PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Burl Buckley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mauricio Rua will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Buckley
vs
Rua

154 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

189 cm
24
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Burl Buckley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Buckley is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.
Buckley could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rua wants to stand but Buckley has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Buckley looking to control.
Buckley wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.

Rua has gone for a leg lock! Buckley slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rua's guard.
Buckley wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Buckley throwing strikes but missing.
Buckley slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Rua wants to stand and escape but Buckley is having none of it.
Rua looks winded!
Rua being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Burl Buckley wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Buckley gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Buckley.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Buckley sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rua avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Buckley.
Rua throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Buckley looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rua with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rua blocking the ground and pound attempt from Buckley.
Buckley moves into full mount! Rua won't be happy about that!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rua is looking to escape.
Buckley working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Buckley has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Buckley takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Buckley tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Rua felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Buckley throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckley working Rua over with strikes here.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Buckley's attempts to control the action.
Rua can't escape the position.
Buckley has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rua's face.
Buckley fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
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!
Buckley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rua is looking to escape.
Rua is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Buckley landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Burl Buckley dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rua throws a left and a right that both miss
and Buckley counters with an outside leg kick.

Rua gets a double leg takedown into Buckley's guard.
Buckley is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Buckley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Buckley wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Buckley lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Buckley might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckley lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rua can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Buckley controls the pace.

Buckley drops back looking for a leg! Rua is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rua manages to kick Buckley off! Buckley jumps back into Rua's guard.

Rua is working an open guard so Buckley takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rua.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckley darts in looking for a takedown but Rua gets double underhooks and turns Buckley into the cage.

Rua is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Buckley can't fight it off and eventually Rua manages to take the fight to the floor. Buckley looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Buckley working a defensive guard here.

Buckley has his feet on Rua's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Buckley was covering up waiting for the punch and Rua finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Rua stands up from Buckley's guard - Rua perhaps looking for a knockout.
Buckley is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good work by Rua as he checks the leg kick.

Buckley scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Buckley decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rua to his feet.

Rua dives in and scores a takedown into Buckley's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Buckley manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Burl Buckley will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Buckley drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Buckley looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rua is avoiding damage well.
Buckley trying to control the position but Rua is working away.
Rua manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Rua looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Buckley is trying to control. Rua wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rua takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Buckley decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Buckley scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Buckley lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rua down.
Buckley just content to control the position.
Burl Buckley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Buckley working the head with strikes.
Buckley works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Buckley looks up at the clock and then as Rua takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Buckley smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Buckley tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Buckley has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Buckley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckley lands a decent elbow from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Buckley decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Buckley scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Buckley stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Rua to get to his feet.
Rua misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Buckley shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rua's guard.
Buckley engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Buckley gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Rua shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Rua is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Buckley defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Buckley moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Burl Buckley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua throws a head kick that half lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Burl Buckley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Buckley, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Burl Buckley!
Mauricio Rua spoke after the fight, saying 'what can I say ? he kick my ass'.