PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Shogun Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tomi Bobusto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tomi Bobusto has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rua
vs
Bobusto

180 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
21
135 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 Tokyo, Shogun Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tomi Bobusto!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Sano and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bobusto shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Bobusto showed some decent athleticism there.
Rua tries to kick Bobusto off but Bobusto keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Bobusto trying to control from half guard but Rua is working away.

Bobusto stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Rua to get to his feet.
Bobusto dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Rua throws a nice looking combination but Bobusto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bobusto is looking to score with low kicks.
Rua scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Horrible takedown by Bobusto or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.
Rua throws a body punch but Bobusto moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from Rua.
Bobusto tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bobusto was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick from Bobusto.

Bobusto shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rua keeping full guard, as Bobusto tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bobusto stands and throws Rua's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Bobusto passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Rua!
Rua blocking the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bobusto throwing strikes here but Rua is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Bobusto looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rua wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Bobusto has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Bobusto looking to control and managing it successfully.
Bobusto throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bobusto punching from mount but Rua doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Bobusto thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Bobusto unloads with some shots from mount but Rua bucks and avoids them well.
Bobusto sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rua really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rua avoids a series of strikes thrown by Bobusto.
Bobusto tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Bobusto misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Bobusto content just to control the position here.
Bobusto's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rua is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bobusto on the ground.
Bobusto controlling the position easily from mount.
Rua in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomi Bobusto dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rua gets caught flat footed, as Bobusto shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bobusto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bobusto 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.
Bobusto throwing strikes but missing.
Bobusto trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tomi Bobusto just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bobusto fails with a takedown attempt.
Bobusto shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rua sprawls well. Rua wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bobusto gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bobusto dives in and grabs Rua's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes down on Bobusto's head and hops out.
Shogun Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tomi Bobusto.
Rua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rua getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Shogun Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bobusto takes one to the side of the head.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bobusto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Bobusto dives in and grabs Rua's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes down on Bobusto's head and hops out.
Rua swinging wilding here.
Nice takedown defense from Rua. No joy for Bobusto on that attempt.
Rua swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bobusto gets a takedown into half guard.
Bobusto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.

Bobusto is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rua is staying active underneath Bobusto, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bobusto stalling.
Rua is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bobusto stands up and beckons Rua to join him on the feet.
Bobusto shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense.
Bobusto throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rua counters with a two punch combo.
Bobusto dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Shogun Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Bobusto.
Rua bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Bobusto's head.
Rua misses with a body shot.
Bobusto misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bobusto closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. Bobusto pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bobusto misses with a two punch combination.
Bobusto shoots for a takedown but Rua saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bobusto with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rua makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rua's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Rua duly obliges.
Bobusto throws out a leg kick but Rua moves out of range and Bobusto only half commits.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bobusto.

Bobusto is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rua is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rua on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rua tries to get out of the position.
Bobusto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.
Rua wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomi Bobusto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bobusto misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rua tries to bum rush Bobusto with a series of wild strikes but Bobusto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bobusto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bobusto ducks right into an uppercut from Rua.
Rua throws a series of punches but Bobusto moves out of range.
Rua is looking to wear down Bobusto with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rua with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Bobusto has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bobusto misses with a takedown attempt - Rua sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Shogun Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tomi Bobusto.
Bobusto has his takedown stuffed
and Rua counters with a left to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bobusto shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rua but Rua pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Bobusto scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rua is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Rua is being controlled here.
Tomi Bobusto has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rua is pushing Bobusto's head away, looking to escape. Bobusto manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bobusto landing strikes.
Bobusto trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
Bobusto advances to full mount.

Bobusto looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Bobusto throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bobusto connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Bobusto tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Bobusto is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Bobusto thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Bobusto looking to isolate an arm here. Rua doesn't see it coming and as Bobusto extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Bobusto!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tomi Bobusto!