PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Murilo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bert Baaren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rua
vs
Baaren

205 cm
26
270 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
19
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Murilo Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bert Baaren!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baaren throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
A head kick misses from Baaren.
A shot to the liver by Rua. Beautiful body shot.
Rua scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Bert Baaren has been cut.
Rua lunges at Baaren with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Baaren's hand.
Rua lands with a nice combination. Baaren backs away looking to recover.
Rua comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rua throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Baaren stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rua lands a two punch combo.
Baaren looks gassed!
Baaren tries a head kick but it misses.
Baaren swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rua counters with a right hand to the body.
Rua lands with a right hand.
Baaren takes a jab right on the kisser.

That has opened up Bert Baaren's cut even more.
Bert Baaren seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baaren needs to keep his hands up - Rua had a free shot at his head there.
Good standup being displayed there by Rua as he connects with a hook.
Rua stuns Baaren with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rua lands with a shot to the body.
Rua scores with a hook to the body. Baaren takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rua connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rua.
Rua is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Baaren takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rua goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Baaren takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

The cut above Bert Baaren's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Rua scores with a nice head shot.
Rua lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua lands a nice hook to Baaren's body. Baaren takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rua!
Rua is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Rua throws a shot to the body.
Rua is working the combinations to good effect here.
Rua lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Baaren at a distance.

Rua clinches up with Baaren and pushes him back against the cage.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
Rua lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Rua - that landed with a thud.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rua.
Rua lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rua presses Baaren against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
Rua lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rua lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Rua as the two fighters clinch.
Rua lands a nice uppercut.
Rua lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Baaren wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rua throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Baarens head.
Rua lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rua lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Rua for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Baaren's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rua lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Baaren.
Rua lands a right hand.
Rua lands with a short shot to the head.
Baaren wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Rua lands a shoulder strike.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rua.
A short uppercut from Rua.
Rua works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Baaren tries to circle away but Rua has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Rua.
Rua lands a shoulder strike.
Rua is leaning against Baaren and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rua lands an uppercut.
Rua lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Rua - that landed with a thud.
Rua lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rua working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short left from Rua.
Rua softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rua lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baaren or not.
Rua cracks Baaren with a nice body shot.
Rua will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Baaren up against the cage.
Rua seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Rua lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baaren or not.
Rua lands with a left to the head.
A right handed body shot lands from Rua.
Baaren wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
Baaren's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rua lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Baaren.
Rua lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Baaren.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rua avoiding damage.
Rua lands an uppercut.
Rua pushes Baaren back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Baaren is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rua is leaning against Baaren and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rua keeps control of Baaren as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rua lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
Baaren is trying to break the clinch but Rua is controlling him.
Rua presses Baaren against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
Rua lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rua lands a body shot in the clinch.
Baaren has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rua digs a right hand into Baaren's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Baaren's gas tank.
Rua lands with a short shot to the head.
Baaren is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rua lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nice body punch from Rua.
Rua lands an uppercut.
Rua lands a body shot.
Rua makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rua lands a left hand.
Rua lands with a light punch inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Baaren shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Rua works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Baaren throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
Rua closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Rua thuds his right hand into Baaren's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rua blocks a head kick by Baaren.
Rua jabs at Baaren's body.
A cross from Rua lands.
Rua throws out a powerful jab.
Baaren takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rua!
Rua with a hook.
Baaren takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rua lands a body shot.
Rua is looking to wear down Baaren with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rua works Baaren's body with a nice hook.
Bert Baaren is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a jab to Baaren's midsection.
Rua scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Rua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
Rua makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Baaren misses with an elbow strike.
Rua lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rua digs a right hand into Baaren's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Baaren's gas tank.
Baaren is trying to break the clinch but Rua is controlling him.
Rua pushes Baaren back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rua pushes Baaren back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rua cracks Baaren with a nice body shot.
Baaren has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Baaren working hard to break the clinch.
Rua lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baaren can do to turn this around?
Rua lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Rua lands a right hand.
Baaren is looking to break free of the clinch but Rua has double underhooks.
Rua has Baaren pushed against the cage.
Rua prevents Baaren from breaking the clinch.
Rua pushes Baaren back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rua lands a body shot.
Rua lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baaren working hard to break the clinch.
Rua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
A right handed body shot lands from Rua.
Rua scores with a shoulder strike.
Baaren wants to break free but Rua has control.
Baaren is trying to break the clinch but Rua is controlling him.
Rua works on Baaren's body with a couple of short punches.
Rua scores with a nice hook to the head.
A hook to the body from Rua.
Rua scores with a shoulder strike.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Baaren is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rua lands a left hand that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
Rua throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Baarens head.
Rua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.
Rua lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rua digs a right hand into Baaren's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Baaren's gas tank.
Still in the clinch, Rua scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rua softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rua lands a body punch.
Rua scores with a shoulder strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rua creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Rua.
Baaren tries to circle away but Rua has him pinned against the cage.
Rua lands an uppercut.
Baaren looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rua.
Rua lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rua lands a left hand.

Baaren escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baaren throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baaren tries a head kick but it misses.
Baaren takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rua comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Baaren walks into a jab.
Nice body punch from Rua.
Rua lands with a right hand.
A shot to the liver by Rua. Beautiful body shot.
Baaren closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Baaren misses with a head kick.
Rua lands a jab-cross combination.
Baaren pulls out of a head kick attempt.

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 stuns Baaren with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rua lands with a hook. Baaren tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rua scores with a jab to the jaw.
Baaren tries a head kick but it misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rua, as that shot connected.
Baaren takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rua lands a lovely overhand right.
Rua lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rua works Baaren's body with a nice hook.
Rua lands with a nice body punch.
Baaren falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Rua to counter with a crisp jab.
Baaren tries a head kick but it misses.
A shot to the liver by Rua. Beautiful body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Murilo Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bert Baaren's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rua closes the distance and pushes Baaren back into the cage.

Baaren breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rua avoids the head kick by Baaren.
Rua lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Baaren throws a combination that misses

and Rua moves into the clinch.
Rua digs a right hand underneath Baaren's ribcage. Baaren let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rua lands a right hand.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Rua lands an uppercut.
Rua lands with a light punch inside.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
Rua is leaning against Baaren and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rua cracks Baaren with a nice body shot.
Rua lands a nice uppercut.
Rua lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rua lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua scores with a nice hook to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rua creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rua scores with a shoulder strike.
Rua lands a shot to the body.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Baaren tries to circle away but Rua has him pinned against the cage.
Rua gets through Baaren's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baaren is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rua is leaning against Baaren and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rua throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Baarens head.
Rua works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nice body punch from Rua - that landed with a thud.
Rua lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rua lands a shoulder strike.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Baaren wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Baaren wants to break the clinch but can't.
Baaren wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Still in the clinch, Rua scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rua works on Baaren's body with a couple of short punches.
Rua pushes Baaren back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rua presses Baaren against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rua lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rua lands a body shot in the clinch.
Good body shot from Rua.
A short right from Rua.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rua lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rua scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short body shot lands from Rua as the two fighters clinch.
Rua lands a right hand.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rua.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Baaren is trying to break free.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rua.
Baaren tries to circle away but Rua has him pinned against the cage.
Rua is leaning against Baaren and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Baaren tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rua.

Baaren pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rua lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Baaren backs up against the cage.
Rua pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Baaren back to the cage. Rua follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Baaren throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rua's head.
Baaren tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua throws a shot to the body.
Murilo Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick misses from Baaren.
Baaren swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Rua counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rua.
Rua lands with a left to the head.
Rua lands with a left to the head.
Rua dodges an elbow strike from Baaren.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A short right from Rua on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Rua.
A right handed body shot lands from Rua.
Rua works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A right handed body shot lands from Rua.
Rua pushes Baaren back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rua scores with a nice hook to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rua.
Baaren wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rua lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rua.
Baaren working hard to break the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Rua scores with a nice short uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rua.
Rua lands a body punch.
Baaren takes a shot to the head.
Rua lands a body punch.
Nice body punch from Rua.
A short left from Rua.
Rua lands a right hand.
Nice body punch from Rua - that landed with a thud.
Rua lands a body punch in the clinch.
Baaren tries to break free but Rua pushes him back against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Rua.
Rua lands a right hand.
A left hand lands to the body for Rua.
Rua lands a hook that snaps the head of Baaren backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rua lands a right hand.
A hook to the body from Rua.
Rua lands with a short shot to the head.
Rua lands a nice shot to the body.
Rua has Baaren pressed against the cage, preventing Baaren from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rua lands with a light punch inside.
Baaren is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Baaren wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Baaren working hard to break the clinch.
Baaren working hard to break the clinch.
Rua has Baaren pushed against the cage.
Baaren is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Bert Baaren has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rua stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Baaren missing with knees to the body.
Rua lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rua digs a right hand underneath Baaren's ribcage. Baaren let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rua lands with a short shot to the head.
Baaren has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Still in the clinch, Rua scores with a nice short uppercut.
Baaren working hard to break the clinch.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Baaren.
Rua lands a nice shot to the body.
Rua is working Baaren over against the cage.
Rua lands a right hand.
Rua dodges an elbow strike from Baaren.

And that's the end of the fight!
Murilo Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rua has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:25
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:25
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26

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