PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Hamill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hamill
vs
Rua

185 cm
26
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
204 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Hamill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.

Rua clinches up with Hamill and pushes him back against the cage.
A short left from Rua.

Rua drags the fight down to the ground.
Hamill sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Hamill got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rua has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hamill has managed to get both his arms back between Rua's legs - danger averted.
Hamill sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but Hamill is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rua looking to control.
Hamill postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hamill works over Rua with some ground and pound from guard.
Hamill looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamill has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hamill preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Matt Hamill.

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Hamill makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua blocks a head kick by Hamill.
Hamill closes the distance but Rua moves to the side
and Rua connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.
Nice sprawl there from Hamill as Rua shoots in.
Rua moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Rua throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rua throws a nice looking combination but Hamill bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Hamill shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rua manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rua looks gassed!
Hamill content to stall in guard here.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hamill is one step ahead there.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rua has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hamill can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hamill controls the pace.

Rua is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hamill 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.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.

Hamill drops back looking for a leg! Rua is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rua manages to kick Hamill off! Hamill jumps back into Rua's guard.
Hamill is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hamill with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hamill controlling from the top position.

Rua is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hamill defends well.
Rua trying to control the position.
Rua lands a good elbow from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hamill dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hamill shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rua manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hamill cracks Rua with a solid left hand.
Hamill controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rua is trying to control the position but Hamill postures up.
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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Matt Hamill.
Rua scores with a push kick.
Hamill shoots in looking for a takedown but Rua manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hamill's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hamill blocks a head kick by Rua.
Rua misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a jab to the head.
Rua lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hamill at a distance.
Rua lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hamill dives in and grabs Rua's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes down on Hamill's head and hops out.

Hamill gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hamill is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rua makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rua.
Hamill lands a couple of elbows.

Rua is looking for a triangle but Hamill pushes his legs off easily.
Hamill trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.
Rua tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua looking for a guillotine here but Hamill defends easily.
Matt Hamill overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rua looking to control.
Rua wants to sweep here but Hamill controlling him for the moment.

Hamill decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hamill tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rua counters with a nice leg kick.
Hamill gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rua makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Hamill really felt that one!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Hamill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rua. Hamill shrugs it off though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamill has his takedown stuffed
and Rua counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rua throws a head kick but Hamill moves out of range.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hamill with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rua moves into the clinch.
Rua connects with a knee to the head.
Hamill scores with a shoulder strike.
Rua unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rua stops a takedown attempt from Hamill.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Rua fakes the leg kick and cracks Hamill in the body.
Hamill doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rua counters with a straight right hand.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hamill closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. Hamill pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Hamill shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rua's guard.
Rua tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hamill is one step ahead there.
Rua wants to stand up but Hamill is controlling him.
Rua has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Hamill has passed into side control.
Hamill slows the pace down.
Rua is trying to improve his position.
Hamill 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.

Matt Hamill dominated that second round.
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!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rua has Hamill pressed against the cage, preventing Hamill from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hamill tries for a takedown but Rua manages to get underhooks.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rua keeps control of Hamill as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rua jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hamill walks away with a smile on his face. Rua gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rua blocks a jab.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Rua has Hamill up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Rua.
Hamill tries to circle away but Rua has him pinned against the cage.
Rua should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rua lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rua keeps control of Hamill as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hamill looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rua is fending him off so far but Hamill persists. Nope, Rua circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua connects with a high kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Rua jumps into guard, dragging Hamill to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hamill controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rua tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rua has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hamill can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Hamill from controlling successfully.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Rua had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hamill defends it easily.
Hamill engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two 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 throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hamill postures up in Rua's guard and throws a big left but Rua blocks it.
Rua looking to control.
Rua is looking to stand up but Hamill isn't so interested in that idea.
Hamill with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Rua looking for a guillotine here but Hamill defends easily.
Hamill is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hamill stays in close to Rua's body and controls the position.

Rua pushes Hamill off and gets back to his feet.
Hamill shoots and misses

and Rua counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Hamill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua tries a knee to the head but Hamill blocks it.
Hamill wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but Hamill blocks with his arms.

Hamill breaks the clinch.
Rua stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hamill jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rua walks away with a smile on his face. Hamill gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rua scores with a head kick. Hamill tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.
Hamill darts in trying to clinch
and Rua counters with a good low kick that Hamill was not able to check.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rua lets loose with a powerful body kick. Hamill will feel that in the morning.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Rua gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rua being controlled here, momentarily.

Rua working for a triangle but Hamill defends it easily.
Matt Hamill is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua is trying to keep Hamill in close.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hamill has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Hamill!