PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raipe Raikas (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.

Rua
vs
Raikas

175 cm
21
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

165 cm
23
148 lbs
3 - 3 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Vitor Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Raipe Raikas!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raikas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Raikas lands with a nice body kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rua checks a leg kick.
Raikas misses with a wild combination.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Raikas scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rua doesn't seem bothered though.
Rua lands with a nice combination. Raikas backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Raipe Raikas has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raikas throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
Raikas connects with a high kick.
Raikas chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rua lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Raikas ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Raikas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rua counters with a leg kick.
Rua uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Raikas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikas closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Raikas misses with a series of wild punches.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Raikas lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Rua is rocked!
Raikas throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rua's head.
Oh Rua is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Raikas misses with a double jab
and Rua counters with a right hand to the body.
Raikas looks gassed!
Rua looks to land a combination. Raikas sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Rua seems to have got his legs back now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Raikas checks the leg kick.
Rua swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Raikas throws a leg kick but Rua checks it.
Raikas misses with a double jab
and Rua counters with a left and a right that stings Raikas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Raikas lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Raikas.
Rua misses with a wild combination.
Rua bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Raikas lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Raikas throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Raikas feints and then cracks Rua's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rua down.
Rua throws and low kick but Raikas moves out of range easily.
Rua scores with a one two! Raikas had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Raikas throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rua scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rua attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raikas avoids the head kick by Rua.
Raikas misses with a double jab
and Rua counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rua throws a series of punches but Raikas avoids them all with ease.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Raikas.
A punch combination from Rua misses.
Raikas slips a jab and a cross from Rua.
Raikas throws a sloppy body shot
and Raikas takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua takes a swing at Raikas's ribcage but misses.
An inside leg kick from Raikas misses.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Raikas. Rua shrugs it off though.
Raikas misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rua is working the combinations to good effect here.
Raikas misses with a double jab
and Rua counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raikas checks a low kick from Rua.
Raikas misses with a double jab
and Rua counters with a two punch combo.
Raikas misses with a combination
and Rua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raikas avoids the head kick by Rua.
Raikas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rua counters with a nice uppercut.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Raikas tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
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 Vitor Rua will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Raipe Raikas's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Raikas throws a leg kick which misses Rua's front leg but catches the back leg as Rua tries to avoid it.
Good leg kick by Raikas there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Raikas in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Raikas throws a combination that misses
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Raikas will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Raikas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Raikas will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rua misses with a double jab
and Raikas counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Rua throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Raikas displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rua throws out the jab.
Vitor Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Raikas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raikas gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Raikas attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikas tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua scores with a jab to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rua, right into the meat.
Raikas misses with a combination
and Rua counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rua avoids a kick to the body.
Rua walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Raikas checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rua scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Vitor Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua throws a one two combo.
Rua scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Left hook, right uppercut from Rua.
Rua throws a leg kick that is checked
and Raikas counters with a series of strikes. Rua will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua throws a series of punches but Raikas moves out of range.
Raikas throws a combination that misses
and Rua counters with a two punch combo.
Rua throws a leg kick that misses.
Raikas looks for the body kick but Rua saw that one coming.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rua!
Raikas throws a combination that misses
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.
Raikas throws a hook but Rua avoids it easily.
Raikas throws a head kick that misses.
Rua blocks a head kick by Raikas.
Rua connects with a jab.
Rua throws a series of punches but Raikas avoids them all with ease.
Raikas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raikas connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Raipe Raikas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Raikas checks a leg kick.
Raikas is looking to slow Rua down with leg kicks.
Raikas has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Raikas bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Raikas misses with a double jab
letting Rua counter with a right hand.
A nice inside leg kick there by Raikas. That's going to slow Rua down.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rua, as that shot connected.
Raikas throws a series of strikes that have Rua backpedaling.
Rua lands a nice hook to Raikas's body. Raikas takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Rua fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Raikas misses with a body shot
letting Rua counter with a right hand.
Raikas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rua counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Raikas misses with a combination
and Rua counters with a left to the body.
Raikas misses with a hook.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Raikas pushes Rua away with a front kick.
Raikas is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rua rather than just go for the knockout.
A punch combination from Rua misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raikas throws a combination that misses
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Raikas will be more careful next time no doubt.
Raikas blocks a head kick by Rua.
Raikas's corner calls for a 1-2. Raikas obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Raipe Raikas's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Raikas throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Rua takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A punch combination from Raikas misses.
Raikas takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rua pivots, looking for a leg kick but Raikas is out of range and Rua settles back down.
Raikas throws a head kick that misses
and Raikas takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Raikas on the side of the head.
Rua digs a good body shot into Raikas's ribs.
Rua scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Raikas checks the leg kick.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice body kick from Raikas.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Raikas misses with a body shot
and Rua counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a body shot.
Rua just misses with a punch to the body.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rua!
Raikas throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Raikas misses with a body kick.
Raikas pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rua is out of range and Raikas settles back down.
Rua is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Raikas misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Rua counters with a left and a right that stings Raikas.
Rua avoids the head kick by Raikas.
Rua lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Raikas throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Raikas misses with a combination
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Raikas will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rua will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Raikas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raikas.
Raikas looks to land a body kick but Rua moved away.
Rua lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Raikas throws a combination that misses
letting Rua counter with a right hand.
Rua takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Raikas misses with a combination
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Raikas will be more careful next time no doubt.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Raikas throws a shot from downtown. Rua moves away and avoids it.
Rua avoids the head kick by Raikas.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rua.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rua, as that shot connected.
A left and a right from Rua both land. Nice combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raikas scores with a one two! Rua had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Raikas throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.
Raikas connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rua will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Raikas lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rua throws and low kick but Raikas moves out of range easily.
A head kick misses from Raikas.
Raikas takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rua cracks Raikas with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Raikas pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rua moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
An inside leg kick lands from Raikas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Raikas has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Raikas wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Rua lands with a nice combination. Raikas backs away looking to recover.
Raikas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Raikas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rua counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rua throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Raipe Raikas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raikas scoring well with a low kick there.
Raikas is looking to land body kicks.
Vitor Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua cracks a nice hook into Raikas's ribs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

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