PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Minard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fedor Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Minard
vs
Rua

182 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
192 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anderson Minard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fedor Rua!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Taro Takaoka and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Minard circles away.
Rua shoots in for a double leg but Minard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rua connects with the punch.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Minard shows good takedown defense.
Anderson Minard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fedor Rua.
Nice takedown defense from Minard. No joy for Rua on that attempt.
Rua looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Minard as he avoids it easily.
Minard throws a head kick that misses.

Rua shoots in and bounces Minard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Minard uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Minard throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rua sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Minard as he avoids it easily.
Rua looks gassed!
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Minard - that will leave a mark!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minard has a takedown stuffed.
Minard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A nice leg kick lands there from Minard.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Minard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Minard wants to clinch.
Rua looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Rua changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Minard looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Minard is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Minard takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Minard is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Minard to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Rua scoring with punches and elbows.
Minard takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Minard is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rua connects with a decent elbow.
Minard tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rua lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Minard down.
Rua just content to control the position.
Rua working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minard takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Minard is pushing Rua's head away, looking to escape. Rua manages to hold on to the position though.
Minard is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Minard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rua cracks Minard with a big right hand but Minard just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Minard gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Rua looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rua lands a heavy elbow.
Rua avoids the attempt from Minard to control.
Rua scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Minard?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua landing strikes from the mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Minard is looking to get to half guard.
Minard wants to hold on but Rua pushes him away.
Rua scoring with strikes but Minard is staying in there.
Minard in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rua with good strikes from the mount here!
Rua avoids the attempt from Minard to control.
Rua with a couple of short strikes.
Minard wants to hold on but Rua pushes him away.
Minard taking shots to the head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Minard can't escape the position.
Rua connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Minard is in a horrible position here. Rua smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Rua.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Rua dominated that 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.

Good work by Minard as he checks the leg kick.
Fedor Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua with a lazy takedown attempt
and Minard counters with a nice body kick.
Minard throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.
Rua tries for a takedown but Minard circles away easily
and Minard counters with a leg kick.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Minard circles away.
Anderson Minard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fedor Rua.

Rua gets a takedown into half guard.
Minard looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rua is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rua prevents Minard from standing back up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rua looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Minard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rua not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rua is tying to control. Minard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rua with a poor takedown
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Minard throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Minard sprawls well.
Minard tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Minard throws a series of punches but Rua moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rua working away.
Minard stops Rua from passing to mount.
Rua tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Rua prevents Minard from escaping the position.
Rua has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Minard is trying to control Rua's posture but Rua avoids it.
Rua cracks Minard with a big elbow.
The ground and pound from Rua seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rua shoots and misses
and Minard counters with a nice low kick that buckles Rua's knee momentarily.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Minard shows good takedown defense.
Minard throws a nice looking combination but Rua bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoids the head kick by Minard.
Minard lands a head kick. Rua smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.
Minard moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Minard looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Minard.

Rua darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rua working Minard over with strikes.
Rua looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Minard is rocked!
Minard trying to control from the bottom.
Oh Minard is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Minard seems to have got his legs back now.
Rua with good strikes from the mount here!
Rua pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Fedor Rua has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rua wants to finish this one by submission but Minard is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Rua.
Rua looking to finish Minard with some ground and pound. This is bad for Minard!
Rua landing strikes from the mount and Minard is in trouble!
Minard sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua is looking to advance position but Minard won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Minard trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Fedor Rua will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Rua shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rua was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rua lands a heavy elbow.
Minard is trying to escape the mount.
Rua is landing with some decent strikes but Minard is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Rua putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Minard is trying desperately to improve position.
Rua lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rua landing punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Minard is working to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Rua.
Rua pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rua looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a big elbow - Minard is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Minard is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Fedor Rua!