PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between JD Hogg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the ring it seems that JD Hogg has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily JD Hogg seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Hogg
vs
Rua

185 cm
26
260 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

187 cm
44
274 lbs
34 - 14 - 0

Great elbows
Cardio machine

World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, JD Hogg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lyoto Rua!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hogg fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rua, pushing him back against the ropes.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
JD Hogg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua tries to bum rush Hogg with a series of wild strikes but Hogg uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rua.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Hogg showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rua.

Hogg moves into range and clinches up with Rua.

Rua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Rua clinches with his opponent.
Rua is trying to stall.
Rua pushes Hogg back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hogg misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hogg tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Hogg throws an elbow but misses.
Hogg lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hogg with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hogg trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hogg misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Hogg looking to throw knees to the head but Rua is blocking nicely.
Hogg missing with knees to the body.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Rua breaks the clinch.
Hogg moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Hogg fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua moves away
and Rua counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Hogg closes the distance and pushes Rua back into the ropes.
Hogg misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Hogg misses with an elbow over the top.
Rua stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rua throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hoggs head.
Hogg tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.
Rua blocking some punches.
Hogg lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua has had enough of the clinch but Hogg keeps him there for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoiding damage as Hogg throws knees to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Hogg.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Hogg.
Hogg tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rua avoids it.

Rua breaks from the clinch.
Hogg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rua has closed the distance and engaged Hogg in a clinch.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hogg is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Hogg gets tackled into the ropes by Rua. Rua maintains the clinch.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rua - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A shot in the inside from Hogg.

Rua breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lyoto Rua will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.

Hogg darts in and clinches Rua up against the ropes.
Rua trying to stall but Hogg improves his position.
Hogg tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hogg missing with knees to the body.
Hogg creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Rua breaks the clinch.

Hogg clinches up against the ropes.
Hogg doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hogg with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Rua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Hogg.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hogg wants to clinch up but Rua keeps it at a distance.
Rua walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hogg checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Hogg throws a quick counter kick to the body but Rua avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.
Rua cracks Hogg with an open hand slap.
Hogg is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua moves away
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.
Rua throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rua.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rua creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rua blocking some punches.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hogg.
Rua is leaning against Hogg and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rua has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hogg doesn't manage to clinch there - Rua circles away.

Rua closes the distance and pushes Hogg back into the ropes.
Hogg scores with a shot to the side of Rua's head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hogg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rua throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Hogg is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.
Rua thumps Hogg with a low kick.
Hogg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Left hook, right uppercut from Rua.
Hogg is looking to clinch.

Hogg clinches up against the ropes.
Hogg lands an elbow that stopped Rua in his tracks for a moment.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hogg.
Hogg tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.
Hogg throws an elbow but it misses.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hogg tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Rua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hogg tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hogg tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hogg is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.

Rua clinches up with Hogg and pushes him back against the ropes.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hogg.
Hogg lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
JD Hogg has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hogg misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hogg misses with the head strike.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hogg on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hogg is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.
Rua unleashes a big counter combination but Hogg bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.

Hogg instigates a clinch.
Hogg tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hogg.
JD Hogg has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hogg lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hogg is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A short right from Rua on the inside.
Rua blocking some punches.
Hogg swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hogg with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Rua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hogg throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rua blocks an uppercut.
Rua throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hogg blocks it with crossed arms.
Rua avoiding damage as Hogg throws knees to the body.
Rua blocking some punches.
Hogg looking to throw knees to the head but Rua is blocking nicely.
Hogg scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hogg lands an elbow inside that Rua shrugs off.

It looks like Lyoto Rua has been cut.

Rua breaks from the clinch.

Hogg clinches with his opponent.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Good work by Rua as he checks the leg kick.
Rua throws a counter combo.
Hogg tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua unleashes a big counter combination but Hogg bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Hogg is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rua drops his hands momentarily and Hogg takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Hogg tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hogg fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rua swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Some bone on bone action there as Rua checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Rua moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hogg misses with a leg kick.
Lyoto Rua is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Hogg closes the distance and scores with a big combo that sends Rua crashing to the mat! Rua uses the ropes to get back to his feet and beat the count. The referee looks concerned but he's going to allow it to continue!

And that's the end of the fight!
JD Hogg showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rua has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:27

The fight is ruled a majority draw!