PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alex Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Moye (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alex Rua had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Rua
vs
Moye

180 cm
23
199 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

183 cm
26
200 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Basic striking
Powerful

Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derek Moye!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

It looks like Derek Moye has been cut.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Moye scores with a nice head shot.
Moye lands a nice shot to the body.
Rua throws the left hand but Moye avoids the punch easily.
Moye throws the left hand but Rua avoids the punch easily.
Rua tries to clinch up.

Moye bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Moye working away.
Rua tries to bench press Moye off him but Moye keeps the position.
Rua is trying to buck Moye off.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Rua is trying to control Moye's posture but Moye avoids it.
Rua tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to hold on but Moye postures up.
Rua is looking to improve his position but Moye isn't that keen on the idea.
Rua in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Moye is looking to work his way around to Rua's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

Moye goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rua turns into him and now he's in Moye's guard.
Rua is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Moye blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Rua postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Moye is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rua, into his guard.
Moye postures up.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Moye pushes down on Rua's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Moye stops Rua from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Moye's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Moye's back!
Moye rolls, trying to escape but Rua keeps control of the position.
Moye trying to control the action but Rua just sinks the hooks in.
Moye breaks Rua's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
Moye wants to pass the guard but Rua is keeping the position.
Moye stops Rua from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Moye looking to sit in guard and control but Rua gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rua missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rua misses with a series of wild punches.
Rua takes one to the chin there.
Rua waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Moye.
Moye throws a shot from downtown. Rua moves away and avoids it.

Moye looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Moye trying to pass the guard but Rua defending well.
Rua moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Moye dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Derek Moye's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Moye lands with a nice body punch.
Moye staying out of range there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Moye circles away.
Rua has his takedown stuffed

and Moye counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Rua squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Rua working to try and regain half guard.
Rua squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Moye breaks from Rua's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Moye trying to control but Rua is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Moye.
Moye prevents Rua from getting the reversal.
Moye with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Moye controlling the position easily from mount.

Moye swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rua is now in Moye's guard. A big mistake from Moye there, giving up the dominant position!

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.
Moye not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rua scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rua postures up.
Rua chips away with some ground and pound.
Rua working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Moye's head.
Rua postures up.

Moye is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rua is aware though and is defending well.
Moye looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Moye is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua wants to get up but he can't break Moye's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua throws a big right hand that misses.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Moye lands a slapping body shot.
Moye takes a swing at Rua's ribcage but misses.

Rua gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rua lands a damaging elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Moye's efforts to push away.

Rua gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Rua wants to stand but Moye is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rua postures up.
Rua won't allow Moye to sweep him here.
Moye is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Moye is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rua loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Alex Rua will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Derek Moye'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. This is the final round!

Rua steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Moye.

Rua scores with a takedown into Moye's guard.
Rua throws a strike but Moye rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Moye wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.
Moye slips nicely into half guard.
Rua gets back to full guard.
Moye prevents Rua from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Moye postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rua is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Moye, into his guard.
Moye takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Moye is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.
Moye is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Rua trying to control but Moye is working from the bottom.
Derek Moye has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Moye blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rua looking to pass the guard.
Moye avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rua won't allow Moye to sweep him here.

Rua stands and steps away. Moye gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rua with a lazy takedown attempt

and Moye counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
Rua wants to stand up but Moye is controlling him.
Rua is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua has gone for a leg lock! Moye slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rua's guard.
Rua is trying to keep Moye in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Moye trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Moye drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rua dives on top into guard.
Rua trying to control but Moye is working from the bottom.
Moye wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alex Rua.
I think Rua has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Alex Rua!