PBP Commentary

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

Kang
vs
Rua

190 cm
23
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
26
204 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Takashi Kang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mauricio Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kang shoots in and bounces Rua off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kang trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kang is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.
Kang throws a big right hand that misses.
Kang trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

Rua is working an open guard so Kang takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rua wants to clinch up but Kang keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang throws a series of punches but Rua avoids them all with ease.

Rua gets a clinch.
Kang wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kang's defenses.
Kang managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Rua tries a knee to the head but Kang blocks it.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Kang in his tracks for a moment.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Kang avoids the damage to the body.
Rua working Kang over with knees to the body.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but Kang blocks with his arms.
Rua stops a takedown attempt from Kang.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua is looking for a takedown.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Kang avoids the damage to the body.
Kang wants a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua landing knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.
Rua comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rua lands a nice elbow.

Rua ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rua no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Kang gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Rua tries to clinch up
and Kang counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Kang circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kang keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua wants to clinch up but Kang keeps it at a distance.
Rua tries to clinch but Kang is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Kang keeps the fight on the outside.
Kang circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mauricio Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua wants to clinch.
Kang misses with the combination.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Kang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rua is looking to clinch but Kang is avoiding it.
Kang swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.
Kang circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kang counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kang stands up and beckons Rua to join him on the feet.
Rua wants to clinch up but Kang keeps it at a distance.
Rua tries to clinch
and Kang counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kang swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kang jabbing away but nothing is landing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Rua steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kang.
Kang throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rua tries to clinch up but Kang circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mauricio Rua will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

A punch combination from Kang misses.
Kang smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Kang 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.

Kang stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Kang circles away.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Kang throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A combination from Kang does no damage.
No joy there for Kang, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kang jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Kang circles away.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kang swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Takashi Kang is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua tries to clinch but Kang moves out of range.
Kang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No joy there for Kang, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kang thows a body shot but no joy.

Kang throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rua tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Kang is in Rua's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kang decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Kang shoots in for a double leg but Rua sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rua tries to clinch there but Kang circles away.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Kang swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Kang throws a low kick but Rua moves out of range easily.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kang waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rua.
Rua tries to clinch but Kang is having none of it.
A head kick misses from Kang.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua is looking to clinch but Kang is avoiding it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua wants to clinch up but Kang keeps it at a distance.
Kang thows a body shot but no joy.
Mauricio Rua seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua tries to clinch but Kang is having none of it.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua tries to clinch up but Kang circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kang blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Kang avoids the damage to the body.
Kang takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Kang looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rua gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kang.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kang.
A frustrated look appears on Kang's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kang has had enough of the clinch but Rua keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a knee to the body.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Kang blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kang has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rua avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takashi Kang. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kang blocks it with crossed arms.
Knees to the body from Rua.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kang is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.
Kang managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kang.
Rua scores with a knee to the head.
Kang managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Mauricio Rua seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kang's defenses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kang swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.

Kang drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kang missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Kang stands up from Rua's guard - Kang perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rua tries to clinch but Kang moves out of range.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kang circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
Kang is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rua tries a knee to the head but Kang blocks it.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kang is defending well for now.
Rua utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kang blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nice elbow from Rua.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kang's defenses.
Rua scores a nice knee to the body.
Kang blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kang is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kang is working for takedown but Rua is calmly controlling the position for now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kang takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua lands a damaging elbow.
Kang wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Rua scores a nice knee to the body.
Kang managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
A knee to the head by Rua.
A knee to the head by Rua.

Kang is rocked!
Kang takes a knee right on the jaw!
Takashi Kang has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Oh Kang is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.
Rua tries a knee to the head but Kang blocks it.
Kang seems to have got his legs back now.
Kang takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kang.
Rua keeps control of Kang as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rua landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.
Rua missing with knees to the body.
Rua has Kang pressed against the cage, preventing Kang from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kang takes an elbow to the temple.
Rua landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kang is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rua pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Kang avoids the damage to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rua.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua connects with a knee to the head.
Kang takes an elbow to the temple.
Rua landing knees to the body.
Rua landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rua missing with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kang has a couple of punches blocked by Rua.
Rua landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Mauricio Rua is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rua missing with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rua 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mauricio Rua!