PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wanderlei Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Graveston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wanderlei Rua could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Ryan Graveston's chin.

Rua
vs
Graveston

185 cm
26
179 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

182 cm
23
183 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Wanderlei Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ryan Graveston!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rua shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rua showed some decent athleticism there.

Rua is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Graveston is trying to stand.

Rua is looking for a kimura here.

Rua seems to be working for a kimura but Graveston defends the submission attempt.
Graveston is trying to stand back up but Rua is controlling him

Rua is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Graveston has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Graveston is trying to stand up here but Rua is controlling him well.
Rua trying to control from half guard but Graveston is working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Graveston throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rua stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graveston darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Graveston thows a body shot but no joy.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rua takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Rua looks for a takedown but Graveston sprawls well.
Rua is breathing heavily.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.
Graveston keeping full guard, as Rua tries to pass.
Graveston wants to stand and escape but Rua is having none of it.

Graveston pushes Rua off and scrambles back to his feet.
Graveston cracks Rua with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Rua moves out of range of the strikes.

Graveston closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Graveston decides to stand back up. Graveston steps back and let's Rua get back to his feet.
Rua shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Graveston defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wanderlei Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Graveston fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rua sprawls well initially but Graveston persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to maintain the position but Graveston is very close to passing his half guard.
Graveston tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Rua.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rua trying to control here.
Rua is concentrating on defense, preventing Graveston from advancing position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rua gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Graveston counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
Graveston would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rua thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Graveston stands up from Rua's guard - Graveston perhaps looking for a knockout.
Graveston shoots and misses

and Rua counters with a single leg into guard. Graveston didn't expect that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Graveston looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rua passes into half guard.
Graveston looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua wants to work for an arm triangle but Graveston is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Graveston is trying to stand up here but Rua is controlling him well.
Rua landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Rua is looking for a kimura here.
Rua tries to pass to full mount but Graveston defends it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Graveston looking for submissions off his back.

Rua is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Graveston dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Graveston scores a takedown into full mount!
Rua is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rua has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Rua trying to control the position but Graveston manages to sink in the hooks.
You can see the frustration on Rua's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Rua is in a bad position with Graveston working for a choke. Rua manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.

Rua drops back looking for a leg! Graveston is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Graveston manages to kick Rua off! Rua jumps back into Graveston's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Graveston works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Graveston is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rua defends well.

Graveston looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rua passes into side control.

Rua tries for a kimura but Graveston is defending well.

Rua is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Graveston is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Graveston is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Rua is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Graveston is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Rua is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Graveston has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rua wants to control but Graveston is keeping him busy.
Graveston is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rua has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Rua is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Graveston is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Graveston wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Graveston is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rua has his takedown stuffed
and Graveston connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Rua drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Graveston escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rua gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Graveston is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rua is controlling him.
Rua works over Graveston with some ground and pound from guard.

Graveston looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Rua drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rua jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rua thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Rua is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rua jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Graveston wants to stand up but Rua is controlling him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Graveston.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Graveston as he avoids it easily.
Graveston throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Graveston ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.

Rua shoots in and bounces Graveston off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Graveston blocks nicely.

Graveston had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rua defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderlei Rua dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rua slips a straight right by Graveston.
Rua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Graveston swivels and escapes.
Rua takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Graveston saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Graveston sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wanderlei Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Graveston pinned against the cage. Graveston gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Graveston shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Graveston showed some decent athleticism there.
Graveston prevents Rua from improving his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Graveston stands up from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graveston throws a lazy right hand but Rua sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt

and Graveston counters with a single leg into guard. Rua didn't expect that.

Rua has his foot on Graveston's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Graveston works his way back into a safe position though.

Rua is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Graveston is aware though and is defending well.
Graveston wanted to stand there but Rua had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua is looking for a triangle but Graveston pushes his legs off easily.

Graveston decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rua, up you get!
Rua with a poor takedown

and Graveston counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Graveston.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Graveston wants to get up but he can't break Rua's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Graveston stands and steps away. Rua gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Graveston misses with a body shot.
Graveston fails with a takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua fails with the takedown

and Graveston counters with a takedown into side control.

Graveston decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rua to his feet.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua with a lazy takedown attempt

and Graveston counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Graveston is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Graveston is looking for a kimura but Rua is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Graveston to get the leverage.
Graveston content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Graveston tries to stand but as he's on his way up, Rua locks on to a trailing arm. Oh, he's locked on a tight looking armbar - it looks tight! Rua rolls him over and extends the submission further. Graveston is forced to tap! He'll be kicking himself for that sloppy move but that was very slick from Rua!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Wanderlei Rua!