PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Suazo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcelo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcelo Rua acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Suazo
vs
Rua

188 cm
20
187 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

187 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aaron Suazo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Rua!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suazo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rua's waist but Rua gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Suazo off to one side.
Suazo lands with a nice body punch.

Suazo feints and as Rua raises his hands in defense, Suazo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rua not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Suazo is fighting to break Rua's control of his arms but Rua is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Rua wants to sweep here but Suazo controlling him for the moment.
Rua is trying to control the position but Suazo postures up.

Rua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Suazo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Suazo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Suazo throwing strikes from guard but Rua blocks nicely.
Suazo is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.
Rua trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua keeping full guard, as Suazo tries to pass.
Rua wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Suazo from controlling successfully.

Suazo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Suazo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rua looks gassed!
Rua manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rua won't let Suazo get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suazo is trying to escape the mount.
Suazo wants to control but Rua is having none of it.
Rua trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rua takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Suazo is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Suazo reaches up to try and control the position but Rua seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Suazo rolls and tries to escape and now Rua has his back!
Rua biding his time, looking for the opening.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Rua's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Suazo trying to control the hands but Rua won't let him.
Suazo staying busy and making it hard for Rua to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcelo 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.

Rua fails with the takedown

and Suazo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Rua wants to hold on but Suazo pushes him away.
Suazo trying to control but Rua is having none of it.
Suazo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Suazo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rua on the ground.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Suazo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suazo tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Suazo avoids the attempt from Rua to control.
Suazo blocks Rua's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rua sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Suazo blocks the strikes from Rua.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rua moves into full guard.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Suazo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Suazo trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

Rua is working an open guard so Suazo takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Suazo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rua sprawls well initially but Suazo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rua keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Suazo with the ground and pound but Rua uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Suazo stands up from Rua's guard - Suazo perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Suazo counters with an inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suazo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Suazo has Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua tries for a takedown. No joy.
Aaron Suazo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcelo Rua.
Rua slows down the pace here.
Suazo connects with a knee to the head.

Rua manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Suazo trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua working a defensive guard here.

Rua is working an open guard so Suazo takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Suazo dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Suazo gets a takedown into half guard.
Rua is looking to escape.
Rua works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rua working a defensive guard here.

Suazo stands up from Rua's guard - Suazo perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rua has his takedown stuffed

and Suazo counters with a single leg into guard. Rua didn't expect that.
Suazo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Suazo wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suazo tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.

Suazo drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rua dives on top into guard.
Suazo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Suazo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Rua tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Suazo on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Rua trying to control the position but Suazo is working away.
Rua scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Suazo to see if he's OK.
Check out the look on Rua's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to move to mount but Suazo blocks the move with his legs.
Suazo tries to bench press Rua off him but Rua keeps the position.
Rua controlling the position.
Suazo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Suazo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rua's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Suazo trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Rua decides to stand and escape the position.
Suazo shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense.
Rua throws a head kick but Suazo moves out of range.
Rua blocks a head kick by Suazo.
Rua shoots and misses

and Suazo counters by clinching up.
Suazo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rua is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rua is looking to break free of the clinch but Suazo has double underhooks.

Rua jumps guard and drags Suazo to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Suazo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Suazo 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Suazo!