nottingham takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on roger nottingham's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rua connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Rua shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rua showed some decent athleticism there.
nottingham slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but nottingham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
nottingham not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rua being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua stops nottingham from standing up.
Rua works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rua looks to land a strike but nottingham avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Rua stops nottingham from standing up.
Rua wants to control from the top but nottingham keeps moving.
nottingham has a closed guard, preventing Rua from standing up.

That's two 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.
nottingham keeping full guard, as Rua tries to pass.

Rua gets to his feet. nottingham looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rua avoids the body shot from nottingham.

Rua rushes nottingham and presses him up against the cage.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
Rua goes for a takedown in the clinch but nottingham prevents it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua lands a right hand.
Rua lands with a short head shot on the inside.
nottingham fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed nottingham clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
nottingham is trying to get back to his feet but Rua has full control of the position and if anything, nottingham has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Rua missing with strikes from the back.
nottingham staying busy and making it hard for Rua to control.
Rua struggling to land strikes to the head as nottingham covers up.
A lull in the action here.
Rua is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Rua gets his hands free as nottingham looks to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
nottingham is trying to escape under a series of strikes and manages to escape from Rua 's hooks.
nottingham is working to get back to half guard.
roger nottingham has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
nottingham is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
nottingham tries to hold on but Rua postures up.
Rua with good strikes from the mount here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rua 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Rua!