PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tapater Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lex Lewis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rua might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Hordes Of Chaos. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rua
vs
Lewis

175 cm
25
140 lbs
9 - 10 - 0

181 cm
23
130 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tapater Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lex Lewis!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lewis shoots in looking for a takedown. Rua tries to sprawl out of it but Lewis keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rua manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lex Lewis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lewis shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rua manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lewis prevents Rua from getting back to his feet.

Rua is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lewis wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

Lewis 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 Lewis has Rua in his guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lewis manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rua manages to get himself to full guard.

Rua looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lewis wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

Rua is looking for a triangle but Lewis pushes his legs off easily.

Rua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lewis trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Lewis is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Despite being in the dominant position, Lex Lewis just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Lewis sprawls well.

Rua closes the distance and pushes Lewis back into the cage.
Lewis can't get the takedown.

Lewis has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rua is trying to keep an underhook but Lewis manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Lewis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.
Rua slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lewis looks gassed!
Lewis wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to work some ground and pound but Lewis has wrist control.
Lewis is pulling down on Rua's head. It's preventing any offense from Rua, at least for the moment.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Lewis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rua won't allow Lewis to sweep him here.
Lewis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rua has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rua with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rua postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Jab, jab by Rua - just one landing.

Lewis scores a takedown into full mount!

Lewis wants to finish this one by submission but Rua is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Lewis.
Lewis prevents Rua from getting the reversal.
Rua is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lewis wants to control the pace but Rua is squirming around nicely.

Lewis working for a submission but Rua is keeping him at bay.
Rua regains half guard.
Rua slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lex Lewis will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lewis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Rua darts in and clinches Lewis up against the cage.
Rua with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Lewis doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lewis won't be happy with that.
Lewis can't do much from the bottom here.

Rua tries for a kimura but Lewis is defending well.
Lewis struggling a bit here.
Lewis manages to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lewis is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rua pulls his head out easily.
Rua trying to control from half guard but Lewis is working away.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lewis's waist but Lewis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rua off to one side.
Rua is looking to clinch but Lewis is avoiding it.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lewis, pushing him back against the cage.
Rua looking to throw knees to the head but Lewis is blocking nicely.
Rua prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lewis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tapater Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lex Lewis.

Rua manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Lewis trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

Rua is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rua throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rua thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Lewis from controlling successfully.
Lewis might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rua kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lewis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lewis shoots and misses

and Rua holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lewis is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rua gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rua scores with a knee to the head.
Rua lands a knee to the head.

Rua pulls guard.
Rua trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Lewis drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lewis jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lewis stops Rua from standing up.

Lewis thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Lewis trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.
Lewis preventing the sweep.
Lewis trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lewis has gone for a leg lock! Rua slips out almost immediately though and dives into Lewis's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to pass the guard but Lewis is keeping the position.
Rua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Lewis is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lewis working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rua doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rua manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rua scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rua throws and elbow that misses. Lewis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rua's guard. Nice move by Lewis!
Rua keeping moving, preventing Lewis from controlling successfully.
Rua trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tapater Rua dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rua tries to clinch up.
Lewis doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rua counters by clinching up.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.

Rua successfully pulls guard.
Lewis trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lewis drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rua looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rua looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rua!
Rua connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Lewis some visible discomfort.
Lewis tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Lewis tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lewis is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lewis taking punishment in the form of punches.
Lewis regains half guard.
Rua thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lewis manages to get to full guard.
Rua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Lewis is looking for a triangle but Rua pushes his legs off easily.
Rua postures up and lands a big shot to Lewis's brow.
Rua is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Lewis working for a triangle but Rua defends it easily.
Rua postures up in Lewis's guard and throws a big left but Lewis blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua won't allow Lewis to sweep him here.
Rua pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lewis is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lewis tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily

and Rua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Lewis utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lewis keeping full guard, as Rua tries to pass.

Lewis looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lewis has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rua has managed to get both his arms back between Lewis's legs - danger averted.

Lewis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rua pushing down on Lewis's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Lewis is looking to control Rua's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lewis avoid being mounted?
Lewis is not content to let Rua control the position.
Lewis trying to hold on to Rua's head to control him but Rua postures up.
Lewis is not content to let Rua control the position.
Lewis trying to hold on to Rua's head to control him but Rua postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rua forces Lewis back against the cage and clinches.
Rua throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rua landing knees to the head.
Rua tries a knee to the head but Lewis blocks it.
Rua gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lewis.
Tapater Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lex Lewis.

Rua decides to pull guard.

Lewis drops back looking for a leg! Rua is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rua manages to kick Lewis off! Lewis jumps back into Rua's guard.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Lewis from controlling successfully.

Rua working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lewis doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lewis manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tapater 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28

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