PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Oliver Skyes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alberto Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alberto Rua told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Skyes
vs
Rua

196 cm
24
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
174 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ultimate Hilo Nutrition

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Oliver Skyes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alberto Rua!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Skyes does no damage.
Skyes paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

It looks like Alberto Rua has been cut.
Skyes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Skyes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Oliver Skyes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Skyes throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rua counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Skyes throws a series of punches but Rua moves out of range.
Skyes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Skyes misses with a wild combination.
Skyes tries to clinch up but Rua circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Skyes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Skyes tries to clinch but Rua moves away

and Rua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua wants to control from the top but Skyes keeps moving.
Rua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rua wants to pass the guard but Skyes is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skyes is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Rua dives into side control.
Skyes stops Rua from passing to mount.
Rua prevents Skyes from escaping the position.
Skyes is breathing heavily.

Rua tries for a kimura but Skyes is defending well.
Rua trying to control the position but Skyes is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rua working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Rua tries to move to mount but Skyes blocks the move with his legs.
Skyes wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
A lull in the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rua tries for a kimura but Skyes is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Skyes is avoiding damage well.
Skyes is pushing Rua's head away, looking to escape. Rua manages to hold on to the position though.
Skyes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rua has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Skyes!
Rua trying to control but Skyes is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Skyes holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Rua tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rua controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rua cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Skyes squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Rua trying to control but Skyes is having none of it.
Rua might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Skyes kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alberto Rua dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alberto Rua's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rua tries to land a front kick but Skyes steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Skyes tries to clinch up
and Rua counters with a slapping leg kick.
Skyes tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Skyes feints a jab promting Rua to slip. Skyes then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rua slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Skyes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Skyes swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Skyes's calf.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
Rua closes the distance and clinches up with Skyes, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes Skyes against the cage but Skyes circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Skyes misses with a two punch combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Skyes moves to clinch but Rua breaks away
and Rua counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skyes closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Skyes looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Skyes misses with a few strikes there.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Oliver Skyes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alberto Rua.
Skyes misses with an uppercut.
Rua fails to land the takedown.
Oliver Skyes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua takes a jab right on the kisser.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Skyes bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Rua's head backwards.
Rua fails with the takedown.
Oliver Skyes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Skyes tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Skyes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rua fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Skyes avoids it really well and circles away.
Skyes tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rua throws a body punch but Skyes moves out of range.
Rua wants to clinch up but Skyes keeps it at a distance.
Skyes throws a series of punches but Rua avoids them all with ease.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Skyes is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Skyes tries to clinch but Rua moves away

and Rua counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Skyes tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jab by Skyes.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Skyes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skyes lands with a nice combination. Rua backs away looking to recover.
Rua scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Skyes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rua.
Rua looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Skyes scores with a one two! Rua had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Skyes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua tries to clinch up but Skyes circles away and keeps his distance.
Skyes throws a series of punches but Rua avoids them all with ease.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rua is defended easily by Skyes.
Skyes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Skyes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rua moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Skyes looks to clinch

and Rua counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Skyes wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Rua tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Skyes smiles and moves away.

Rua shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Skyes's guard.
Skyes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rua on the ground.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Skyes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rua wants to control from the top but Skyes keeps moving.
Rua throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Skyes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alberto Rua will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Alberto Rua's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Skyes displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Rua drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Skyes is not content to let Rua control the position.
Skyes wants to get back to his feet but Rua is dominant here and he's now got Skyes's back!
Skyes trying to get back to his feet but Rua is in full control for now.
Rua struggling to keep hold of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua trying to control momentarily.
Rua throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Skyes holding both Rua 's hands and preventing any damage.
Rua misses with a punch to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Rua's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Skyes has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Rua.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua tries to get the hooks in deep but Skyes pushed the leg off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skyes looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Skyes prevents Rua from getting a body triangle.
Rua controls the action.

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.
Skyes avoids the strikes from Rua.
Rua tries to keep control of the position but Skyes is staying busy.
Skyes has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Rua trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Oliver Skyes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alberto Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Alberto Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rua winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:30

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