PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Shoga Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aliff Asyraf (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
Asyraf

176 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shoga Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Aliff Asyraf!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua gets a takedown into half guard.
Asyraf is holding on to half guard well.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but Asyraf is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rua tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Asyraf moves into full guard.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Asyraf.
Asyraf pulls Rua in close to his closed guard and prevents Rua from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Asyraf blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asyraf looking for a sweep. Not yet Asyraf, not yet.
Asyraf preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Asyraf wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rua accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Asyraf pulls Rua in close to his closed guard and prevents Rua from doing any damage or advancing position.
Rua throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Asyraf.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Asyraf on the ground.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rua trying to control but Asyraf is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Asyraf gets tackled into the cage by Rua. Rua maintains the clinch.
Rua jumps guard but Asyraf stands there with Rua around his waist. Rua gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rua fails to pull guard.
Asyraf drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rua pulls his leg out and moves away.
Asyraf misses with a takedown

and Rua counters with a head kick that drops Asyraf to the mat! Asyraf scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Asyraf is rocked!

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rua is nestled in close to Asyraf, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rua throwing shots but Asyraf is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Asyraf gets back to full guard.
Asyraf keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Asyraf keeping full guard, as Rua tries to pass.
Asyraf controlling Rua's posture.
Asyraf looks gassed!

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.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Asyraf pushes Rua off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rua throws a nice looking combination but Asyraf bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Shoga Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aliff Asyraf.
Rua throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Asyraf.
Rua moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rua throws a shot to the body.
Rua is looking to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shoga Rua dominated that round.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rua shoots in and bounces Asyraf off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Asyraf is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Asyraf passes the guard and advances to mount!
Rua tries to hold on but Asyraf pushes him away.
Asyraf is breathing heavily.
Asyraf controlling the pace for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is desperately trying to improve his position but Asyraf has a good base and remains in mount.
Rua is working hard here to advance position.
Asyraf controlling from the full mount.

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.

Asyraf stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Rua fails with the takedown

and Asyraf counters with a shoot takedown. Rua fights it but they end up in guard.
Rua trying to control the position.
Asyraf controls from within his opponent's guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua looks to clinch

and Asyraf counters with a single leg into guard. Rua didn't expect that.
Rua is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rua is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Asyraf drops back looking for a leg! Rua is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rua manages to kick Asyraf off! Asyraf jumps back into Rua's guard.
Asyraf wants to pass the guard but Rua is keeping the position.
Aliff Asyraf has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Asyraf works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Asyraf blocks the strikes from Rua.
Asyraf seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rua does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Asyraf throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Asyraf keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aliff Asyraf showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rua tries to clinch up

and Asyraf counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Rua is looking for a sweep.
Rua is trying to escape the position but Asyraf is controlling the position.
Asyraf trying to control the position but Rua is working away.
Rua can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A control attempt from Rua but he's now mounted!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to control Asyraf's body but Asyraf pushes him off. Rua squirms to his side and now Asyraf has his back!
Asyraf has good solid back control here.
I really don't envy Rua right now.

Asyraf has got one arm under Rua's chin. This could be trouble... Rua trying to control the other hand but Asyraf gets it free and sqeezes tight - just a matter of time now! Yep, Rua has tapped out! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Aliff Asyraf!