PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and MSgt. Francis Grover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Francis Grover. Rua comes to the cage accompanied by AVANTASIA-Seven Angels. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Rua
vs
Francis Grover

187 cm
28
274 lbs
16 - 1 - 0

200 cm
30
275 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps

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 16 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lyoto Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, MSgt. Francis Grover!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grover pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rua is out of range and Grover settles back down.
Grover fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rua has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
MSgt. Francis Grover seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grover lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rua scores with a nice strike.

It looks like MSgt. Francis Grover has been cut.
Rua with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rua shoots in and bounces Grover off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Grover not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rua is looking to work some ground and pound but Grover has wrist control.
Rua working some strikes from top position.
Grover preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Grover looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Grover is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Grover blocks nicely.
Rua throws a big elbow that misses.
Grover wants to improve his position but instead Rua has moved into half guard.
Nice strikes from Rua there.
Rua prevents Grover from improving his position.
Grover keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rua winds up and cracks Grover with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Grover actively working from the bottom here.
Grover tries to roll over but Rua keeps him under control.
Grover is not content to let Rua control the position.
Rua prevents Grover from improving his position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grover is not content to let Rua control the position.
Rua throwing shots but Grover is blocking nicely.
Grover works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grover working a defensive guard here.
Grover wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.

Grover is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Grover tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Grover is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rua defends well.
Rua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua connects with a couple of short punches.
Rua controlling from the top position.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Grover is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua connects with a couple of short punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua postures up and lands a big shot to Grover's brow.
Rua showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rua is looking to work some ground and pound but Grover has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Rua dominated that round.
The cut man is working on MSgt. Francis Grover's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Grover's waist but Grover gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rua off to one side.
Rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Grover's waist but Grover gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rua off to one side.
Grover is looking to score with low kicks.
Rua looks to land a right hand but Grover moved out of range.
Grover throws a looping overhand right but Rua ducks down to avoid it.
Rua lands a nice leg kick that just misses Grover's sensitive parts.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Grover.
Grover misses with an uppercut.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Grover sprawls well. Grover wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyoto Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grover is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rua.
Rua bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Grover not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rua might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rua won't allow Grover to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grover utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rua makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Grover keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rua postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rua is working Grover over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rua wants to pass the guard but Grover is keeping the position.
Rua postures up in Grover's guard and throws a big left but Grover blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua with a flurry of punches that miss.
Grover is looking to sweep but instead, Rua has passed into half guard.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but Grover is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Well, if Rua is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rua wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grover keeps working.
Grover keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rua is just content to waste time from the top position. Grover takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grover preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Grover is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Grover is on top in guard.
Grover looking to sit in guard and control but Rua gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rua pushing down on Grover's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Grover controlling the position well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands strikes from half guard.
Rua sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Grover defending well though.
Grover is pressing down on Rua's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua wants to control from the top but Grover keeps moving.
Rua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Grover working for a triangle but Rua defends it easily.
Lyoto Rua overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rua's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on MSgt. Francis Grover's cut.
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!

Grover throws a leg kick that misses.
Rua displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Grover.
Grover slips a jab and a cross from Rua.
Grover looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Decent striking displayed by Rua there.
Grover defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rua.
Nice body kick there by Rua.
Rua lands with a shot to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua takes a swing at Grover's ribcage but misses.

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rua is working Grover over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Grover keeping full guard, as Rua tries to pass.
Grover takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Grover is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua gets full guard.
Rua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grover throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rua works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rua has control of Grover's left arm, preventing Grover from doing any damage.
Rua wants to sweep here but Grover controlling him for the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rua is on top in guard.
MSgt. Francis Grover has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to control but Grover is working from the bottom.
Rua seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Grover looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua trying to control but Grover is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rua landing with the ground and pound.
Rua working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rua lands a couple of digs.
Grover bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rua's guard.
Rua bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Grover's guard.
Grover looking for a sweep. Not yet Grover, not yet.
Rua with a flurry of punches that miss.
Grover being controlled here, momentarily.
Grover preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lyoto Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Grover has his foot on Rua's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rua works his way back into a safe position though.
Rua controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua landing some decent shots from guard.
Rua preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Grover blocks nicely.
Rua with a nice head shot there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Rua!
During a confident post fight interview, Lyoto Rua thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.