PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jerkku Kataja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mauricio Rua will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Kataja
vs
Rua

180 cm
18
209 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

188 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jerkku Kataja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Eliza Hachem and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua throws a left that rocks Kataja and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Rua dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Kataja regain composure!

Kataja is rocked!
Kataja wants to control but Rua postures up.
Oh Kataja is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kataja tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rua wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kataja could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Rua is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kataja is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kataja seems to have got his legs back now.
Kataja is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kataja is working hard here to advance position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kataja.
Rua looks to land a combination but Kataja avoids it well.
Nice takedown defense from Rua. No joy for Kataja on that attempt.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kataja counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Kataja wants to control the pace but Rua is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Kataja's attempts to control the action.
Rua tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kataja postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rua looks a forlorn figure.
Kataja breaks from Rua's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Kataja gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Kataja looking to secure an arm triangle but Rua defends it well.
Kataja is breathing heavily.
Rua keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rua is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Kataja is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rua can't escape the position.
Kataja with the ground and pound from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kataja is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rua has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Kataja misses with a head shot.
Rua really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kataja controlling from the full mount.
Kataja trying to control but Rua is having none of it.
Kataja prevents Rua from getting the reversal.
Kataja working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kataja can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rua is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua is looking to improve his position but Kataja isn't that keen on the idea.
Kataja looking to finish Rua with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rua!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Kataja gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kataja takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kataja sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rua tries to hold on but Kataja pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua tries to buck Kataja off but he can't manage it.
BOOM! Kataja connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Rua is trying to escape the mount.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Kataja gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rua flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Kataja's attempts to control the action.
Rua is desperately trying to improve his position but Kataja has a good base and remains in mount.

Kataja looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kataja putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kataja controlling his opponent.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Kataja's attempts to control the action.
Kataja controlling from the full mount.
Rua wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Kataja lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerkku Kataja dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kataja shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rua won't allow Kataja to pass to mount.
Kataja content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Kataja is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Rua has managed to free his arm - good work.
Kataja tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rua knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kataja scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rua avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kataja.
Kataja 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.
Kataja tries to pass to full mount but Rua defends it.
Rua on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kataja content to control rather than advance.
Kataja trying to control from half guard but Rua is working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to get back to full guard.

Kataja is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Rua has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kataja fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from Kataja. Kataja gets slowly back to his feet.
Kataja on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rua. Rua obviously looking to wear him down.
Kataja looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerkku Kataja. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kataja.
Kataja wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.
Rua tries to buck Kataja off but Kataja is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kataja tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kataja has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Kataja 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 is looking for a sweep.
Kataja lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kataja wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.

Kataja is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rua has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kataja tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kataja has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rua is looking to regain half guard here but Kataja keeps moving and retains side control.
Kataja lands a few punches from side control.
Rua is not content to let Kataja control the position.
Kataja slows the pace down.
Kataja scoring with punches and elbows.

Kataja is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Rua is trying to escape and Kataja transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Rua is forced to tap! Nice work there by Kataja! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jerkku Kataja!