PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rui Rodrigues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rua
vs
Rodrigues

197 cm
20
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rocco Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rui Rodrigues!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodrigues tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Rodrigues looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rua is fending him off so far but Rodrigues persists. Nope, Rua circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua misses with a looping right.
Rodrigues dodges the punch combination from Rua.
No luck for Rodrigues with that takedown attempt.
Rodrigues looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rodrigues pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rodrigues checks the leg kick.
Rodrigues uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rua.
Rua misses with a combination

and Rodrigues counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rodrigues postures up.
Rodrigues trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rodrigues in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Rua pushes Rodrigues off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rodrigues closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rua circles away.
Rocco Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rui Rodrigues.
Rua falls off balance throwing a combination

and Rodrigues counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Rua is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigues wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rua, who protects the arm well.
Rodrigues should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rodrigues looks gassed!
Rua struggling a bit here.
Rua is not content to let Rodrigues control the position.
Rua is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua gets back to half guard.
Rua works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rua controls Rodrigues momentarily but Rodrigues frees himself.
Rua pulls Rodrigues in to control the position.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but Rodrigues is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rua is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Rua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rua is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rodrigues wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

Rodrigues drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rua manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rodrigues has Rua in his guard.
Rua slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rodrigues gets a takedown into half guard.
Rua tries to roll over but Rodrigues keeps him under control.

Rodrigues stands up out of the half guard.

Rua looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Rua decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rodrigues is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rodrigues lands an elbow inside.
Rua working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rua jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rodrigues walks away with a smile on his face. Rua gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rua tries to clinch up

and Rodrigues counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Rodrigues fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Rodrigues decides to stand back up.
Rodrigues gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rodrigues wants to control but Rua is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua not doing much here.
Rua missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rua looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rua is stalling here. Rodrigues is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Rua seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Rodrigues has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to regain half guard here but Rodrigues keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Rua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rua is looking for a sweep.
Rui Rodrigues has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rua is trying to control Rodrigues's posture but Rodrigues avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Rodrigues swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rocco Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rodrigues tries a head kick but it misses.
Rodrigues shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rua cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rocco Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rodrigues gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rodrigues is trying to keep Rua in close.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rua stands up from Rodrigues's guard - Rua perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rua shoots and misses

and Rodrigues counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rui Rodrigues will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rodrigues has his takedown stuffed
and Rua counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Rodrigues throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rua.

Rua moves into the clinch.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Rodrigues will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Rua closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rua lands in his opponent's guard.
Rodrigues is looking to stand up but Rua isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Rua grinds an elbow into Rodrigues's temple.
Rua takes a little break here. Rodrigues wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Rodrigues misses with an elbow from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rodrigues is trying to get back to his feet.

Rua decides to stand back up.
Rua misses with a wild combination.

Rua darts in and clinches Rodrigues up against the cage.
Rua lands a knee to the head.
Rua lands a hook that snaps the head of Rodrigues backwards.

Rodrigues breaks the clinch.

Rua scores with a takedown into Rodrigues's guard.
Rodrigues looking for a sweep. Not yet Rodrigues, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues wants to stand and escape but Rua is having none of it.
Rua wants to pass the guard but Rodrigues is keeping the position.
Rodrigues is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rodrigues wants to stand and escape but Rua is having none of it.

Rua decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rua lands a head kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rodrigues avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rodrigues lands a head kick!

Rodrigues tries to keep at a distance but Rua has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rua gets underhooks to prevent Rodrigues's takedown attempt.
Rocco Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rui Rodrigues.
The referee calls for Rua to work.
Rocco Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rua unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rodrigues lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rodrigues tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rua smiles and moves away.
Rua wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocco Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rodrigues has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!