PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Juan Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Montanna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Rua
vs
Montanna

199 cm
18
230 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

189 cm
19
230 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Juan Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jimmy Montanna!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Edson Gomes and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rua was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Montanna wants to hold on but Rua pushes him away.
Montanna is trying desperately to improve position.
Montanna wants to control but Rua is having none of it.

Rua is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Montanna has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Montanna!
Montanna stopping the sweep attempt from Rua.
Montanna trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Montanna decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rua, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montanna stuffs the takedown attempt from Rua. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.

Rua darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Rua is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Montanna doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rua.
Montanna avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rua.
Montanna moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Montanna lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rua!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montanna controlling from mount.
Rua is looking to improve his position but Montanna isn't that keen on the idea.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Montanna's attempts to control the action.
Montanna looking to control and managing it successfully.

Montanna stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montanna tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Montanna swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Montanna works over Rua's head and body with a nice combination.
Montanna tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown. Montanna fights it but they end up in guard.
Rua trying to control but Montanna is working from the bottom.
Montanna controls Rua momentarily but Rua frees himself.
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ruais looking to pass into half guard but Montanna pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Montanna is in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
Rua controls Montanna momentarily but Montanna frees himself.

Rua is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Montanna is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Rua looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Montanna passes into half guard.

Rua looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Juan Rua will probably get the nod.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rua shoots and misses
and Montanna counters with a good low kick that Rua was not able to check.

Montanna throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rua was covering up waiting for the punch and Montanna finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rua striking off his back but it's not causing Montanna any problems.

Montanna stands up and waves to Rua to follow him.

Montanna drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Montanna stands up and beckons Rua to his feet.
Rua misses with a takedown

and Montanna counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua working for submissions but it's allowed Montanna to get to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Montanna decides to stand up.
Juan Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua tries for a takedown but Montanna circles away easily

and Montanna counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juan Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Montanna not doing much here.

Rua looking for submissions off his back.
Jimmy Montanna has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is pressing down on Montanna's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rua is trying to keep Montanna in close.
Montanna wants to pass the guard but Rua is keeping the position.
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 keeping moving, preventing Montanna from controlling successfully.

Montanna decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Montanna counters with a shoot takedown. Rua fights it but they end up in guard.
Montanna is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Montanna from controlling successfully.

Montanna decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Montanna fails with the takedown

and Rua counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Montanna!
Rua tries to control but Montanna wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rua is landing with some decent strikes but Montanna is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Montanna tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Montanna is squirming around, avoiding Rua's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rua goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Montanna turns into him and now he's in Rua's guard.
Montanna pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rua is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Montanna showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rua gets a takedown into half guard.
Rua trying to control the action but Montanna is working from the bottom.
Rua takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Montanna is trying to stand back up but Rua is controlling him

Rua is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Montanna defends it well.
Rua slows the pace down in half guard.

Rua stands up and beckons Montanna to join him on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a takedown

and Montanna counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Montanna trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Rua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Montanna controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Montanna decides to stand back up.
Montanna doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rua is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Rua is working for a submission of some sort.
Montanna is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to take a breather but Montanna is having none of it.
Rua thows a huge punch but Montanna dodges it nicely.
Montanna trying to control from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Montanna.
Montanna wants a takedown.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Montanna fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Juan Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Montanna.
Montanna wants to break the clinch but can't.
Montanna wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Montanna tries to break free but Rua pushes him back against the cage.
Montanna tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rua just stands there and leans against the cage.
Montanna working hard to break the clinch.

Rua ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rua no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Montanna won't allow Rua to sweep him here.
Rua is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Montanna wants to get back to full guard.
Rua is just content to waste time from the top position. Montanna takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Rua works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Montanna is not content to let Rua control the position.

Rua wants to work for an arm triangle but Montanna is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rua has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!