PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tari Cunha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Cunha might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Chains. Gabriel Rua has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cunha
vs
Rua

182 cm
21
178 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
174 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Happy Pills

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tari Cunha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gabriel Rua!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Alyssa Summers and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cunha shoots in but Rua avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Cunha throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rua was covering up waiting for the punch and Cunha finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cunha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cunha throws a big elbow that misses.
Rua is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cunha is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rua pulls his head out easily.
Rua trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha tries to roll over but Rua keeps him under control.
Rua is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Cunha is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gabriel Rua hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cunha closes the distance but Rua moves to the side
and Rua counters with a head kick. That will keep Cunha thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Cunha gets the takedown into side control.
Cunha looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rua is avoiding damage well.
Cunha lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rua down.
Cunha with the ground and pound but Rua regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cunha lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rua has hold of Cunha's hands but Cunha slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cunha working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Rua's thigh. Rua counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Cunha missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rua tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rua bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cunha's guard.
Cunha looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cunha lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rua!
Rua is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunha looking to ground and pound but Rua is blocking nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Cunha.
Cunha thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Rua manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Rua, under a barage of strikes from Cunha.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunha throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tari Cunha dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cunha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rua pinned against the cage. Rua gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rua.
Cunha throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rua throws an overhand right that lands on Cunha's shoulder, as Cunha tries to avoid the shot.
Rua swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cunha misses with a takedown
and Rua makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Cunha really felt that one!
Horrible takedown by Cunha or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tari Cunha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cunha was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
Cunha moves out of range as Rua strikes.
Rua misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily
and Cunha takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cunha misses with a straight right.
Cunha changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rua tries to avoid it but Cunha manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rua to the ground. Rua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rua lands a nice looking body shot.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cunha.
Rua ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cunha shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cunha is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cunha moves to clinch but Rua breaks away
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cunha has his takedown stuffed
and Rua counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cunha is defended easily by Rua.
Cunha shoots in but no luck this time.
Rua lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cunha at a distance.
Rua lands a body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua lands a head shot.
Rua fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cunha has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cunha misses with a shot to the body
and Rua counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cunha just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Rua misses with a wild combination.
Rua defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cunha.
Cunha fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rua manages to avoid it.
Rua lands with a hook. Cunha tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rua.
Gabriel Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rua stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rua wants it to stay on the feet.
Rua thuds a left hand into Cunha's body.
Cunha throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cunha moves out of range of the body kick from Rua.
Cunha throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunha looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cunha is looking to wear down Rua with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rua throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cunha throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rua's waist but Rua gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cunha off to one side.
Rua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cunha uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rua.
Cunha misses with a takedown attempt
and Rua counters with an outside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Cunha fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rua, pushing him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunha tries to pull guard but Rua forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cunha is looking to take this one to the mat.
Cunha is trying to pull guard but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Rua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cunha misses with a takedown attempt - Rua sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rua changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cunha tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily
and Rua counters with a nice body shot.
Cunha tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.

Cunha shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rua gets full guard.
Rua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rua utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rua is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Cunha manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Rua bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cunha's guard.
Rua is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Cunha is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha seems keen to control Rua's posture.
Rua must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cunha 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tari Cunha wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Cunha fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tari Cunha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cunha closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rua circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cunha has his takedown stuffed
and Rua counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Cunha shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rua counters with a nice kick to the body.
Rua displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cunha.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua throws a lazy right hand but Cunha sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cunha fails with the takedown
and Rua counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Cunha doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Rua to counter with a crisp jab.
Cunha fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cunha shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rua napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rua is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cunha off and has taken his back!
Rua trying to control momentarily.
Cunha is really stuck here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cunha trying to control the position but Rua manages to sink in the hooks.

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 Tari Cunha.
I think Cunha 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Tari Cunha!
Tari Cunha thanked the fans post fight for their support.