PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keijo Kanuuna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rua
vs
Kanuuna

185 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Keijo Kanuuna!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kanuuna with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Kanuuna shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kanuuna is looking to advance position but Rua won't allow it.
Kanuuna wants to stand up but Rua is controlling the position.
Rua trying to control but Kanuuna postures up.
Rua is controlling Kanuuna's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Rua wants to control but Kanuuna is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to get back to full guard.
Kanuuna 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.
Rua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Rua closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rua is tying to control. Kanuuna wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rua slows the pace down in half guard.
Kanuuna is trying to maintain the position but Rua is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanuuna moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rua postures up.
Rua seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanuuna is looking to stand up but Rua isn't so interested in that idea.

Kanuuna is working an open guard so Rua takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rua has his takedown stuffed

and Kanuuna counters with a takedown into side control.

Kanuuna decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rua to his feet.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Kanuuna counters with a good, hard body kick but Rua shrugs it off.
Rua is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanuuna connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rua. Rua circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Kanuuna gets caught flat footed, as Rua shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Kanuuna.
Kanuuna keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Kanuuna is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Keijo Kanuuna will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kanuuna fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kanuuna is looking for a sweep. Rua is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rua throwing shots but Kanuuna is blocking nicely.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but Kanuuna is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kanuuna is trying to maintain the position but Rua is very close to passing his half guard.
Kanuuna trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Kanuuna is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kanuuna wants to hold on but Rua pushes him away.
Rua takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kanuuna is squirming around, avoiding Rua's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kanuuna wants to control but Rua is having none of it.
Rua tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rua lands a big shot there that rocks Kanuuna but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Rua avoids the attempt from Kanuuna to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Kanuuna wants to hold on but Rua pushes him away.

Despite being in the dominant position, Keijo Kanuuna just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick by Rua misses

and Kanuuna counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Rua is trying to buck Kanuuna off.
Kanuuna working away.
Rua tries to buck Kanuuna off but Kanuuna is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanuuna trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.

Kanuuna decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rua to his feet.
Rua stalks Kanuuna and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kanuuna's face. Kanuuna staggers backwards, shaken.
Rua wants to slow Kanuuna down by chopping away at his legs.
Kanuuna tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua shoots for a double leg takedown but Kanuuna sprawls well. He's pushed Rua's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kanuuna with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown. Kanuuna fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that second round.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kanuuna counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Rua takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Kanuuna with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Rua slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Kanuuna is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Rua has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanuuna trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
Rua wants to improve his position but Kanuuna is controlling well.
Rua controlling the position well.
Rua wants to improve his position but Kanuuna is controlling well.

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 is staying active underneath Kanuuna, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Rua looking for submissions off his back.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kanuuna shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rua as he avoids it easily.
Kanuuna doesn't manage to clinch there - Rua circles away.
Kanuuna works over Rua's head and body with a nice combination.
Kanuuna circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kanuuna counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanuuna pushing down on Rua's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kanuuna tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rua knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rua is trying to maintain the position but Kanuuna is very close to passing his half guard.
Rua is trying to stand back up but Kanuuna is controlling him
Rua is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Kanuuna jumps into side control!

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

Kanuuna tries for a kimura but Rua is defending well.
Rua is trying to improve his position.

Kanuuna thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rua wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keijo Kanuuna comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kanuuna has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keijo Kanuuna!