PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dexter Fielding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fielding
vs
Rua

210 cm
20
224 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dexter Fielding!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Rua!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fielding is looking for a takedown.
Fielding lands a knee to the body.

Rua gets control of Fielding's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rua will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Fielding will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Fielding accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fielding stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fielding looking to sit in guard and control but Rua gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Fielding looking for a guillotine here but Rua defends easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rua makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rua jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Rua throws a big elbow that misses.
Rua throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Fielding is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rua defends well.

Fielding is looking for a triangle but Rua pushes his legs off easily.

Fielding is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rua missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Fielding trying to keep a closed guard but Rua is proving a slippery customer.
Rua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fielding lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rua!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fielding goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rua turns into him and now he's in Fielding's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fielding tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rua drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Fielding dives on top into guard.
Fielding tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.
Fielding throws a big right hand that misses.
Rua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fielding trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fielding throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rua works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fielding throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rua works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rua utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Fielding has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rua can't keep his opponent in guard - Fielding advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rua really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fielding. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Fielding throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.
Fielding is stalling here. Rua is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Fielding seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Rua has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Rua lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua tries for a kimura but Fielding is defending well.
Fielding is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rua's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Fielding makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Fielding.

Fielding throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Fielding working for a triangle but Rua defends it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fielding looking for a sweep. Not yet Fielding, not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fielding is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Fielding dominated that round.
That's time! Fielding's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Fielding looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rua is trying to get back to full guard.
Fielding wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rua keeps working.
Fielding stops Rua from getting back to his feet.
Fielding seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Fielding wants to take a breather but Rua is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Fielding seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Fielding is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Fielding not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Fielding is trying to control the action in half guard but Rua is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Fielding seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Rua has recovered full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fielding postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rua working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fielding.

Fielding has gone for a leg lock! Rua slips out almost immediately though and dives into Fielding's guard.
Fielding trying to control the position.
Fielding is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Fielding is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fielding wants to take a breather but Rua is having none of it.
Fielding is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rua is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Rua is concentrating on defense, preventing Fielding from advancing position.
Fielding thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rua's head.
Fielding takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua is staying active underneath Fielding, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dexter Fielding just wasn't active enough.
Fielding avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fielding throws a series of punches but Rua avoids them all with ease.

Fielding drives through and clinches with Rua against the cage.
Fielding drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rua gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Fielding misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua prevents the takedown attempt.

Fielding's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Fielding dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Rua throws a head kick that misses
and Fielding cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Rua shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Fielding trying to hold on to Rua's head to control him but Rua postures up.
Fielding is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rua's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rua's back!
Fielding trying to control momentarily.

Fielding looking for the choke but no joy.
Fielding throwing wild punches that miss their target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fielding somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Fielding trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Fielding lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Fielding.

Fielding is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Fielding has managed to slip his arm under Rua's chin. This could be all over... yep, Rua is tapping out! Submission win for Fielding.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Dexter Fielding!
An out of breath Dexter Fielding thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.