PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Michikano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rua
vs
Michikano

179 cm
24
179 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

186 cm
24
175 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio 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, Brian Michikano!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michikano shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rua as he jumps to the side.
Michikano misses with an attempted mid kick.
Michikano throws a right and a left that both miss.
Michikano throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Michikano.
An inside leg kick lands from Rua.
Michikano has a takedown stuffed.
Mauricio Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Michikano.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michikano changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rua tries to avoid it but Michikano manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rua to the ground. Rua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Michikano scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rua scoring well with a low kick there.
Michikano looks for a takedown but Rua sprawls well.

Rua clinches with his opponent.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rua connects with a nasty looking knee right to Michikano's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a damaging elbow.
Rua lands an elbow just above Michikano 's eye.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Michikano shrugs off.
Michikano is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rua gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rua connects with a nasty looking knee right to Michikano's face.

It looks like Brian Michikano has been cut.
Knees to the body from Rua.
Michikano looks gassed!
Rua working Michikano over with knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua lands a damaging elbow.
A bit of stalling here from Rua.
Michikano takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Michikano takes an elbow to the forehead.
Michikano goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rua prevents it.
Nice elbow from Rua.
Michikano takes an elbow to the temple.
Michikano takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rua utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Michikano takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rua slows down the pace here.
Michikano takes a knee right on the jaw!
Michikano takes an elbow to the temple.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Michikano takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rua lands an elbow inside that Michikano shrugs off.
Michikano changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rua fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Brian Michikano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Michikano or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rua connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rua looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Michikano takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rua takes the fight into the clinch.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Michikano in his tracks for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brian Michikano's cut.
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.

Michikano jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Michikano feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Michikano postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Michikano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Michikano trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Michikano postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
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.
Michikano is breathing heavily.
Michikano stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.
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.
Michikano slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rua is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Michikano asserts his dominance and retains side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Michikano fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rua slips a jab and a cross from Michikano.

That's two 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.
Michikano looks to land a right hand but Rua moved out of range.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Michikano paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Michikano has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Rua.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rua.
Rua bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Michikano closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. Michikano pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michikano sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Rua cracks the inside of Michikano's front leg.
Crunch! Rua slams his shin into Michikano's torso.
Michikano chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rua can pounce on him.
Rua looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rua lands with a kick to the temple. Michikano shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Michikano's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
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!
Michikano takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michikano on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rua. Rua obviously looking to wear him down.
Michikano takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mauricio Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Rua lands with a nice body kick.
Rua thumps Michikano with a low kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rua.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua lands with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Brian Michikano's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rua feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Michikano's calf.
Rua thumps Michikano with a low kick.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from Michikano. Michikano gets slowly back to his feet.
Rua feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Michikano's calf.
Michikano tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rua scoring well with a low kick there.
Michikano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michikano takes a swing at Rua's ribcage but misses.
Michikano throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Michikano throws a leg kick
and Rua counters with a leg kick.
Rua dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Michikano. That did some damage!
Michikano has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Rua.
Rua dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Michikano. That did some damage!
Rua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Michikano can do to turn this around?
Rua throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rua throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Rua lands a front kick.
Michikano ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.
Rua connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
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!
An inside leg kick lands from Rua.
Good leg kick by Rua there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua cracks the inside of Michikano's front leg.
Rua looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rua fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Michikano.
Michikano missing with a left hand there. Rua was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Michikano sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rua.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rua.
Mauricio Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua slips a straight right by Michikano.
Brian Michikano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rua.
Rua throws a head kick that Michikano semi-blocks.
A solid body kick from Rua.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Michikano tries to keep at a distance but Rua has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rua connects with a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rua, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:25
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:25

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