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Stepping Stone 47 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Rio de Janeiro, with a TWGC record of 4 wins and 3 losses; Stephan Letter! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 9 wins and 2 losses; Wanderlei Rua!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Andrew Berry and Colin Fotheringham.
Let's get this grappling contest under way! Who will be victorious?
Rua closes the distance and clinches.
Letter gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Rua regains guard.
Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Letter (2) vs (0) Rua
Letter preventing the sweep.
Rua is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Letter stopping the sweep attempt from Rua.
Rua trying to control the position here.
Letter trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua has Letter pulled in close to control his posture.
Letter is stalling in the full guard.
Letter has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Letter stands and throws Rua's legs to the side, diving into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Letter (5) vs (0) Rua
Rua seems a little lost for a moment, as Letter dominates the positioning.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to control but Letter postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua sneaks back into half guard.
Letter tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rua knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Letter takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Rua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Letter is trying to control the action in half guard but Rua is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua wants to control but Letter is keeping busy.
Letter stalling.
Rua is refusing to be controlled, as Letter sits in half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Letter stalling.
Rua holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Rua manages to get to full guard.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Letter from controlling successfully.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Letter is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Letter postures up.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Letter is one step ahead there.
Rua not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Letter is fighting to break Rua's control of his arms but Rua is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Letter pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rua is keeping the position for now.
Rua looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Letter is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Letter is looking to pass into half guard but Rua pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rua is in guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Letter (5) vs (2) Rua
Rua controlling from the top position.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Letter.
Rua advances position into side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Letter (5) vs (5) Rua
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Letter is being controlled here.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Rua's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Let's hope that Rua has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Letter is looking for a sweep.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Letter trying to control but Rua flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back! Score +3 for taking back: Letter (5) vs (8) Rua
Rua just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Rua has the hooks in. Letter is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
I would not like to be Letter right now.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
More stalling from Rua.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Letter is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Rua is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Rua not allowing Letter to control his hands.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Letter is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Letter is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Rua.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Letter just trying to survive but Rua is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Letter rolls, trying to escape but Rua keeps control of the position.
Rua has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Letter's body.
Letter rolls, trying to escape but Rua keeps control of the position.
And that's the end of the fight!
Rua wins on points by 8 to 5.
During a confident post fight interview, Wanderlei Rua thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him. |
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