PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Borisov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Mauricio Rua has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rua
vs
Borisov

185 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
206 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter striker
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sergei Borisov!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Nard Betker and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua shoots in and gets a takedown into Borisov's guard.
Borisov managing to control the position.
Rua looking to pass the guard.
Rua postures up.
Rua wants to control from the top but Borisov keeps moving.
Borisov 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua with a poor takedown
and Borisov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Rua bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Borisov wants to get back to his feet but Rua drags him back down.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Borisov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Borisov sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Borisov is positioning himself well to prevent Rua advancing to mount.
Rua seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Borisov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rua is thwarting Borisov's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rua trying to pass the guard but Borisov defending well.
Rua wants to stand but Borisov has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sergei Borisov was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Borisov checks the leg kick.

Borisov shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rua makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rua.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Borisov stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Borisov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rua trying to keep a closed guard but Borisov is proving a slippery customer.
Rua is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Borisov is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Rua wants to sweep but no luck.
Borisov works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Rua is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Borisov pulls his head out easily.
Rua is pressing down on Borisov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to stand and escape but Borisov is having none of it.
Rua trying to keep a closed guard but Borisov is proving a slippery customer.
Borisov trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
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.
Borisov looking to pass the guard.
Rua 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rua uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Borisov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Borisov dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rua with a poor takedown

and Borisov counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Borisov tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.

Borisov has control of Rua's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rua regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Borisov stands up from mount. Strange move.

Rua shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rua was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Borisov turns into him and now he's in Rua's guard.
Rua wants to sweep but no luck.
Borisov trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Borisov looking to pass the guard.
Borisov pushing down on Rua's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Borisov is breathing heavily.

Borisov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to improve his position.
Rua is looking to escape.
Rua is refusing to be controlled, as Borisov sits in half guard.
Rua trying to hold on to Borisov's head to control him but Borisov postures up.
Borisov is keen to just control but Rua is a slippery customer.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Sergei Borisov wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rua with a poor takedown

and Borisov counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borisov thowing shots but they're missing.
Rua trying desperately to get to his feet.

Borisov is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Rua to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Rua shrugs it off.

Borisov is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Borisov looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rua!
Sergei Borisov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rua tries to reverse the position but Borisov maintains control.
Rua regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to control Borisov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rua avoid being mounted?
Rua wants to get back to his feet.
Borisov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rua wants to get back to full guard.
Rua wants to control but Borisov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rua is trying to stand.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

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

Rua instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Borisov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Rua fails with the takedown

and Borisov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Borisov is one step ahead there.
Borisov trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Borisov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sergei Borisov was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rua misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a takedown

so Borisov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Rua had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Borisov defends it easily.

Rua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Borisov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua is trying to control the position but Borisov postures up.
Borisov sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Borisov is controlling him.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Borisov from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sergei Borisov was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rua throws a series of strikes that have Borisov backpedaling.
Rua gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Borisov counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rua's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borisov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rua is keeping the position for now.
Borisov pushing down on Rua's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rua wants to improve his position but Borisov is controlling well.
Borisov is trying to control. Rua wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Borisov is looking for a kimura but Rua is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Borisov to get the leverage.
Borisov passes the guard and advances to mount!
Borisov is trying to take his opponent's back.

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.
Borisov avoids the attempt from Rua to control.

Borisov looking to secure an arm triangle but Rua defends it well.
Rua is looking to improve his position but Borisov isn't that keen on the idea.
Rua regains half guard.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Borisov wants to pass to mount but Rua is defending the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergei Borisov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Borisov winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Sergei Borisov!
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight for Sergei Borisov!
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Sergei Borisov!

Sergei Borisov wins by unanimous decision!