PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Woodrow Higgins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Higgins
vs
Rua

171 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

189 cm
24
205 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Woodrow Higgins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Higgins manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Higgins punching from the bottom.

Rua decides to stand and escape the position.

Rua looking to score a takedown here. Higgins is defending well but Rua drives through and ends up in Higgins's guard.

Rua gets to his feet - Higgins follows without any prompting.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rua gets a double leg takedown into Higgins's guard.

Rua stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua falls off balance throwing a combination
and Higgins counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rua looks winded!

Rua shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Higgins's guard.

Rua thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rua would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Rua drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Higgins manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rua has Higgins in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Higgins trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Rua throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Higgins escapes and throws Rua's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Higgins tries to score with some ground and pound. Rua controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Higgins avoids the strikes from the bottom by Rua.
Higgins throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Higgins stands up and beckons Rua to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Rua. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rua wants to stand but Higgins has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

Rua stands up from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rua circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rua counters with a two punch combo.

Rua feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Higgins had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rua defends it easily.

Higgins looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Higgins takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Higgins is rocked!

Rua shoots and scores a devastating slam takedown! Higgins is unconscious as Rua celebrates over his stricken foe!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Slam). Mauricio Rua!
After winning the bout, Mauricio Rua thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.