PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steven Webb (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua has chosen Pitbull as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Webb
vs
Rua

187 cm
20
200 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

185 cm
22
205 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Steven Webb!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Mauricio Rocha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Webb as he avoids it easily.

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Webb has taken the fight into the clinch.
Webb lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Mauricio Rua has been cut.

Webb manages to break the clinch.

Webb moves into the clinch.

Webb's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Steven Webb seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Webb tries to clinch up.

Webb forces Rua back against the cage and clinches.
Webb scores with a knee to the head.
Webb lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rua tries to throw a body punch but Webb avoids it by throwing Rua back against the cage.
Webb lands a shot to the body.

Webb has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Rua regains guard immediately.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Webb throws and elbow that misses. Rua uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Webb's guard. Nice move by Rua!
Rua preventing the sweep.

Webb has an active guard here but Rua has managed to pass into half guard.
Rua prevents Webb from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Webb looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Webb has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Webb regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rua trying to control but Webb is working from the bottom.

Rua is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rua looks gassed!
Rua pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Webb is keeping the position for now.
Rua slips nicely into half guard.
Rua missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua prevents Webb from improving his position.
Webb regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Webb throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Rua is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Webb has his foot on Rua's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rua works his way back into a safe position though.
Webb manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rua manages to get himself to full guard.

Rua escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Webb gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Webb gets to his feet - Rua follows without any prompting.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Webb has Rua pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rua manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rua comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Webb landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rua throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Webb blocks it with crossed arms.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Webb avoids the damage to the body.

Webb drags the fight down to the ground.

Webb looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Webb swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Webb is looking for a triangle but Rua pushes his legs off easily.

Webb is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Webb looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rua is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Webb is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Webb has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rua is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Webb.
Webb is trying to get back to half guard.
Webb is not content to let Rua control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Webb regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Webb dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Rua's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Webb fails with a takedown attempt.

Rua decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Webb wants to improve his position but Rua is controlling well.
Rua tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Rua wants to take a breather but Webb is having none of it.

Webb looking for submissions off his back.
Rua prevents Webb from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but Webb is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Webb makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Webb.

Webb working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rua doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rua manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rua pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Webb is keeping the position for now.
Webb throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

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

Webb scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Webb throws a head kick that Rua semi-blocks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua has his takedown stuffed

and Webb counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Webb throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rua manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Webb connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rua's face.
Webb managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.

Webb jumps into guard, dragging Rua to the mat.

Webb throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Webb has his hands on Rua's head, controlling the position.

Webb escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rua gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Webb throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Webb wants to hit a switch here but Rua passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Webb there!
Webb is looking to get to half guard.

Rua working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Rua throwing strikes here but Webb is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Rua is looking to work his way around to Webb's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Webb regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Webb gets full guard.
Webb wants to sweep but no luck.
Webb has a closed guard, preventing Rua from standing up.
Rua works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Webb is defending against the submission attempts here by Rua.
Steven Webb overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rua seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Webb does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rua performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Webb misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Steven Webb will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Rua's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Webb has taken the fight into the clinch.
Webb slowing the pace effectively.
Rua jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Webb walks away with a smile on his face. Rua gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Webb instigates a clinch.
Rua avoiding damage as Webb throws knees to the body.
Webb fails to pull guard.
Webb fails to pull guard.

Webb drags the fight down to the ground.

Webb had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rua is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Webb Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rua's back instead.
Rua tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Webb wants to control but Rua has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Webb is keen to just control but Rua is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Webb pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua is refusing to be controlled, as Webb sits in half guard.

Rua looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Webb tries to pass to full mount but Rua defends it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Webb connects with a nice short shot to Rua's temple.
Webb throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rua shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Webb pinned against the cage. Webb gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Webb tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Rua shoots in and bounces Webb off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Webb is looking for a triangle but Rua pushes his legs off easily.

Webb working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Rua has passed into half guard!
Webb tries to get to full guard but Rua has control of the leg.
Rua wants to pass to mount but Webb is defending the position.
Webb manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Webb bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rua's guard.

Webb stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Webb drives through with a takedown into guard.

Rua looking for a guillotine here but Webb defends easily.
Rua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Rua working for a triangle but Webb defends it easily.
Rua has momentary wrist control but Webb slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua is looking for a triangle but Webb pushes his legs off easily.
Webb looking to pass the guard.
Rua has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Webb has passed into side control.
Webb has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Rua wants to control but Webb is having none of it.
Mauricio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Webb prevents Rua from getting the reversal.
Steven Webb is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Webb stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Webb clinches up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Webb showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Webb has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Webb!