PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bubba Rugowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rai Leonardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rugowski
vs
Leonardo

225 cm
38
277 lbs
35 - 15 - 1

202 cm
33
266 lbs
18 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bloodlust Horde Fightwear
Bad Man Clothing

Bad Man Clothing
Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bubba Rugowski!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rai Leonardo!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Seu Braga and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rugowski dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rugowski misses with a right hand
enabling Leonardo to counter with a crisp jab.
Leonardo avoids the head kick by Rugowski.
Rugowski throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rugowski loads up on a big right hand but Leonardo slips the punch.
Rugowski tries to land a front kick but Leonardo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rugowski looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rugowski throws a series of punches but Leonardo moves out of range.
Leonardo throws a leg kick that misses.
Rugowski moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rugowski throws a body kick that misses.
Rai Leonardo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leonardo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rugowski chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rugowski misses with an attempted mid kick.
Leonardo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rugowski.
Leonardo misses with a straight right.
Leonardo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leonardo drops his hands momentarily and Rugowski takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Leonardo tries to bum rush Rugowski with a series of wild strikes but Rugowski uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rugowski throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Rugowski on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Leonardo throws a low kick but Rugowski avoids it.
Leonardo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rugowski blocks the body kick.
Leonardo takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Rugowski really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Rugowski has managed to clinch.
Rugowski tries a body shot but Leonardo blocks it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leonardo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rugowski scores with a shoulder strike.
Leonardo is looking to break free of the clinch but Rugowski has double underhooks.
Leonardo tries to throw a body punch but Rugowski avoids it by throwing Leonardo back against the cage.
I was talking to Rugowski's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A short uppercut from Rugowski.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonardo lands a right hand.
Rugowski on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rugowski makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Leonardo presses Rugowski against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Leonardo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rugowski is defending well for now.

Rugowski breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Leonardo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Leonardo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Leonardo tries to work over Rugowski's front leg with a kick but Rugowski checks it.
Rugowski darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Leonardo throws a half hearted mid kick.
Leonardo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A solid leg kick lands there for Leonardo.
Rugowski has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Leonardo.
Some bone on bone action there as Rugowski checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Rugowski drives through and clinches with Leonardo against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rugowski struggles to land a body shot inside as Leonardo controls his hands.
A right hand to the body from Leonardo.
Rugowski working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rugowski working aggressively here.
Leonardo is trying to break free.
Rugowski throws a head punch that misses.
Leonardo lands a shoulder strike.
Rugowski makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rugowski is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rugowski has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Leonardo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Leonardo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rugowski.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leonardo throws a series of punches but Rugowski avoids them all with ease.
Rugowski throws a predictable looking body shot
and Leonardo counters with a thumping low kick.
Rugowski lands a head shot.
Leonardo closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Leonardo.
Rugowski looks for the body kick but Leonardo saw that one coming.
Leonardo chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rugowski is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Leonardo ducks under a wild hook from Rugowski.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rugowski checks a leg kick.
Rugowski is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Leonardo.
Rugowski misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Leonardo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Leonardo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rugowski. That did some damage!
Rugowski misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Leonardo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Leonardo takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Leonardo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Leonardo lands with a kick to the ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bubba Rugowski will probably get the nod.
That's time! Rugowski's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Leonardo tries a head kick but it misses.
Leonardo is looking to clinch.
Rugowski keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rugowski missing with a left hand there. Leonardo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Leonardo slips under a jab from Rugowski.
Bubba Rugowski is winning the standup battle so far.
Leonardo avoids the body shot from Rugowski.
Leonardo misses with a low kick as Rugowski jumps back.
Rugowski keeps the fight on the outside.
Leonardo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Leonardo throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Rugowski with a jab.
Rugowski connects with a good right hand that stumbles Leonardo. Leonardo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Leonardo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rugowski works the jab nicely.

Rugowski closes the distance and pushes Leonardo back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rugowski prevents Leonardo from breaking the clinch.
Rugowski lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Leonardo.

Leonardo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Leonardo. Rugowski does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rugowski lands a nice shot to the body.
Leonardo tries to work over Rugowski's front leg with a kick but Rugowski checks it.
Leonardo moves out of range as Rugowski strikes.
A nice leg kick lands there from Leonardo.
Leonardo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rugowski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Leonardo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rugowski.
Rugowski ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Good work by Rugowski as he checks the leg kick.
Leonardo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Rugowski.
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!
Rugowski fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Leonardo manages to avoid it.
Rugowski is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Rugowski throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rugowski checks a low kick from Leonardo.
Leonardo walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rugowski checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Leonardo moves out of range as Rugowski strikes.
A big left from Rugowski misses.
Leonardo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rugowski throws a hook but Leonardo blocks it.
Leonardo dips to his left and cracks Rugowski with an uppercut!
Leonardo lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rugowski will feel that in the morning.
Rugowski misses with a head kick.
Rugowski misses with a kick to the body.
Leonardo scores with a jab.
Rugowski jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rugowski lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Leonardo misses with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonardo takes a kick to the side of the head.
Leonardo uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Leonardo scores with a jab to the body.
Rugowski takes a jab right on the kisser.
Leonardo smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Leonardo moves out of range as Rugowski strikes.
Crunch! Leonardo slams his shin into Rugowski's torso.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A lazy left from Leonardo finds it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Leonardo throws a series of punches but Rugowski moves out of range.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Leonardo.
A chopping leg kick lands by Leonardo.
Leonardo tries to work over Rugowski's front leg with a kick but Rugowski checks it.
Leonardo smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Rugowski moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonardo blocks an uppercut.

Leonardo breaks from the clinch.
Rugowski misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rugowski on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Leonardo. Leonardo obviously looking to wear him down.
Leonardo lands a body shot.
Leonardo has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Leonardo lands a leg kick that knocks Rugowski off balance momentarily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Leonardo. That's going to slow Rugowski down.
Rugowski walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Leonardo throws a big shot that misses.
Leonardo lands with a kick to the ribs.
Leonardo thows a body kick. Rugowski tries to catch it but that hurt him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rugowski has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Leonardo.
Leonardo throws the kick towards the body but Rugowski avoids it.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Leonardo, right into the meat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rai Leonardo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

The crowd cheers as Leonardo lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rugowski doesn't seem phased though.

It looks like Bubba Rugowski has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rugowski. Leonardo does a little dance to reset his feet.
A slapping leg kick lands for Leonardo.
Rugowski takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Rugowski gets a clinch.

Rugowski breaks the clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Leonardo.
Rugowski throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Leonardo lands a big head kick that sends Rugowski tumbling to the mat! Leonardo takes a step backwards and waves Rugowski back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Rugowski is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
BAM! Leonardo delivers a spinning backfist that drops Rugowski like a ragdoll! This is all oooooveeeer! He was out before he hit the ground!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Spinning Backfist). Rai Leonardo!
Rai Leonardo is the new heavyweight champion!
A relieved looking Rai Leonardo thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.