PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ari Finkelstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rua
vs
Finkelstein

187 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ari Finkelstein!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Finkelstein throws a head kick that misses.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Finkelstein saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Finkelstein closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Finkelstein breaks the clinch.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Finkelstein circles away.
Rua shoots in looking for a takedown. Finkelstein tries to sprawl out of it but Rua keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Finkelstein manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcelo Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Finkelstein sprawls well.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Finkelstein shows good takedown defense.

Finkelstein moves into the clinch successfully.
Rua is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Finkelstein pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Finkelstein lands a left hand.
Finkelstein lands a nice elbow.

Finkelstein breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Finkelstein clinches up with Rua and pushes him back against the cage.
Finkelstein unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rua lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Finkelstein lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Finkelstein trying to control the pace.
Rua moves into full guard.
Finkelstein passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Finkelstein is trying to move to mount but Rua reverses beautifully and ends up in Finkelstein's guard.
Rua in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Finkelstein is trying to keep Rua in close.
Finkelstein wants to get back to his feet but Rua is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to control from the top but Finkelstein keeps moving.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Finkelstein wants to stand but Rua is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Finkelstein misses with a jab, cross combination.
Finkelstein looks to land a combination. Rua sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Finkelstein feints and as Rua raises his hands in defense, Finkelstein changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Finkelstein gets to his feet - Rua follows without any prompting.
Ari Finkelstein seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.
Rua avoids a punch combination nicely.
Finkelstein throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

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

Finkelstein breaks from the clinch.
Rua clinches but Finkelstein breaks the clinch

and Finkelstein moves into the clinch.
Rua stalling in the clinch.
Rua fails to pull guard.
Rua goes for a takedown in the clinch but Finkelstein prevents it.

Rua has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Finkelstein uses from the top position.
Finkelstein has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.
Finkelstein stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rua is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rua thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Finkelstein from controlling successfully.
Rua wants to sweep here but Finkelstein controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
Finkelstein landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Finkelstein tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
Rua is looking to break free of the clinch but Finkelstein has double underhooks.
Rua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Finkelstein dominated that round.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rua tries for a takedown but Finkelstein sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rua tries for a takedown but Finkelstein circles away easily

and Finkelstein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rua misses with an elbow strike.
Rua is looking to break free of the clinch but Finkelstein has double underhooks.
Rua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rua is trying to stall.
Rua wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rua tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcelo Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua avoiding damage.

Finkelstein breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua wants to clinch

and Finkelstein counters with a shoot takedown. Rua fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Finkelstein stands up from Rua's guard - Finkelstein perhaps looking for a knockout.

Finkelstein clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finkelstein missing with knees to the body.
Finkelstein stalling against the cage.
Finkelstein lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Marcelo Rua has been cut.
Finkelstein gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Finkelstein lands a nice knee to the body.
Rua is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rua fails to pull guard.
Rua trying to stall but Finkelstein improves his position.
Rua letting Finkelstein take a breather here.

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

Finkelstein closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Finkelstein sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rua defending well though.
Finkelstein wants to stand up but Rua has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to hold on to Finkelstein's head to control him but Finkelstein postures up.
Nice strikes from Finkelstein there.

Finkelstein decides to stand and escape the position.

Finkelstein clinches with his opponent.
Rua jumps guard but Finkelstein stands there with Rua around his waist. Rua gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Finkelstein using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Finkelstein scores with a knee to the head.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finkelstein avoids the head kick by Rua.

Finkelstein has managed to clinch.

Finkelstein manages to break the clinch.
Rua throws a leg kick that is checked

and Finkelstein moves into the clinch.
Finkelstein lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Finkelstein escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rua keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rua thows a leg kick but Finkelstein checks it
and Finkelstein counters with a big head kick but Rua shrugs it off.

Finkelstein throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Rua stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Finkelstein follows into mount!

Rua is rocked!
Finkelstein controlling his opponent.
Oh Rua is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rua working to try and regain half guard.
Finkelstein trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rua seems to have got his legs back now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rua tries to hold on but Finkelstein pushes him away.
Finkelstein sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Finkelstein looking to control but Rua is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua working to try and regain half guard.
Rua tries to hold on but Finkelstein pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Finkelstein showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Marcelo Rua's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Rua tries for a takedown but Finkelstein circles away easily
and Finkelstein counters with a big head kick but Rua shrugs it off.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.

Finkelstein has his feet on Rua's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua misses with a takedown

and Finkelstein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Finkelstein blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Finkelstein breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rua shoots and misses
and Finkelstein counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcelo Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Finkelstein counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Finkelstein throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rua's head.
Finkelstein lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Finkelstein wants a takedown but no success here.
A short right from Finkelstein.
Rua drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

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

and Finkelstein counters with a shoot takedown. Rua fights it but they end up in guard.
Rua trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Finkelstein stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rua is trying to keep Finkelstein in close.

Finkelstein wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Rua's closed guard. He's half up but Rua has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Rua pivots and extends the arm, Finkelstein falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Rua! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Marcelo Rua!