PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evan TanHer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua comes to the cage accompanied by I Wanna Be Somebody by: W.A.S.P.. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Rua
vs
TanHer

172 cm
22
165 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
163 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pedro Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Evan TanHer!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Aafke Stam and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
TanHer throws a good cross that connects.

TanHer closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
TanHer misses with a head shot. Rua uses the momentum to regain guard.
TanHer stays in close to Rua's body and controls the position.
TanHer is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.

TanHer has gone for a leg lock! Rua slips out almost immediately though and dives into TanHer's guard.
TanHer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
TanHer 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to control from the top but TanHer keeps moving.
Rua seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
TanHer will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rua wants to control from the top but TanHer keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rua throws a leg kick which misses TanHer's front leg but catches the back leg as TanHer tries to avoid it.
Rua lands with a nice body kick.
TanHer looks gassed!
Rua misses with a head kick.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua lunges at TanHer with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by TanHer's hand.

It looks like Evan TanHer has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
TanHer moves forwards but Rua connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Rua avoids the head kick by TanHer.
TanHer closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. TanHer pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rua connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
TanHer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Rua lands a head kick that stumbles TanHer and the fighters go to the mat.

TanHer is rocked!
Rua wants to control from the top but TanHer keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
TanHer has momentary wrist control but Rua slips an elbow through the middle.
TanHer keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua working some strikes from top position.
Rua distracts TanHer with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rua passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for TanHer!
Rua landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rua controlling the position easily from mount.
TanHer is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rua landing punches.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rua cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
TanHer is looking to get to half guard.
Rua scoring with strikes but TanHer is staying in there.
Rua has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to control but TanHer wriggling away.
Rua lands with some strikes.
Rua tries to control but TanHer wriggling away.
TanHer flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rua is landing with some decent strikes but TanHer is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
TanHer is bucking up trying to escape but Rua cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Rua connects with a massive shot to the dome!
This has been an exciting period of action!
TanHer is squirming around, avoiding Rua's attempts to control the action.
Rua looking to finish TanHer with some ground and pound. This is bad for TanHer!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Rua dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Evan TanHer's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Evan TanHer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
TanHer throws a shot to the body.
TanHer stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and TanHer wants it to stay on the feet.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but TanHer circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
TanHer tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

TanHer closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rua blocking the ground and pound attempt from TanHer.
Rua keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
TanHer missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
TanHer not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
TanHer throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
TanHer missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Rua pushes TanHer off and gets back to his feet.
Rua walks into a left hand.
Rua pivots, looking for a leg kick but TanHer is out of range and Rua settles back down.
TanHer wants to land a leg kick but Rua is out of range.
TanHer stalks Rua and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rua's face. Rua staggers backwards, shaken.
TanHer takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
TanHer closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rua circles away.
TanHer is breathing heavily.
Rua throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
TanHer ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Rua swings and misses with a hook to the body.
TanHer throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from TanHer.
TanHer looks to land a left hand but Rua moved out of range nicely.
TanHer has a takedown stuffed.
Pedro Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Rua misses with a body shot
enabling TanHer to counter with a crisp jab.
Rua misses with a head kick.
Some wild striking there from TanHer.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Rua.
TanHer changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rua tries to avoid it but TanHer manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rua to the ground. Rua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Rua feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to TanHer's calf.
TanHer throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
TanHer throws out a loose jab but Rua uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rua looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? TanHer is fending him off so far but Rua persists. Nope, TanHer circles away and we're back to standing.
Good work by Rua as he checks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rua uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from TanHer.
Rua lands with a nice body kick.
Rua connects with a solid leg kick.
Rua misses with a head kick.
TanHer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from TanHer.
Rua moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rua cracks TanHer with a good jab.
TanHer stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rua.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.
TanHer takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Rua scores with a head kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
TanHer slaps away a takedown attempt from Rua, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rua fakes high and swings low for a body shot but TanHer manages to avoid it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from TanHer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua scoring well with a low kick there.
Rua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rua uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by TanHer.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rua. TanHer shrugs it off though.
TanHer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rua lands a nice leg kick that just misses TanHer's sensitive parts.
Rua lands with a cross.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick
and TanHer counters with a nice uppercut.
TanHer swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
TanHer misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Rua to counter with a crisp jab.
Rua throws a series of punches but TanHer moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Evan TanHer's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

TanHer fails with a takedown attempt.
TanHer changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt
and TanHer counters with a right hand to the body.

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

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

Rua makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Rua.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick and TanHer moves out of range easily.
TanHer looks to land a right hand but Rua moved out of range.
TanHer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
An inside leg kick lands from Rua.
Rua loads up on a big right hand but TanHer slips the punch.

TanHer shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rua is trying to defend but TanHer finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rua pushes TanHer off looking to stand but TanHer dives back in and keeps control.
Rua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that TanHer can do to turn this around?
TanHer misses with a head shot. Rua uses the momentum to regain guard.
Pedro Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
TanHer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rua works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
TanHer with a flurry of punches that miss.
TanHer with a flurry of punches that miss.
TanHer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rua looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
TanHer throws and elbow that misses. Rua uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in TanHer's guard. Nice move by Rua!
Evan TanHer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
TanHer trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rua wants to control from the top but TanHer keeps moving.

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.
Rua's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rua wants to control from the top but TanHer keeps moving.

TanHer 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 controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

TanHer looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rua passes into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Rua seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down TanHer for as long as he can get away with.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Pedro Rua just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rua uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from TanHer.
TanHer throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pedro 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:26
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

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