PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Erlan Baltabekov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Baltabekov
vs
Rua

176 cm
18
240 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
275 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Erlan Baltabekov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baltabekov shoots in looking for a takedown. Rua tries to sprawl out of it but Baltabekov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rua manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua slaps away a takedown attempt from Baltabekov, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Baltabekov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Baltabekov changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rua fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erlan Baltabekov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baltabekov swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt - Baltabekov sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nice takedown defense from Baltabekov. No joy for Rua on that attempt.
Baltabekov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baltabekov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rua as he jumps to the side.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baltabekov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rua scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rua wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baltabekov keeps working.
Baltabekov tries to roll over but Rua keeps him under control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rua in particular looking to stall.
Baltabekov tries to roll over but Rua keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Baltabekov is breathing heavily.
Baltabekov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rua has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Baltabekov avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Baltabekov stops a takedown attempt from Rua.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua gets underhooks to prevent Baltabekov's takedown attempt.
Baltabekov could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Baltabekov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Baltabekov has Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua gets underhooks to prevent Baltabekov's takedown attempt.
A frustrated look appears on Rua's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice sprawl there from Baltabekov as Rua shoots in.
Baltabekov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rua closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Rua takes the fight into the clinch.

Rua gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Baltabekov on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Baltabekov tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baltabekov is trying to get back to full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua wants to control but Baltabekov is keeping him busy.
Baltabekov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rua on the ground.
Baltabekov trying to control but Rua postures up.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rua postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Baltabekov to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Baltabekov looks for a takedown but Rua sprawls well.
Baltabekov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baltabekov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Baltabekov tries to keep at a distance but Rua has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rua tries for a takedown. No joy.
Baltabekov tries for a takedown but Rua manages to get underhooks.

Baltabekov breaks from the clinch.

Baltabekov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Baltabekov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baltabekov throws a jab when Rua was well out of range.

Rua manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Baltabekov on his heels. He'll look to pass Baltabekov's guard now, I'm sure.
Rua's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Let's hope that Rua has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Rua wants to get up but he can't break Baltabekov's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua looking to sit in guard and control but Baltabekov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Baltabekov's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Rua has an active guard here but Baltabekov has managed to pass into half guard.
Baltabekov is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baltabekov controlling the action here.
Baltabekov is keen to just control but Rua is a slippery customer.
Rua is doing well to control the position and prevent Baltabekov from advancing to side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Erlan Baltabekov just wasn't active enough.
Rua stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rua wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erlan Baltabekov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Baltabekov defends it nicely.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.

Baltabekov lands a takedown into guard.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Baltabekov from controlling successfully.

Rua throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Baltabekov looking to pass the guard.
Baltabekov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baltabekov wants to stand and escape but instead Rua has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Mauricio Rua has got the better of the ground game so far.
Baltabekov is trying to keep Rua in close.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Baltabekov blocks nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua wants to control from the top but Baltabekov keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mauricio Rua will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rua looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Baltabekov is fending him off so far but Rua persists. Nope, Baltabekov circles away and we're back to standing.
Baltabekov shoots in but no luck this time.
Baltabekov throws a lazy uppercut
and Rua counters with a nice body kick.

Rua feints and as Baltabekov raises his hands in defense, Rua changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Baltabekov is retaining full guard.
Baltabekov has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Rua has passed into side control.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Baltabekov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua advances to full mount.
Rua can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Baltabekov is looking to escape.
Rua looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rua landing shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoids the attempt from Baltabekov to control.

Rua gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Rua digs a good hook to Baltabekov's body.
Rua moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rua lands a head kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baltabekov shoots for a double leg takedown but Rua sprawls well. He's pushed Baltabekov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rua closes the distance and clinches up with Baltabekov, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes Baltabekov against the cage but Baltabekov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
Erlan Baltabekov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Rua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Baltabekov moves into the clinch.
Rua takes a knee to the side of the body.
Baltabekov drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Baltabekov fails to pull guard.

Rua gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Rua trying to control but Baltabekov is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baltabekov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rua works over Baltabekov with some ground and pound from guard.
Baltabekov looking for a sweep. Not yet Baltabekov, not yet.

Rua gets to his feet. Baltabekov looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Rua gets tackled into the cage by Baltabekov. Baltabekov maintains the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua tries for a takedown. No joy.

Baltabekov jumps into guard, dragging Rua to the mat.
Erlan Baltabekov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mauricio Rua is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Baltabekov looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Rua has picked Baltabekov up and slammed him! Baltabekov can't keep hold of the triangle and Rua manages to pass to side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

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