PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Canciatta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Szogun Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rua's choice of entrance music: Infected Mushroom - I Wish. Mario Canciatta has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Canciatta
vs
Rua

195 cm
26
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mario Canciatta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Szogun Rua!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Canciatta is looking to chop away at Rua's legs.
Canciatta lands a nice looking kick to the body. Rua takes a step back to recover.
Rua missing with a left hand there. Canciatta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Canciatta misses with a head kick.
Canciatta tries a head kick but it misses.
Canciatta plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Canciatta throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
Canciatta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua throws a left and a right that both miss
and Canciatta counters with an outside leg kick.
Canciatta connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua checks a low kick from Canciatta.
Canciatta is looking to clinch.
Nice cross by Rua.
Canciatta shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Canciatta throws a leg kick that misses.
Canciatta throws a leg kick
and Rua counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Canciatta connects with a solid leg kick.
Canciatta misses with a head kick.
Rua lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Canciatta circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Canciatta throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Rua avoids the head kick by Canciatta.
Canciatta just misses with a punch to the body.
Canciatta throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rua blocks a head kick by Canciatta.
Canciatta walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rua checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A shot to the body from Canciatta misses
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Canciatta will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mario Canciatta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Canciatta throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Rua scores with a sloppy right hand. Canciatta should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canciatta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Canciatta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.
A head kick misses from Canciatta.
Canciatta pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Canciatta swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Canciatta throws a head kick that misses.
Canciatta tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Canciatta misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a one two combo.
Canciatta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A left lands for Rua.
Rua throws a looping overhand right but Canciatta ducks down to avoid it.
Rua fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Canciatta is out of range.
A combination from Rua does no damage.
Canciatta is looking to wear down Rua with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Good work by Rua as he checks the leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Canciatta walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rua takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Canciatta 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.

Canciatta throws a leg kick but Rua sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Canciatta needs to keep his hands up - Rua had a free shot at his head there.
Canciatta connects with an inside leg kick.
Canciatta attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rua checks a leg kick.
Canciatta lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Nice shot lands for Rua.
Canciatta moves out of range of the body kick from Rua.
Canciatta tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a jab-cross combination.
Rua misses with a jab, cross combination.
Canciatta throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
Canciatta tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua misses with a wild combination.
Canciatta tries to work over Rua's front leg with a kick but Rua checks it.
Canciatta lands a nice looking kick to the body. Rua takes a step back to recover.
Canciatta throws out a leg kick but Rua moves out of range and Canciatta only half commits.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Canciatta tries a head kick but it misses.
A clash of legs there as Rua blocks the low kick.
Rua avoids the head kick by Canciatta.
Canciatta throws a head kick that misses.
Canciatta dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Rua misses with a hook. Canciatta ducked under it nicely.
Canciatta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick from Canciatta.
Canciatta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Canciatta is looking to chop away at Rua's legs.
Canciatta misses with a low kick.
Rua throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Canciatta takes the fight into the clinch.
Canciatta throws a knee to the head but misses.
Canciatta is pushing Rua up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Canciatta tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Canciatta throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rua blocks it with crossed arms.
Canciatta manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rua wants to break free but Canciatta has control.
Rua tries to pull guard but Canciatta won't allow it.
Rua has Canciatta pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Canciatta manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Canciatta tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rua avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Canciatta dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rua tries to bum rush Canciatta with a series of wild strikes but Canciatta uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Canciatta with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Rua avoids a kick to the body.
Mario Canciatta is winning the standup battle so far.
Canciatta misses with a jab, cross combination.
Canciatta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Canciatta avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Canciatta lands a slapping body shot.
Canciatta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rua.

Canciatta moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Canciatta trying to land knees to the body.
Canciatta's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rua is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Canciatta to keep the fight standing.
Canciatta controlling the action here for a moment.
Rua lands with a short shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua letting Canciatta take a breather here.
Rua is trying to break the clinch but Canciatta is controlling him.
Rua tries to pull guard but Canciatta holds him up against the cage and eventually Rua drops back down to his feet.
Canciatta is stalling here.
Canciatta missing with knees to the body.
Rua letting Canciatta take a breather here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Mario Canciatta.
Canciatta pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canciatta looks to score with a jab to the body but Rua is just out of range.
Rua cracks Canciatta with a right hand to the side of the head.
Szogun Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Canciatta is looking to slow Rua down with leg kicks.
Rua throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Canciatta finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Canciatta misses with a head kick.
Rua moves out of range as Canciatta throws a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Canciatta lands a nice looking body kick.
Canciatta misses with a head kick.
Rua scores with a jab. Canciatta acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Canciatta throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mario Canciatta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Canciatta throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A thudding body kick lands there by Canciatta!
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!
A head kick misses from Canciatta.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Canciatta showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Canciatta has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Canciatta!
During a confident post fight interview, Mario Canciatta thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.