PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andre Walden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Walden comes to the ring accompanied by Bas Rutten - El Guapo likes to dance. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Walden
vs
Rua

190 cm
26
215 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
205 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

Fight Club Clothing™

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Andre Walden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Paulsen Ambrosius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Rua lands a nice hook to Walden's body. Walden takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Rua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Walden swivels and escapes.
Rua tries to clinch there but Walden circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Walden. Rua does a little dance to reset his feet.
Walden defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rua.
A big right from Walden misses.
Walden throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rua counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Walden is breathing heavily.
Rua bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Walden's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua lands a right hook to the body.
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Walden jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rua will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Andre Walden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Walden circles away.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Walden misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rua.
Walden fails to land with a series of punches.
Walden throws a leg kick but Rua sees it coming and moves out of range.
Walden looks to land a right hand but Rua moved out of range.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Walden pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walden throws an overhand right that lands on Rua's shoulder, as Rua tries to avoid the shot.

Walden tries to sprawl but Rua drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Walden is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rua trying to control from half guard but Walden is working away.
Rua might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Walden kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Rua is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Walden looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rua in particular looking to stall.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Mauricio Rua hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Walden avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Walden fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rua avoids it really well and circles away.

Rua moves into the clinch.
Rua lands a body punch.
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!
Walden misses with a punch to the body.
Walden tries to throw a body punch but Rua avoids it by throwing Walden back against the ropes.

Rua tightens his grip and picks Walden up, before dumping him to the ground. Walden manages to land in guard.
Rua pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Walden is keeping the position for now.

Walden is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rua defends well.
Rua chips away with some ground and pound.
Rua with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua stands up from Walden's guard - Rua perhaps looking for a knockout.
Walden dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Rua has a takedown stuffed.
Rua shoots in but Walden avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Andre Walden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rua wants to clinch up but Walden keeps it at a distance.
Rua shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Walden but Walden pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Walden misses with a hook.
Rua fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walden throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A combination from Rua does no damage.
Walden misses with a straight left.
Rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Walden's waist but Walden gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rua off to one side.
Walden misses with a hook. Rua ducked under it nicely.
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Walden lands a nice shot to the body.
Walden leaves Rua with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Walden bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Rua's head backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua tries to clinch but Walden moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Walden as Rua shoots in.
A jab from Walden does it's job there.
Walden lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rua at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rua moves forwards but Walden connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Mauricio Rua seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rua ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Walden moves away.
Rua will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Walden stuffs the takedown attempt from Rua. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
Rua ducks under a wild hook from Walden.
Walden jabs Rua to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Walden scores with a jab to the body.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Walden.
Walden connects with a solid leg kick.
Walden misses with a straight left.
Walden misses the shot to the body.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Decent striking displayed by Walden there.
Rua shoots in but Walden avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Andre Walden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.
Walden lands a jab to Rua's midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Walden stuns Rua with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Walden bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rua's head.
Walden misses with a head kick.
A slow jab from Walden misses its intended target.

Rua closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Walden to the mat! Walden manages to get full guard.
Walden trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Walden wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Rua passes Walden's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Walden wants to improve his position but Rua is controlling well.

Walden is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rua pulls his head out easily.

Walden looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Rua.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rua seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Walden does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Walden on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Rua wants to work for an arm triangle but Walden is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rua tries to pass to full mount but Walden defends it.
Walden wants to control but Rua is keeping busy.
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 winds up and cracks Walden with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Rua is looking for a kimura here.

Walden looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rua trying to control the action but Walden is working from the bottom.
Rua slips a nice elbow through Walden's hands, connecting with Walden's forehead.

Rua seems to be working for a kimura but Walden defends the submission attempt.
Walden is in trouble now - Rua has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walden regains half guard.

Walden looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Walden is not content to let Rua control the position.
Rua works his foot free and advances to mount.

Rua is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Walden can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua cracks Walden with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mauricio Rua will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Walden leaves Rua with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Walden misses with a series of wild punches.
Rua keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Walden.
Walden thows a body shot but no joy.
Rua walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Walden throws a big shot that misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rua.
Rua has a takedown stuffed.
Andre Walden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.
Rua on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nice takedown defense from Walden. No joy for Rua on that attempt.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Walden bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Rua's head backwards.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Walden shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donk. Walden catches Rua right on the button with a cross.
Walden scores with a shot to the body.
Rua doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rua slips a straight right by Walden.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Walden as he avoids it easily.
A slapping leg kick lands for Walden.
Rua slips a jab from Walden.
Walden scores with a shot to the body.
Rua looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Walden is fending him off so far but Rua persists. Nope, Walden circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Walden misses with a wild body shot.
Walden lands a nice looking body shot.

Rua clinches up against the ropes.
Rua wants a takedown but no success here.
Walden throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Rua avoiding damage as Walden throws knees to the body.
Walden throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ruas head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Walden lands a takedown into guard.

Walden is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rua is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rua has escaped and now he's on top!

Walden throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rua escapes and throws Walden's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Walden looking for a sweep but Rua has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Rua working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Walden is desperately trying to improve his position but Rua has a good base and remains in mount.

Rua looking to secure an arm triangle but Walden defends it well.
Walden really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walden is bucking up trying to escape but Rua cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Rua lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Walden hang on?
The referee warns Walden that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Walden tries to control Rua's body but Rua pushes him off. Walden squirms to his side and now Rua has his back!

Rua is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Walden is defending well though. Rua let's go of the attempt for now.
Rua not allowing Walden to control his hands.
Rua is punishing Walden with some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Walden covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Walden.
Rua is not going to allow Walden to sit and survive in this position.
Rua is looking to control Walden but Walden is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Rua looking to break Walden's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Walden remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Rua will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Rua lands strikes to the head.
Walden breaks Rua's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rua trying to keep a closed guard but Walden is proving a slippery customer.

Rua pushes Walden off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Walden lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Rua throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Walden was covering up waiting for the punch and Rua finishes the takedown easily into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rua 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 Paul Aken scores the fight for Mauricio Rua!
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight for Mauricio Rua!
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight for Mauricio Rua!

Mauricio Rua wins by unanimous decision!