PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick Borba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leo Rua has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Rua
vs
Borba

195 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

168 cm
27
165 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leo Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Patrick Borba!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Borba scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Borba stands up and beckons Rua to his feet.

Rua clinches with his opponent.

Rua jumps into guard, dragging Borba to the mat.
Borba wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.
Rua is controlling Borba's posture.
Borba looking to pass the guard.
Borba postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Borba in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Borba sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Borba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Borba throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Borba drops back looking for a leg! Rua is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rua manages to kick Borba off! Borba jumps back into Rua's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borba wants to pass the guard but Rua is keeping the position.
Rua throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Rua working a defensive guard here.

Rua is working an open guard so Borba takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Rua shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Borba napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rua scoring with punches from side control.
Borba is trying to improve his position.
Borba can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Borba trying to remain calm as Rua controls from the top position.
Rua 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 trying to control the action but Borba is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rua throws an elbow but Borba slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rua looking to control but instead Borba has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Rua is looking to advance position but Borba won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua stalling away here and it's allowed Borba to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Borba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ruais looking to pass into half guard but Borba pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Borba is in guard.
Borba tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.

Rua is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Borba is aware though and is defending well.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.
Borba thows a big elbow that misses.
Rua manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rua tries to control but Borba wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rua throws some wild stikes that Borba manages to avoid easily.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Rua goes for an armbar but Borba turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Borba.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Borba drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rua looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rua looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rua!
Borba is not content to let Rua control the position.

Rua decides to stand up, so the ref orders Borba to his feet.
Borba dodges the punch combination from Rua.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Rua gets a double leg takedown into Borba's guard.
Borba keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua controlling from the top position.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Borba is retaining full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Borba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rua is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Borba is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Leo Rua just wasn't active enough.

Rua gets a takedown into half guard.
Borba is trying to control but can't.
Borba should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rua content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but Borba is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rua works his way into side control.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Borba is not content to let Rua control the position.
Borba is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Rua trying to control the position but Borba is working away.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Borba tries to improve position but can't.
Rua tries to move to full mount but Borba actually manages to regain half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rua wants to lay and pray for a moment but Borba keeps working.
Rua is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

We're going to have a standup here because Leo Rua wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Rua gets a double leg takedown into Borba's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Rua dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Borba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Borba wants to clinch.

Borba throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rua tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Borba is in Rua's guard.
Borba trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rua manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Borba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Borba keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua looking to sit in guard and control but Borba gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borba wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.
Rua tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Borba wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.
Borba preventing the sweep.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Borba on the ground.
Rua being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Patrick Borba.

Rua rushes Borba and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Borba throws the left hand but Rua avoids the punch easily.

Rua decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Borba won't allow Rua to pass to mount.
Borba is pressing down on Rua's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rua will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Borba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Borba.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borba has a closed guard, preventing Rua from standing up.
Borba is adopting a defensive guard.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Borba.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Leo Rua.

Borba bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Borba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.
Rua wants to control but Borba postures up.

Borba is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rua has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rua looking for a sweep but Borba has passed into full mount! Oh no!

Borba working for a submission but Rua is keeping him at bay.
Borba is breathing heavily.
Rua tries to hold on but Borba pushes him away.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Borba goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rua turns into him and now he's in Borba's guard.
Rua looking to pass the guard.
Rua trying to control but Borba is working from the bottom.
Borba is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Borba is retaining full guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Borba keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

We're going to have a standup here because Leo Rua wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Borba is retaining full guard.
Rua won't allow Borba to sweep him here.
Rua throws and elbow that misses. Borba uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rua's guard. Nice move by Borba!
Rua keeping full guard, as Borba tries to pass.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua keeping moving, preventing Borba from controlling successfully.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rua holds on and takes a little breather.
Borba won't allow Rua to sweep him here.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Borba from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Rua controlling Borba's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Leo Rua just wasn't active enough.

Rua gets caught napping as Borba dives in and scores a takedown. Rua manages to retain guard.
Borba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rua wants to sweep here but Borba controlling him for the moment.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Borba from controlling successfully.
Rua working a defensive guard here.
Rua manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rua landing punches.
Rua looking to control but Borba is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Poor strikes thrown by Rua there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a big shot there that rocks Borba but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Borba working to try and regain half guard.
Rua punching from mount but Borba doing a good job of avoiding damage.

Rua goes for an armbar but Borba turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Borba.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Borba is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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 Leo Rua.
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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight for Leo Rua!
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight for Leo Rua!
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Leo Rua!

Leo Rua wins by unanimous decision!