PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gray Meyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua has chosen Roy Jones - Can't be touched as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Meyer
vs
Rua

188 cm
20
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gray Meyer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meyer stuffs the takedown.
Meyer has a takedown stuffed.
Meyer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rua.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick and Meyer moves out of range easily.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Meyer as he jumps to the side.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Meyer tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
Meyer tries to score a body lock takedown but Rua shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Meyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Meyer. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Meyer motions for Rua to come forward. Meyer throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt - Meyer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rua attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nice shot lands for Rua.
Rua tries to clinch there but Meyer circles away.
Meyer avoids the head kick by Rua.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rua looks gassed!
Rua fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Meyer avoids it really well and circles away.
Meyer shoots in looking for a takedown but Rua manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Meyer's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to clinch.

Meyer drives through and clinches with Rua against the cage.

Meyer pulls guard successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Rua drops back looking for a leg! Meyer is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Meyer manages to kick Rua off! Rua jumps back into Meyer's guard.

Meyer kicks Rua off and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Meyer has closed the distance and engaged Rua in a clinch.
Rua looking to throw knees to the head but Meyer is blocking nicely.
Rua pushes off an throws an elbow but Meyer leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rua avoiding damage as Meyer throws knees to the body.
Meyer is looking to break free of the clinch but Rua has double underhooks.
Meyer is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Meyer just leaning against Rua, taking a breather.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but Meyer blocks with his arms.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Meyer.

Rua breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer avoids the head kick by Rua.
Rua tries a head kick but it misses.
Meyer takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Meyer fails with a takedown attempt.
Rua lands a head kick!
Meyer shoots in looking for a takedown but Rua manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Meyer's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua is trying hard to land a takedown here. Meyer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Meyer lands a jab.
Rua throws a head kick but Meyer moves out of range.
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.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Meyer shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rua but Rua pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rua but Rua pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Meyer tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rua throws a nice head kick!
Rua shoots in looking for a takedown. Meyer tries to sprawl out of it but Rua keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Meyer manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua is looking to chop away at Meyer's legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick from Meyer.
Meyer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Meyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Meyer's head.
Meyer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rua throws a combination that misses

and Meyer counters by moving into the clinch.
Rua is trying to pull guard but Meyer turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Meyer tries for a takedown but Rua manages to get underhooks.
Meyer has Rua pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rua manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Meyer is looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch.
A slow jab from Rua misses its intended target.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.

Meyer shoots in and bounces Rua 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.
Meyer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rua is keeping the position for now.
Meyer trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Meyer has passed into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Rua isn't going anywhere.
Meyer wants to control but Rua is keeping him busy.

Meyer looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
Rua is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Meyer's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meyer seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rua does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mauricio Rua will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A head kick from Rua lands but Meyer takes it in his stride.

Meyer gets tackled into the cage by Rua. Rua maintains the clinch.
Meyer is looking for a takedown.
Rua jumps guard but Meyer turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Meyer tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mauricio Rua seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Meyer fails with a takedown attempt.
Meyer circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua scores with a head kick.

It looks like Gray Meyer has been cut.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rua clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rua is defended easily by Meyer.
Rua defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Meyer.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Meyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Meyer.
Meyer fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua throws a head kick but Meyer moves out of range.
Meyer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rua changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Meyer tries to avoid it but Rua manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Meyer to the ground. Meyer escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is looking to clinch but Meyer is avoiding it.

Rua has closed the distance and engaged Meyer in a clinch.
Meyer changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rua fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Meyer saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Meyer gets a takedown into half guard.

Meyer stands up from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer circles away from the clinch attempt
and Meyer counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rua throws a head kick but Meyer moves out of range.
Rua displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Meyer.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer misses with a takedown attempt - Rua sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rua lands the left hand.
Meyer takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Meyer has a takedown stuffed.
Meyer avoids a punch combination nicely.
Meyer tries to clinch up but Rua circles away and keeps his distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Meyer dives in and grabs Rua's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes down on Meyer's head and hops out.
Gray Meyer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mauricio Rua is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rua throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

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