PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shogun Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stan Baem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shogun Rua had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.7lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Stan Baem has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rua
vs
Baem

186 cm
21
200 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

186 cm
21
196 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shogun Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Stan Baem!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baem thumps Rua with a low kick.
Rua dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Shogun Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baem throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Rua moves into the clinch.

Rua breaks from the clinch.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Baem's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Baem manages to break the clinch.
Rua swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Baem, pushing him back against the cage.

Baem pulls guard effortlessly.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rua thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rua postures up in Baem's guard and throws a big left but Baem blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baem manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rua is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
A nice elbow there by Baem.
Rua blocking the ground and pound.
Rua wants to hold on but Baem pushes him away.
Baem controlling from the full mount.
Baem raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is working to get back to half guard.
Rua is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rua is working hard here to advance position.
Baem trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Baem tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baem trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Baem is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rua is surviving well by controlling Baem's body position as best he can.
Baem looking to control and managing it successfully.
Baem avoids the attempt from Rua to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baem throwing strikes here but Rua is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Rua working to try and regain half guard.
Rua tries to hold on but Baem pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua tries to reverse the position but Baem maintains control.
Baem looking to control but Rua is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Baem dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Baem throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua looks to score with a jab to the body but Baem is just out of range.

Rua moves into the clinch successfully.
Baem avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.

Rua breaks the clinch.
Rua throws a nice inside leg kick.
Horrible takedown by Rua or perhaps it was just good defense by Baem which made him look bad.
Baem lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Baem lands with a slapping head kick.

Baem drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stan Baem has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baem content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baem stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rua throws his legs up looking for a submission but Baem uses it to pass to side control.

Rua throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Rua has Baem up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua wants to get back to striking at distance but Baem won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baem lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rua is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rua looking to throw knees to the head but Baem is blocking nicely.

Baem manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rua is looking to work some ground and pound but Baem has wrist control.

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

Baem fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rua, pushing him back against the cage.
Rua misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baem is trying to break free.
Baem lands a damaging elbow.
Rua takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Shogun Rua has been cut.
Rua changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Baem fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Baem avoids a wild elbow strike from Rua.

Rua is fighting off a takedown attempt but Baem is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rua to the mat. Rua regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Baem from controlling successfully.
Baem wants to stand but Rua is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baem stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Baem is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rua's half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baem sitting and controlling from the half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Baem showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Shogun Rua's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rua tried to score with a low kick but Baem checks it.

Rua takes the fight into the clinch.
Baem is trying to break free.

Baem has clasped his hands together around Rua's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Baem wants to control but Rua is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baem controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is trying to control Baem's posture but Baem avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua strikes from the bottom but Baem takes advantage and advances to full mount!
Baem trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rua trying desperately to get to his feet.
Baem scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rua?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to reverse the position but Baem maintains control.
Rua is squirming around, avoiding Baem's attempts to control the action.

Baem moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Rua has worked his arm free - good work by Rua!
Baem trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
Rua is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Rua is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Baem off and has taken his back!
Baem manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rua's guard. Nice work there by Baem.
Baem trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Baem is looking to advance position but Rua has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Rua scoring with strikes but Baem is staying in there.
Rua lands a heavy elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua prevents Baem from getting the reversal.

Rua is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Baem is surviving well by controlling Rua's body position as best he can.
Shogun Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stan Baem is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Rua goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Baem turns into him and now he's in Rua's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Stan Baem.
I've got Baem 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 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stan Baem!
As Stan Baem got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: hahaha yeah! peace! i'm out!'.