PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Luka Mrtic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gabriel Rua has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mrtic
vs
Rua

176 cm
31
167 lbs
10 - 9 - 2

180 cm
37
168 lbs
24 - 26 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luka Mrtic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gabriel Rua!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mrtic checks a leg kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Rua - that will leave a mark!
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rua checks a leg kick.
Mrtic blocks a leg kick.
Mrtic swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Rua slaps away a takedown attempt from Mrtic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Rua looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mrtic misses with a low kick.
Mrtic chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rua can pounce on him.
Rua misses with a body kick.
Mrtic tries to work over Rua's front leg with a kick but Rua checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rua.
Mrtic throws a leg kick but Rua moved away.
Rua on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Rua pushes Mrtic up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua lands with a right to the head.
Mrtic creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Mrtic misses with a knee to the head.
Rua throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mrtics head.
Mrtic lands a nice elbow.
Mrtic pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Mrtic scores with a knee to the head.
Rua blocks an elbow strike from Mrtic.
Mrtic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Mrtic misses with a knee to the head.
Mrtic is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.
A short right from Rua.
Rua scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mrtic is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.
Rua is leaning against Mrtic and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rua avoids a wild elbow strike from Mrtic.
Mrtic pressing his opponent against the cage.
Rua blocks the elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua cracks Mrtic with a nice body shot.
Rua lands a body punch.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mrtic looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Mrtic is breathing heavily.
Mrtic misses with an elbow strike.
Mrtic misses with a knee to the head.
Rua displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mrtic up against the cage.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Mrtic in his tracks for a moment.
Mrtic looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mrtic backwards.
Mrtic stalling in the clinch but Rua improves position.
Rua cracks Mrtic with a nice body shot.
Nice elbow from Rua.
Rua has Mrtic pressed against the cage.
Rua lands a hook that snaps the head of Mrtic backwards.
Mrtic is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.
Mrtic creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mrtic pushes off an throws an elbow but Rua leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rua looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mrtic pushes off an throws an elbow but Rua leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rua lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Mrtic or not.
Rua scores with a shoulder strike.
Mrtic pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rua is pushing Mrtic up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Mrtic shrugs off.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Mrtic in his tracks for a moment.
Rua stalling against the cage.
Rua just leaning against Mrtic, taking a breather.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Mrtic in his tracks for a moment.
Mrtic comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rua blocks an elbow strike from Mrtic.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mrtic tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Mrtic shrugs off.
Mrtic stalls.
A body shot lands from Rua.
Mrtic tries to break the clinch but Rua is controlling the position.
Rua displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mrtic up against the cage.
Rua blocks the elbow strike.
Mrtic throws an elbow but it misses.
Rua avoiding damage as Mrtic throws knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mrtic just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rua's brow.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Mrtic shrugs off.
Mrtic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rua's elbow.
Mrtic creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Rua dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mrtic throws a push kick but Rua slaps the foot to one side.
Rua lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mrtic's sensitive parts.

Rua clinches.
Rua lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rua is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Rua has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice elbow from Mrtic.
Rua lands a left hand.
Rua pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Mrtic pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mrtic wants a takedown.
Gabriel Rua seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the temple.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mrtic wants a takedown.
Mrtic throws an elbow that misses.
Mrtic has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rua is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luka Mrtic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua presses Mrtic against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rua lands an elbow just above Mrtic 's eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua lands a nice elbow.
Rua lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped Mrtic in his tracks for a moment.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mrtic just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rua's brow.
Rua dodges an elbow strike from Mrtic.
Rua taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Mrtic wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rua lands a body shot.
Rua lands a nice elbow.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mrtic's defenses.
Rua lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mrtic.
A body shot lands from Rua.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua lands a damaging elbow.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Mrtic shrugs off.
Rua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mrtic's defenses.
Rua displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mrtic up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the temple.
Mrtic wants to stall.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
A right hand to the body from Rua.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Mrtic is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rua is defending well for now.
Rua working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nice elbow from Rua.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rua - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the temple.
Rua lands a body punch.
Come on Rua - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Rua scores with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands an elbow just above Mrtic 's eye.
A right hand to the body from Rua.
Rua's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rua stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rua receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Rua works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rua lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Mrtic shrugs off.
Rua scores with a shot to the side of Mrtic's head.
Rua avoids a wild elbow strike from Mrtic.
A nice left hand lands by Rua.

Mrtic is rocked!
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Oh Mrtic is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nice elbow from Rua.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mrtic's efforts to push away.
Mrtic is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua digs a right hand underneath Mrtic's ribcage. Mrtic let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rua manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Mrtic misses with an elbow strike.
Mrtic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Mrtic shrugs off.
Rua has Mrtic pressed against the cage. He pushes Mrtic back and as he springs towards him off the cage, Rua throws a beautiful elbow that sends Mrtic crashing to the floor! Rua piles on the pressure with more strikes! Mrtic is flailing away but he's not defending himself and the referee steps in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gabriel Rua!
A determined Gabriel Rua didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!