PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brent Celek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua comes to the cage accompanied by Don't Talk To Strangers. Celek is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by 40 oz. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rua
vs
Celek

172 cm
26
165 lbs
11 - 1 - 1

180 cm
28
164 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
KO power

ADCC Champion
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Bushido Clothing
Bushido Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pedro Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brent Celek!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua throws a head kick but Celek moves out of range.
Celek is looking to score with low kicks.
Rua tries for a takedown but Celek circles away easily
and Celek makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Rua throws a body punch but Celek moves out of range.
Rua throws a hook but Celek avoids it easily.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Celek was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
Celek tries to work over Rua's front leg with a kick but Rua checks it.
Celek looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rua throws a leg kick which misses Celek's front leg but catches the back leg as Celek tries to avoid it.
A low kick from Celek is predictable there
and Rua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Rua - that will leave a mark!
Rua misses with a kick to the body.
Celek throws a leg kick

and Rua decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Celek's guard.
Rua won't allow Celek to sweep him here.
Celek working a defensive guard here.
Rua is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Celek is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rua is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Pedro Rua just wasn't active enough.
Celek throws a hook to the side of Rua's head but Rua sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Celek misses with an uppercut. Rua saw that one coming.
Rua throws a good cross that connects.
Nice shot by Celek.

Rua has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Celek.
Rua stops a takedown attempt from Celek.
A short body shot lands from Rua as the two fighters clinch.

Celek manages to break the clinch.
Celek wants to slow Rua down by chopping away at his legs.
Rua wants to clinch
and Celek counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a combination
letting Celek counter with a right hand.
Rua throws a lazy body kick
enabling Celek to counter with a crisp jab.
Rua stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Celek.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Celek connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A slapping leg kick lands for Celek.
Rua throws a leg kick
and Celek counters with a big head kick but Rua shrugs it off.
Pedro Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Celek misses with a low kick.
Celek uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rua.
Celek takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rua throws a leg kick
and Celek counters with a two punch combo.
Rua throws a combination that misses
and Celek counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rua's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Celek connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rua scrambles back to his feet.
Rua throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Celek sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A punch lands to the side of Celek 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua looks to land a right hand but Celek moved out of range.
A combination from Celek does no damage.
Celek has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rua scores with a head kick. Celek tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Celek sprawls well.
Celek connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rua. Rua circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rua swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Celek misses with a leg kick
and Rua counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Rua lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rua throws a push kick but Celek slaps the foot to one side.
Celek lands a head shot.
Rua lands a right hook to the body.
Rua looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A head kick by Rua misses

and Celek counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Rua is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Celek looking to control but Rua is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Celek in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Celek lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Celek thowing shots but they're missing.
Celek prevents Rua from getting the reversal.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua is in a horrible position here. Celek smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Pedro Rua will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rua gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Celek to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Celek is controlling him.
Celek trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Celek throwing strikes from guard but Rua blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Celek with a flurry of punches that miss.
Celek throwing strikes but missing.
Celek with a flurry of punches that miss.
Celek throwing strikes but missing.
Celek throws and elbow that misses. Rua uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Celek's guard. Nice move by Rua!
Celek is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Celek has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rua controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

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.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Celek.
Celek is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rua is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Celek.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Pedro Rua wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rua is looking to land body kicks.
Celek is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua lands an overhand right.
Celek walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua looks to clinch
and Celek cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rua misses with a hook
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua takes a swing at Celek's ribcage but misses.
Celek throws a leg kick that is checked
and Rua counters with a nice uppercut.
Rua throws a head kick that misses
and Celek counters with a straight right hand.
Celek throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Celek blocks a head kick by Rua.
Rua throws a chopping leg kick but Celek manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Celek throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Rua fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Celek avoids it really well and circles away.
Rua motions for Celek to come forward. Rua throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
No luck for Celek with that takedown attempt.
Rua on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Celek. Celek obviously looking to wear him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Celek.
Celek lands a front kick.
Rua throws an off balance right hand

and Celek counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Celek working the strikes but Rua uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Celek lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Celek missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Celek thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rua's head.
Rua keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brent Celek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Celek scores with a leg kick.
Celek throws an overhand right that lands on Rua's shoulder, as Rua tries to avoid the shot.
Rua looks to land a body kick but Celek moved away.
Rua gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Celek counters with a straight right hand.
Pedro Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Rua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Celek swivels and escapes.
Celek moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Rua fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Celek to the ground. Rua is now in Celek's guard.
Celek is trying to keep Rua in close.
Celek is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Celek looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rua slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Pedro Rua.
Rua is looking to land body kicks.
Celek circles away from the clinch attempt

and Celek counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rua avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Celek.

Celek is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rua defends it well.
Celek working Rua over with strikes.

Celek is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Celek looks to land a strike but Rua avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Celek is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rua is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rua has escaped and now he's on top!
Rua content to stall in guard here.
Rua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Celek swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Celek is trying to keep Rua in close.
Celek is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Celek keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Celek is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Celek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pedro Rua has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rua throws a lazy head kick
and Celek counters with a low kick, right behind Rua 's knee.
Celek misses with a two punch combination.
Rua looks for the body kick but Celek saw that one coming.
Rua tries to clinch
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Celek lands with a hook. Rua tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

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 on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Celek dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Celek lands a head shot.
Rua swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Celek counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rua thinking.
Rua swings for the body but Celek moves out of range.
Rua thuds his shin into the meat of Celek's side.
Rua falls off balance throwing a combination
and Celek counters with a body kick that stops Rua in his tracks momentarily.
Celek dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Rua slips under a jab from Celek.
Rua walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Celek checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rua misses with a head kick.
Celek misses with the combination.
A thudding body kick lands there by Rua!

And that's the end of the fight!
Brent Celek comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Celek has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brent Celek!