PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randall Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is West Bound And Down. Johnson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. East Bound And Down kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. Randall Johnson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Alex Rua's chin.

Rua
vs
Johnson

180 cm
28
199 lbs
20 - 15 - 1

195 cm
32
264 lbs
28 - 10 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Rebel Pride Clothing. (Death Before Dishonor) $8 S

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Rua!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Randall Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua wants to clinch but Johnson slips to the side
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Rua misses with a wild body shot.
Rua blocks a jab.
Rua tries to clinch up
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Johnson looks to land a right hand but Rua moved out of range.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Alex Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands with a shot to the body.
Johnson looks to land a body kick but Rua moved away.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Johnson scores with a jab to the jaw.
Johnson scores with a jab to the jaw.
Johnson lands a body shot.
Rua blocks a jab.
Johnson misses with a low kick.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rua slips a straight right by Johnson.

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

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Johnson takes the fight into the clinch.
Johnson lands a hook to the side of the head.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Johnson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rua ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Rua is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua wants to clinch
and Johnson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Rua rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Rua fails to land.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson lands a lovely overhand right.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rua tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson misses with an uppercut
and Rua counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Rua rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Rua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rua scores with a spinning back kick!
Rua takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rua takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rua is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Johnson throws out a loose jab but Rua uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Johnson lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Johnson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rua tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Johnson counters with a nice uppercut.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Johnson misses with a looping right.

Rua has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rua prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Rua just leaning against Johnson, taking a breather.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rua tries to clinch
and Johnson counters with a head kick. That will keep Rua thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rua wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Rua tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Rua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Johnson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rua.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson misses with a double jab
and Rua makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Johnson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.
Rua needs to keep his hands up - Johnson had a free shot at his head there.
Rua closes the distance looking to clinch
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rua thinking.
Rua looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Johnson has managed to clinch.
Johnson trying to control the position but instead, Rua has worked for underhooks and has pushed Johnson into the cage.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rua keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
A frustrated look appears on Rua's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson takes a swing at Rua's ribcage but misses.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua throws a lazy head kick
and Johnson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Randall Johnson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A jab from Rua does it's job there.
Johnson lands a jab.
Sloppy strikes from Rua. Those never looked like landing.
Johnson scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Johnson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rua.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rua's hands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Rua has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Rua keeps him there for the moment.
Rua blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Rua ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a double jab.
The fighters circling - Johnson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Randall Johnson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rua tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson's corner calls for a 1-2. Johnson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Johnson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rua.

Rua instigates a clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson misses with a right hand
and Rua finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Rua swings for the body but Johnson moves out of range.
Rua walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Johnson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Rua closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Johnson throws a jab when Rua was well out of range.
Johnson misses with a looping right.

Rua closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Johnson pushes him off.
Rua wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Alex Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a head kick!
Johnson thows a body shot but no joy.
Johnson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnson misses with a two punch combination.
Rua looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
Johnson misses with a jab to the body
and Rua counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Johnson misses with a hook.

Johnson instigates a clinch.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Johnson tries to circle away but Rua has him pinned against the cage.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rua tries to move into range but Johnson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Johnson dodges the punch combination from Rua.
A nice combination there by Rua.
Rua looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnson is just out of range.
Johnson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A bone on bone clash there as Johnson blocks the leg kick.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a leg kick that is checked
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson lands with a hook. Rua tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.
Johnson lands with a light punch inside.
Rua looking to slow down the pace here.
Rua's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rua has Johnson pressed against the cage.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Rua wants to clinch.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Johnson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick and Johnson moves out of range easily.
Rua slips a straight right by Johnson.
Good standup being displayed there by Johnson as he connects with a hook.
Rua slips under a jab from Johnson.
Rua wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws an off balance right hand
and Rua counters with a head kick. That will keep Johnson thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Johnson slips a jab and a cross from Rua.
Johnson connects with a looping right hand.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rua is looking to wear down Johnson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Johnson swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to land a body kick
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rua avoids the body shot from Johnson.
Rua closes the distance looking to clinch
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson misses with a wild combination.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson moves out of range as Rua throws a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Alex Rua will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Johnson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rua manages to avoid it.
Rua looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson throws a jab but it's blocked by Rua.
Johnson misses with a lunging right hand

and Rua counters by clinching up.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Johnson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rua manages to avoid it.
Johnson throws a right hand that misses
and Rua counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson blocks a head kick by Rua.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson misses with a right hand
and Rua counters with a series of strikes. Johnson will be more careful next time no doubt.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
A head kick by Rua misses
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Rua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Johnson dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Rua has double underhooks.
Come on Rua - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries a body shot but Rua blocks it.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Johnson swings widly with a right hand
and Rua counters with a nice kick to the body.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johnson lands a body shot.
Rua thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Johnson if he has to take too many more of those.
Johnson throws out a loose jab but Rua uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnson.
Johnson takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A punch lands to the side of Rua 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Rua shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Johnson eats them both and turns towards Rua to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Rua connects with an inside leg kick.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Johnson scores with a jab to the body.

Rua closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.
Rua blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Johnson lands a shoulder strike.
Johnson is trying to maintain a safe position but Rua gets an underhook and turns Johnson into the cage.
Johnson is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Rua has denied him.
Johnson avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.
Rua tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to clinch.
Johnson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rua.
Rua misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rua tries to clinch but Johnson moves away
letting Johnson counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Rua does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rua throws a lazy head kick
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson swings widly with a right hand
and Rua counters with a nice uppercut.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch up.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
Johnson stalling.
Stalling in the clinch from Rua.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Rua throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
Johnson cracks Rua with a right hand to the side of the head.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Johnson avoids the damage to the body.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson misses the jab.
Rua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Johnson misses with an uppercut. Rua saw that one coming.
Rua looks to clinch
and Johnson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rua sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rua tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Johnson.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Rua is controlling the position.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rua tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Rua throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Rua staying out of range there.
Johnson takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Johnson works the jab nicely.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Johnson pushes him off.
Rua misses with a jab to the body
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson misses with a two punch combination.

Rua moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Rua clearly takes that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rua clinches with his opponent.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Rua is just out of range.
Rua connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rua thows a leg kick but Johnson checks it
and Johnson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rua stalks Johnson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Johnson's face. Johnson staggers backwards, shaken.
Rua slips under a jab.
Rua wants to clinch.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Johnson throws an overhand right that lands on Rua's shoulder, as Rua tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Rua misses the jab.
Johnson misses with a wild combination.
Johnson lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Johnson scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Johnson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rua.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rua. Johnson shrugs it off though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Johnson lands a right hook to the body.
Rua uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Johnson.
Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rua slips a straight right by Johnson.
Johnson connects with a right hand. Rua shakes it off.
Johnson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.
Johnson just misses with a punch to the body.
Rua avoids the body shot from Johnson.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
Rua is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Rua tries to circle away but Johnson has him pinned against the cage.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A clash of legs there as Johnson blocks the low kick.
Rua throws a body kick that misses.
Johnson loads up on a big right hand but Rua slips the punch.
Rua moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Johnson scores with a body shot.
Johnson misses with a straight left.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rua misses with a head kick.
Rua slips under a jab from Johnson.
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson works over Rua's head and body with a nice combination.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson's corner calls for a 1-2. Johnson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Rua wants to clinch but Johnson slips to the side
and Johnson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Rua.
Rua throws a body kick that misses.
Rua takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Rua lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnson circles away quickly and effectively.
Rua is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rua wants to clinch
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Rua has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A nice left hand lands by Johnson.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rua's head.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Johnson just misses with a punch to the body.
Rua displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Johnson throws out the jab.
Rua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rua walks into a stiff left hand from Johnson.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Johnson connects with a jab.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
Johnson closes the distance but Rua moves to the side
and Rua counters with an outside leg kick.
A big right from Johnson misses.
Johnson misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Rua counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson throws a looping overhand right but Rua ducks down to avoid it.
Johnson walks into a left hand.
Johnson throws an overhand right that lands on Rua's shoulder, as Rua tries to avoid the shot.
Johnson misses with an uppercut
and Rua cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Alex Rua will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A head kick from Rua lands but Johnson takes it in his stride.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Johnson.
Johnson misses with a hook. Rua ducked under it nicely.
Johnson misses with the combination.
Rua tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Johnson misses with a hook. Rua ducked under it nicely.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

Rua clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with an elbow over the top.
Rua taking a breather.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson stalling the fight.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Johnson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Some wild striking there from Rua.
Rua's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Johnson connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rua scrambles back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rua.
Rua scores with a body shot.

Rua forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
Rua is trying to stall.
Rua looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rua takes a shot to the head.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Rua wants to clinch.
Rua throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rua momentarily.
Rua does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rua misses with the combination.
Johnson listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Rua avoids the head kick by Johnson.
Johnson throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Rua holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to break free but Johnson has control.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson misses with a left hand
and Rua counters with a three punch combo that has Johnson backing up. Johnson nods at Rua to acknowledge the strikes.

Johnson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rua looking to throw knees to the head but Johnson is blocking nicely.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a lazy body kick
and Johnson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rua takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
Johnson ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Johnson lands with a cross.
Johnson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rua.
Johnson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnson.
Rua swinging wildly here.
Johnson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnson.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick
and Johnson counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Rua rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.
Johnson looks to land a right hand but Rua moved out of range.
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Rua uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnson.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
Johnson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Johnson stalling the fight.
Johnson trying to control the position but instead, Rua has worked for underhooks and has pushed Johnson into the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rua is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
A left hand lands to the body for Johnson.
Johnson scores with a shoulder strike.
Johnson lands an uppercut.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Rua stalling in the clinch but Johnson improves position.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Johnson.
Rua is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Alex Rua has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Johnson is trying to force a seperation but Rua has the dominant position.
Randall Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alex Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson stalling.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson throws a right hand that misses

and Rua holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rua being controlled against the cage.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rua blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Johnson trying to control the position but instead, Rua has worked for underhooks and has pushed Johnson into the cage.
Rua keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
Rua digs a right hand into Johnson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Johnson's gas tank.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Johnson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Randall Johnson.
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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 49:47
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 49:46
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 47:49

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Alex Rua!
Alex Rua is the new super heavyweight champion!
Alex Rua decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.