PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lim Minho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Minho
vs
Rua

185 cm
26
205 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

185 cm
28
204 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lim Minho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Minho throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Minho rushes Rua and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Minho lands a shot to the body.
Minho wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Minho trying to stall but Rua improves his position.
Minho lands a knee to the body.
Rua looks winded!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short body shot lands from Minho as the two fighters clinch.
Minho throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Minho using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Minho misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Minho escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Minho manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Minho has taken the fight into the clinch.

Minho escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Minho moves into range and clinches up with Rua.
Minho working hard to break the clinch.
Minho on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Minho blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minho is looking to control Rua's arms but Rua gets an underhook and turns him. Now Minho has his back to the cage.
Minho blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Minho struggles to land a body shot inside as Rua controls his hands.
Rua comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Minho connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Mauricio Rua has been cut.
Minho lands an uppercut.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Minho.
Minho goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Minho struggles to land a body shot inside as Rua controls his hands.

Minho escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Minho has Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rua as Minho tries to tie him up.
Minho gets through Rua's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Minho obliges.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Minho obliges.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Minho tries a knee to the head but Rua blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoiding damage as Minho throws knees to the body.
Minho using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rua missing with knees to the body.
Minho wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Minho misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rua landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rua blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Minho stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rua tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Minho blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Minho digs a right hand into Rua's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rua's gas tank.
Minho lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rua backwards.
Minho 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.
Rua missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minho misses with an elbow strike.
A right handed body shot lands from Minho.
Rua creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Minho dodges an elbow strike from Rua.
Still in the clinch, Minho scores with a nice short uppercut.
Minho blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

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

Minho clinches.
Minho is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Minho is defending well for now.

Minho's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Minho blocks a head kick by Rua.
Rua tries to clinch there but Minho circles away.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Minho pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Minho.
Minho tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rua pulls guard effortlessly.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Minho has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.
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!

Minho gets to his feet. Rua looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Minho pushes Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua blocking some punches.
Rua lands a knee to the body.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Minho's defenses.

Rua pulls Minho into guard.
Minho has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Minho stops Rua from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lim Minho dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Rua'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 gets tackled into the cage by Minho. Minho maintains the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Minho obliges.
Rua crunches a lovely knee into Minho's ribcage.
Lim Minho has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Minho breaks from the clinch.
Minho feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ruas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Minho closes the distance and clinches.
Minho managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Minho avoids the damage to the body.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Minho pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Minho lands with a left to the head.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Minho avoids the damage to the body.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Minho is defending well for now.
Rua is breathing heavily.

Minho breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Minho has taken the fight into the clinch.
Minho lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minho can't find room to land a body shot as Rua controls the action.
Rua pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Minho tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rua's elbow.
Rua blocks a body shot from Minho.

Minho's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rua instigates a clinch.
Minho managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Stalling in the clinch from Minho.
Minho throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rua blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Minho avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Minho in his tracks for a moment.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rua throws an elbow but misses.
Minho blocks the elbow strike.
Minho is looking to control Rua's arms but Rua gets an underhook and turns him. Now Minho has his back to the cage.
Minho wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Minho scores with a shot to the side of Rua's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Minho throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ruas head.
Minho tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rua's elbow.
Minho throws a punch but it's blocked by Rua.
Minho putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rua in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Minho tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Minho misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Rua throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Minho blocks it with crossed arms.
Minho doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rua fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Minho on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rua missing with knees to the body.
Minho fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Minho breaks from the clinch.
Rua tries to clinch there but Minho circles away.

Minho gets a clinch.
Minho managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Minho lands a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minho wants to break free but Rua has control.
Rua throws an elbow but it misses.
Minho tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Minho wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Minho avoiding damage.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Minho avoids the damage to the body.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Minho is looking to break free of the clinch but Rua has double underhooks.
Minho misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Minho working aggressively here.
Minho misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Still in the clinch, Minho scores with a nice short uppercut.
Minho lands an elbow just above Rua 's eye.
Rua jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Minho walks away with a smile on his face. Rua gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Minho swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.
Rua swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Minho closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Minho is trying to break free.
Minho goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rua missing with knees to the body.
A short right from Minho.
Minho works on Rua's body with a couple of short punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rua obliges.
Rua looking to throw knees to the head but Minho is blocking nicely.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Minho just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rua's brow.
Rua blocks an elbow strike from Minho.
Minho managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Minho looking to slow down the pace here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rua throws an elbow that misses.
Minho on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lim Minho dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Rua's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Minho rushes Rua and presses him up against the cage.
Rua lands a nice elbow.
Minho is trying to break free.
Minho tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rua's elbow.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Minho's defenses.
Minho is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rua can do to turn this around?
Rua avoiding damage as Minho throws knees to the body.

Rua ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rua no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Minho is looking to stand up but Rua won't let him.
Rua is looking to stand up but Minho isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lim Minho has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rua wants to clinch up but Minho keeps it at a distance.
Rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Minho's waist but Minho gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rua off to one side.
Minho misses with a head kick.

Minho moves into range and clinches up with Rua.
Minho is trying to break free.
Rua is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua connects with a nasty looking knee right to Minho's face.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rua obliges.
Nice elbow from Rua.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Minho is defending well for now.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Minho can't break the clinch.
Rua using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Minho has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A frustrated look appears on Minho's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Minho stalling in the clinch but Rua improves position.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Minho.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Minho avoids the damage to the body.
Minho takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Minho's defenses.
Minho misses with some punches.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Minho in his tracks for a moment.
Minho tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rua landing knees to the head.

It looks like Lim Minho has been cut.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Minho.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rua obliges.
Minho takes an elbow to the temple.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Minho's defenses.
Minho avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Minho is defending well for now.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Minho can't find room to land a body shot as Rua controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minho blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Minho can't break the clinch.
Minho blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Minho's defenses.
Minho trying to land knees to the body.
Minho managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Rua's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Minho takes an elbow to the forehead.
Minho with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Minho doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Minho avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.
Rua takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rua missing with knees to the body.
Rua lands a nice elbow.
Minho managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minho tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
Minho takes a knee right on the jaw!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Minho avoids it.
Knees to the body from Rua.
Rua tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Minho avoids it.
Minho stalling in the clinch but Rua improves position.
Minho avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.

Rua jumps into guard, dragging Minho to the mat.
Minho has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Minho is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Minho has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lim Minho!
Lim Minho seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.