PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vai Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Sampras (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sampras is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Satisfaction. Vai Rua could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Peter Sampras's chin.

Rua
vs
Sampras

185 cm
25
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
25
250 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vai Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Peter Sampras!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Edson Gomes and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sampras, as that shot connected.
Sampras scores with a punch to the head.
Sampras tries to clinch up.
Rua blocks a jab.
Rua could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Sampras sprawls well.
Rua ducks under a wild hook from Sampras.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Rua working for a submission but Sampras is keeping him at bay.

Rua is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sampras can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Rua thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua controlling his opponent.

Rua get's back to his feet.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua defending well as Sampras loads up on a big left hand.
Rua has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vai Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sampras lands a lovely overhand right.
Peter Sampras is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Sampras misses with a looping right.

Rua shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampras is looking for a sweep. Rua is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sampras is trying to stand up here but Rua is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sampras defending well though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rua not doing much here.

Rua looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to control. Sampras wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rua escapes and gets back to his feet.
Sampras throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rua sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sampras throws a shot from downtown. Rua moves away and avoids it.
Rua blocks a jab.
Sampras jabs Rua right on the nose. Rua blinks but takes it well.
Rua tries for a takedown but Sampras sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sampras tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua blocks a jab.
Sampras misses with an uppercut.

Rua feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rua stays in close to Sampras's body and controls the position.
Sampras throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Sampras is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vai Rua dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sampras wants to clinch.
Peter Sampras seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sampras is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rua.
Rua shoots in for a double leg but Sampras sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sampras throws a lazy right hand but Rua sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Sampras saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Rua looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sampras!
Sampras working to try and regain half guard.
Rua unloads with some shots from mount but Sampras bucks and avoids them well.
Rua controlling the pace for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua has control of Sampras's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Sampras regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Sampras can't escape the position.

Rua looking to secure an arm triangle but Sampras defends it well.

Rua stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua moves out of range of the strikes.
Sampras punishes Rua's body with a nice straight punch.
Sampras waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rua.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sampras circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vai Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rua there as he acknowledges the shot.
A lazy left from Sampras finds it's target.
Sampras jabs Rua right on the nose. Rua blinks but takes it well.
Rua moves out of range as Sampras strikes.
Sampras might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rua avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sampras digs a good hook to Rua's body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sampras cracks Rua with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Sampras throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sampras.
Sampras thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sampras lands with a cross.
Sampras misses with an uppercut. Rua saw that one coming.
Sampras cracks Rua with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Rua looking to score a takedown here. Sampras is defending well but Rua drives through and ends up in Sampras's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua stops Sampras from standing up.
Rua forces his way into half guard.
Rua controlling the action here.

Rua decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sampras as he jumps to the side.
Sampras tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Sampras is looking to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A swing and a miss from Sampras.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sampras as he jumps to the side.
Sampras lands a jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sampras takes the fight into the clinch.
Sampras has had enough of the clinch but Rua keeps him there for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Peter Sampras will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rua ducks under a wild hook from Sampras.
Sampras throws a right hand that misses

and Rua counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sampras's guard now.

Rua gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Sampras tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sampras thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rua tries for a takedown but Sampras sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Sampras. No joy for Rua on that attempt.
Sampras slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Sampras sizes up Rua with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vai Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sampras connects with a jab.
Sampras throws a lazy right hand but Rua sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua moves out of range of the strikes.
Rua walks into a straight right hand from Sampras.

Rua throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sampras was covering up waiting for the punch and Rua finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rua preventing the sweep.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Sampras is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Sampras is retaining full guard.

Sampras throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rua accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to control but Sampras is working from the bottom.
Rua showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Sampras is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rua trying to control but Sampras is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Vai Rua.
Sampras lands a nice shot to the body.
Sampras slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Rua takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sampras throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rua moves out of range of the strikes.
Sampras tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A telegraphed right hand from Sampras misses the target.
Sampras thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rua closes the distance and clinches up with Sampras, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes Sampras against the cage but Sampras circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rua takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sampras lands a lovely overhand right.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sampras trying to keep a closed guard but Rua is proving a slippery customer.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Sampras is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sampras is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sampras trying to keep a closed guard but Rua is proving a slippery customer.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rua walks into a jab.
Sampras keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

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 Vai Rua.
I think Rua has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:28

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