PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Bitonti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bitonti comes to the cage accompanied by ALL OF THE LIGHTS. Rua comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Chase kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Bitonti
vs
Rua

182 cm
25
193 lbs
7 - 1 - 1

183 cm
28
196 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

Conviction
Convicted Trap House

Doom Fightwear & Laundry Service

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Bitonti!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mario Rua!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua avoids the body shot from Bitonti.
Bitonti swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick from Bitonti.
Bitonti tries a low kick but Rua avoids it.
A low kick from Bitonti is predictable there
and Rua counters with a nice body shot.
Bitonti throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Bitonti swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bitonti walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rua.
Bitonti throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rua misses the shot to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Bitonti.
Bitonti takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Anthony Bitonti has been cut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rua.
Bitonti prevents a body shot from Rua.
A frustrated look appears on Bitonti's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bitonti takes an elbow to the forehead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua lands a nice elbow.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Bitonti wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bitonti scores with a shoulder strike.
Bitonti throws a head punch that misses.
Bitonti misses with a punch to the body.
Rua is trying to maintain a safe position but Bitonti gets an underhook and turns Rua into the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Bitonti fails to land.
Bitonti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bitonti lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rua or not.
Rua throws a punch but it's blocked by Bitonti.
Bitonti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bitonti lands an uppercut.
A right hand to the body from Rua.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Bitonti obliges.
Rua lands a body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Bitonti pushes Rua back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bitonti tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rua pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Bitonti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bitonti can't find room to land a body shot as Rua controls the action.
Bitonti avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a nice elbow.

Anthony Bitonti's cut is getting worse.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.

Anthony Bitonti's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Rua lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rua looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Bitonti manages to break the clinch.
Bitonti misses with a body punch
and Rua counters with a nice low kick that buckles Bitonti's knee momentarily.
Bitonti steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rua.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick.
Bitonti tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bitonti looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bitonti finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Rua misses with a kick to the body.
Bitonti tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bitonti throws a front kick aimed at Rua's knee but Rua avoids it well.
Anthony Bitonti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bitonti cracks Rua with a good jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Bitonti.
Rua is looking to clinch but Bitonti is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a straight right.
Bitonti keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rua.
Rua defending well as Bitonti loads up on a big left hand.
Bitonti scores with a sloppy right hand. Rua should have avoided that one.
Bitonti swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Bitonti misses with a wild body shot.
Bitonti tries to score with a low kick but Rua moves his leg out of the way.
Bitonti swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bitonti attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rua takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bitonti changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rua doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Bitonti is looking to chop away at Rua's legs.
Rua throws a head kick but Bitonti moves out of range.
Bitonti looks to throw the jab but Rua is out of range.
Bitonti is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rua.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bitonti stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bitonti lands the left hand.
Bitonti lands a body shot.
Bitonti throws a leg kick that misses.
Rua keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rua doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Rua 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Rua fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bitonti manages to avoid it.
Rua misses with an uppercut. Bitonti saw that one coming.
Bitonti with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Bitonti throws a leg kick
and Rua counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bitonti connects with a looping right hand.
Rua checks a leg kick.
Bitonti with a jab.
Bitonti throws a hook but Rua avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Bitonti dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Bitonti's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bitonti throws a body punch but Rua moves out of range.
Rua misses with a body shot.
Bitonti is looking to wear down Rua with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Bitonti looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
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.
Bitonti throwing strikes from guard but Rua blocks nicely.
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.
Bitonti wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.
Bitonti thows a big elbow that misses.
Bitonti trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bitonti sitting in guard here, content to control.
Bitonti has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bitonti passes Rua's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Bitonti working over Rua with some ground and pound. Rua looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bitonti is pressing down on Rua's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rua is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to get back to full guard.
Bitonti looks to land a strike but Rua avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Bitonti advances position into side control!
Bitonti is working Rua over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rua is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Rua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rua tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bitonti wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Bitonti tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bitonti has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bitonti cracks Rua with a big right hand but Rua just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua manages to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is staying active underneath Bitonti, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bitonti prevents Rua from improving his position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bitonti thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rua is concentrating on defense, preventing Bitonti from advancing position.
Bitonti is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bitonti works his way into side control.
Rua is not content to let Bitonti control the position.
Bitonti advances to full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bitonti with shots to the head and body - Rua looks very uncomfortable down there.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Bitonti's attempts to control the action.
Bitonti landing strikes from the mount and Rua is in trouble!
Bitonti is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rua can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Anthony Bitonti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bitonti tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Bitonti with shots to the head and body - Rua looks very uncomfortable down there.
Rua keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Bitonti dives on top into guard.
Rua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bitonti trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.
Bitonti looking to pass the guard.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Bitonti is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Bitonti dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Bitonti's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rua tries to clinch but Bitonti is having none of it.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Bitonti pushes him off.
Bitonti lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rua throws a nice head kick!
Rua on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Rua gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bitonti to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Bitonti tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.
Bitonti distracts Rua with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bitonti forces his way into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bitonti moves into full mount! Rua won't be happy about that!
Rua is trying desperately to improve position.
Bitonti putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to control but Bitonti is having none of it.
Bitonti landing shots from mount.
Bitonti trying to control but Rua is having none of it.

Bitonti working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Bitonti wants to finish this one by submission but Rua is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Bitonti.
Bitonti lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
A nice elbow there by Bitonti.

Rua is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bitonti cracks Rua with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anthony Bitonti!
Anthony Bitonti is the new middleweight champion!