PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takanori Gomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takanori Gomi has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gomi
vs
Rua

175 cm
24
160 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

175 cm
23
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Takanori Gomi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomi throws a one two combo.
Sloppy strikes from Gomi. Those never looked like landing.
Rua has his takedown stuffed
and Gomi counters with a two punch combo.
Gomi moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Gomi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gomi lands with a nice combination. Rua backs away looking to recover.
Gomi takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gomi lands a two punch combo.
Gomi tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gomi misses with a series of wild punches.
Gomi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua slips a jab and a cross from Gomi.
Gomi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gomi swinging wildly here.
Gomi throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi stalks Rua and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rua's face. Rua staggers backwards, shaken.
Gomi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gomi stuffs the takedown.
Gomi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rua circles away quickly and effectively.
Danga de danga de dang - Gomi scores with a four punch combination!
Rua slips a jab and a cross from Gomi.
Rua tries to clinch up but Gomi circles away and keeps his distance.
Gomi swinging wildly here.
Rua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gomi.
Takanori Gomi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gomi pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rua back to the cage. Gomi follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A combination from Gomi does no damage.
Gomi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua dodges the punch combination from Gomi.
Gomi is working the combinations to good effect here.
Rua ducks right into an uppercut from Gomi.
Takanori Gomi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gomi.
Gomi misses with a series of wild punches.
Rua tries for a takedown but Gomi circles away easily
and Gomi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Takanori Gomi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.
Gomi throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Gomi's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gomi duly obliges.
Gomi misses with the combination.
Gomi misses with a series of wild punches.
Gomi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi misses with a double jab.
Gomi throws a nice looking combination but Rua bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gomi looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gomi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Gomi fails to land with a series of punches.
Gomi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rua circles away quickly and effectively.
Rua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gomi.
Gomi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

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.
Rua tries for a takedown but Gomi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gomi throws a series of strikes that have Rua backpedaling.
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.
Gomi looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Gomi tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gomi pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rua back to the cage. Gomi follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gomi swinging wildly here.
Gomi wants to land a leg kick but Rua is out of range.
Gomi throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Gomi misses with the combination.
Sloppy strikes from Gomi. Those never looked like landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takanori Gomi 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.

Gomi throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Gomi lands a head shot.
Gomi throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Gomi tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Some bone on bone action there as Rua checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Gomi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rua avoids a punch combination nicely.
An inside leg kick from Gomi misses.
Gomi throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gomi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gomi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Gomi throws a combination. Rua tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Takanori Gomi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua with a poor takedown
and Gomi counters with a low kick, right behind Rua 's knee.
Rua avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gomi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gomi!
Rua misses with a takedown
and Gomi counters with a two punch combo.
Gomi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rua circles away quickly and effectively.
Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Rua has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Gomi misses with a two punch combination.
Gomi scores with a three punch combo!
Gomi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Gomi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rua circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gomi counters with a left and a right that stings Rua.
Takanori Gomi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.
Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Gomi throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Gomi throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Gomi tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gomi throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Gomi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gomi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Gomi lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gomi.
Takanori Gomi is winning the standup battle so far.
Rua avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gomi throws a chopping leg kick but Rua manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sloppy strikes from Gomi. Those never looked like landing.
Rua misses with a takedown
and Gomi counters with a stiff right hand.
Some wild striking there from Gomi.
Gomi tries to work over Rua's front leg with a kick but Rua checks it.
Gomi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gomi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gomi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Gomi throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Gomi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four 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.

Rua looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Gomi!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Gomi is in a horrible position here. Rua smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gomi is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Rua is landing with some decent strikes but Gomi is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Rua looking to control but Gomi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gomi is trying desperately to improve position.
Rua wants to take Gomi's back but he can't do it this time.
Rua controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takanori Gomi dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gomi throws a series of strikes that have Rua backpedaling.
Gomi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gomi counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gomi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rua avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gomi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Gomi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gomi.
Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Rua checks the leg kick nicely there.
Gomi lands the left hand.
Gomi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gomi misses with a series of wild punches.
Gomi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gomi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gomi walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rua checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Gomi throws a front kick aimed at Rua's knee but Rua avoids it well.
Gomi swinging wildly here.
Rua with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gomi counters with a series of strikes. Rua will be more careful next time no doubt.
Takanori Gomi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gomi as he jumps to the side.
Rua takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Gomi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rua moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gomi works over Rua's head and body with a nice combination.
Gomi misses with a wild combination.
Gomi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rua moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gomi cracks the inside of Rua's front leg.
Gomi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Rua fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gomi to the ground. Rua is now in Gomi's guard.
Rua won't allow Gomi to get back to his feet.
Rua has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Rua stands and steps away. Gomi gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rua back to the cage. Gomi follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gomi misses with a wild combination.
No joy there for Gomi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gomi scores with a jab to the body.
Gomi throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Gomi shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Rua eats them both and turns towards Gomi to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Gomi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rua moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gomi lands a head shot.
Gomi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Gomi misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Gomi does no damage.
Gomi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Rua will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gomi misses with a few strikes there.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt
and Gomi counters with a three punch combo that has Rua backing up. Rua nods at Gomi to acknowledge the strikes.
Rua takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Gomi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takanori Gomi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gomi swinging wildly here.
Gomi connects with a solid leg kick.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gomi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takanori Gomi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gomi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:26
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takanori Gomi!