PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ray Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Hardin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Rua
vs
Hardin

175 cm
19
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

200 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

Dangerous GnP
Good low kicks
Heavy handed

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ray Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Hardin!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua instigates a clinch.
Rua is pressed up against the cage. Hardin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rua down to the mat. Rua avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Rua has closed the distance and engaged Hardin in a clinch.
Hardin tries to pull guard but Rua holds him up against the cage and eventually Hardin drops back down to his feet.
Rua is pressed up against the cage. Hardin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rua down to the mat. Rua avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ray Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Hardin.
Rua scores with a three punch combo!
Hardin looks for a takedown but Rua sprawls well.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from Hardin. Hardin gets slowly back to his feet.
Rua stuffs the takedown.

Rua has Hardin up against the cage in a clinch.

Rua breaks the clinch.
Ray Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a lazy head kick
and Hardin counters with a nice uppercut.
Hardin fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardin blocks the body kick.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hardin, pushing him back against the cage.
Hardin is trying to force a seperation but Rua has the dominant position.
Hardin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Rua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rua ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hardin looks for a takedown but Rua sprawls well.
Hardin looks gassed!
Rua blocks a head kick by Hardin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hardin stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rua lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Hardin backs up against the cage.
Rua motions for Hardin to come forward. Rua throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Rua closes the distance and pushes Hardin back into the cage.
Hardin has had enough of the clinch but Rua keeps him there for the moment.

Rua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rua lands a two punch combo.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick
and Hardin counters with a nice body kick.
Rua throws a leg kick but Hardin sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hardin on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin fails to land the takedown.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Rua digs a good body shot into Hardin's ribs.
Rua scores with a punch to the head.
Rua goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hardin, pushing him back against the cage.

Rua breaks the clinch.
Hardin has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rua finds it's way round the side to connect with Hardin's head.
Rua displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Hardin is rocked!
Hardin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hardin is still on wobbly legs! Can Rua finish him?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua throws a head kick but Hardin moves out of range.

Hardin gets tackled into the cage by Rua. Rua maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hardin seems to have recovered his senses.
Rua looks for the body kick but Hardin saw that one coming.
Hardin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rua scores with a one two! Hardin had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Rua drives through and clinches with Hardin against the cage.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Hardin takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rua goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hardin is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rua.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua throws a head kick but Hardin moves out of range.
A nice combination there by Rua.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Rua dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Jab from Rua.
Hardin avoids a kick to the body.
Hardin closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rua counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hardin moves out of range of the body kick from Rua.

Rua has managed to clinch.
Rua has had enough of the clinch but Hardin keeps him there for the moment.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Hardin shoots for a double leg takedown but Rua sprawls well. He's pushed Hardin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A combination from Rua does no damage.
Hardin doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rua counters with a one-two to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rua tries to avoid it but Hardin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rua to the ground. Rua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ray Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Hardin.
Hardin is breathing heavily.
Rua lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Hardin backs up against the cage.
Hardin fails with the takedown

and Rua counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rua.
Hardin wants to take the fight to the mat but Rua manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rua pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Hardin back to the cage. Rua follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Rua throws a leg kick that misses.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua misses with a head kick.
Rua lands with a good body shot.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ray Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Rua has Hardin up against the cage in a clinch.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Ray Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua cracks Hardin with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Hardin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Hardin is trying desperately to land a takedown but Rua is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Hardin.

Rua gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hardin can do to turn this around?
Hardin is trying to break the clinch but Rua is controlling him.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A combination from Rua does no damage.
Rua scores with a one two! Hardin had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Hardin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Rua lands a nice shot to the body.
Rua scores with a nice right hand.
Rua lands a nice shot to the body.
Rua lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hardin circles away quickly and effectively.
Rua lands a nice looking kick to the body. Hardin takes a step back to recover.
Some wild striking there from Rua.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Rua.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua lands with a shot to the body.
Rua throws a head kick but Hardin moves out of range.
Hardin slips a jab and a cross from Rua.
Nice straight punches there by Rua. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Rua.
Nice sprawl there from Rua as Hardin shoots in.
Rua lands with a kick to the temple. Hardin shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Rua darts in and clinches Hardin up against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rua smiles and moves away.
Rua walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hardin checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Rua dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Hardin has his takedown stuffed
and Rua counters with a left and a right that stings Hardin.
Rua tries to bum rush Hardin with a series of wild strikes but Hardin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hardin with a poor takedown

and Rua counters by clinching up.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Rua works over Hardin's head and body with a nice combination.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rua throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hardin.
Rua throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Hardin counter with a right hand.
Ray Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Hardin drops his hands momentarily and Rua takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Hardin.
Rua pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Hardin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Hardin counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Hardin tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.

Rua has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hardin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ray Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Hardin.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Rua is looking to wear down Hardin with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hardin has a takedown stuffed.
Left hook, right uppercut from Rua.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua's jab looks to have found its range, popping Hardin under the eye.
Rua scores with a nice right hand.

Rua forces Hardin back against the cage and clinches.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
A left and a right from Rua both land. Nice combination.
Rua comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rua counters with a right hand to the body.
Hardin slips a jab and a cross from Rua.
Hardin avoids a kick to the body.

Rua clinches.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a head kick.
Hardin fails with the takedown
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Hardin will be more careful next time no doubt.
A punch lands to the side of Hardin 's head but he takes it in his stride.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rua tries to land a front kick but Hardin steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hardin closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rua counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardin on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rua thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Hardin if he has to take too many more of those.
Hardin avoids the head kick by Rua.

Rua has closed the distance and engaged Hardin in a clinch.
Hardin is trying to pull guard but Rua turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Rua.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua wants to land a leg kick but Hardin is out of range.
Rua moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Mike Hardin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ray Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rua 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Rua!