PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between mauricio rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ephraim Goodweather (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Goodweather has chosen Alkaline Trio - Private Eye as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

rua
vs
Goodweather

193 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

186 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, mauricio rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ephraim Goodweather!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Goodweather is looking to clinch but rua is avoiding it.

Goodweather forces rua back against the cage and clinches.
Goodweather tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Goodweather tries a knee to the head but rua blocks it.
rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Goodweather with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Goodweather is fighting off a takedown attempt but rua is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Goodweather to the mat. Goodweather regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Goodweather not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
rua tries to stand but Goodweather is controlling from the bottom.
Goodweather wants to get back to his feet but rua passes into half guard.
rua is pressing down on Goodweather's thigh, looking to free his foot. Goodweather is holding on for now.
Goodweather is trying to get back to full guard.

Goodweather looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Goodweather looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rua trying to control the action but Goodweather is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
rua changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Goodweather tries to avoid it but rua manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Goodweather to the ground. Goodweather escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Goodweather forces rua back against the cage and clinches.

rua manages to break the clinch.
Goodweather tries to clinch up.
Goodweather tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Goodweather clinches with his opponent.
Goodweather tries a knee to the head but rua blocks it.
rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
rua tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

rua breaks the clinch.
rua shoots for a takedown but Goodweather saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mauricio rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
rua throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Goodweather doesn't manage to clinch there - rua circles away.
Goodweather tries to clinch up.
Goodweather doesn't manage to clinch there - rua circles away.
Goodweather is looking to clinch but rua is avoiding it.

rua closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - rua lands in his opponent's guard.
rua preventing the sweep.
Goodweather looks gassed!

Goodweather 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.
Goodweather doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goodweather wants to stand and escape but rua is having none of it.

Goodweather is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Goodweather is fighting off a takedown attempt but rua is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Goodweather to the mat. Goodweather regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Goodweather tries to strike from the bottom.
rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Goodweather is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
rua preventing the sweep.
rua wants to control from the top but Goodweather keeps moving.
rua controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Goodweather is working an open guard so rua takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Goodweather is looking to clinch but rua is avoiding it.
rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Goodweather's waist but Goodweather gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing rua off to one side.
Goodweather tries to clinch but rua moves out of range.
Goodweather tries to close the distance and clinch up but rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Goodweather tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Goodweather clinches up against the cage.
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 Goodweather walks away with a smile on his face. rua gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
rua scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Ephraim Goodweather is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Goodweather is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Goodweather doesn't manage to clinch there - rua circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mauricio rua dominated that round.
That's time! rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Goodweather tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Goodweather tries to close the distance and clinch but rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Goodweather tries to clinch up.
rua lands a jab to Goodweather's midsection.
rua lands with a nice body kick.
rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
Goodweather clinches but rua breaks the clinch

and rua decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Goodweather's guard.

Goodweather 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 Goodweather.

rua decides to stand up, so the ref orders Goodweather to his feet.

rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Goodweather, pushing him back against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rua fails to pull guard.
rua lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
rua throws a punch but it's blocked by Goodweather.
rua tries to pull guard but Goodweather won't allow it.
Good body shot from rua.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Goodweather just misses with a elbow thrown towards rua's brow.
rua tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mauricio rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
rua can't get the takedown.
Goodweather pushes off an throws an elbow but rua leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
rua wants a takedown but no success here.
Goodweather misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from rua.
Goodweather lands a damaging elbow.
Goodweather lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
rua fails to pull guard.
Goodweather lands an elbow just above rua 's eye.
Goodweather tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Goodweather lands a nice knee to the body.
Goodweather using the Thai plumb to throw knees but rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
rua is trying to drag Goodweather to the mat but Goodweather just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
rua dodges an elbow strike from Goodweather.
Goodweather lands a damaging elbow.
rua looking to stall.
Goodweather gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Goodweather tries to land a knee to the head but rua blocks with his arms.

rua jumps guard.

Goodweather gets to his feet - rua follows without any prompting.
Goodweather uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by rua.
Goodweather looks to clinch

and rua counters with a nice double leg into guard.
rua throws a big right hand that misses.

Goodweather 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.
Goodweather wants to get back to his feet but rua is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Goodweather looking to hit a scissor sweep but rua is one step ahead there.
rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Goodweather is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Goodweather looking for a sweep. Not yet Goodweather, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
rua connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

and rua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
rua wants to control from the top but Goodweather keeps moving.
Goodweather wants to get back to his feet but rua passes into half guard.
rua trying to control from half guard but Goodweather is working away.
Goodweather is trying to stand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
rua is keen to just control but Goodweather is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mauricio rua dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

rua tries to clinch there but Goodweather circles away.
rua shoots in and drives through. Goodweather sprawls well.
Goodweather closes the distance looking to clinch

and rua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Goodweather is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Goodweather stands up from half guard.
Goodweather tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Goodweather takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Goodweather tries to close the distance and clinch up but rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Ephraim Goodweather seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
rua circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rua shoots in but Goodweather avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Goodweather tries to close the distance and clinch but rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Goodweather tries to close the distance and clinch up but rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Goodweather darts in trying to clinch

and rua counters with a shoot takedown. Goodweather fights it but they end up in guard.
Goodweather wants to stand and escape but rua is having none of it.
rua stands up over Goodweather, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
rua trying to control the position from guard on top but Goodweather is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

rua stands up from Goodweather's guard - rua perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

rua rushes Goodweather and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Goodweather pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Goodweather throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but rua blocks it with crossed arms.
rua dodges an elbow strike from Goodweather.

rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Goodweather wants to clinch
and rua counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Goodweather is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Goodweather wants to clinch but rua slips to the side

and rua counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The strikes coming from rua are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Goodweather tries to control the position but he's not in luck - rua easily slips into full mount!
rua looking to control but Goodweather is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rua working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Goodweather tries to reverse the position but rua maintains control.
rua lands a heavy elbow.
Goodweather keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
rua looking to finish Goodweather with some ground and pound. This is bad for Goodweather!
rua can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Goodweather is looking to escape.
rua blocks Goodweather's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Ephraim Goodweather has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Goodweather is trying to escape the mount.
mauricio rua overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
rua tries to control but Goodweather wriggling away.
rua is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Goodweather is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Goodweather tries to reverse the position but rua maintains control.
mauricio rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Goodweather throwing hammer fists to the chest of rua. What's that going to do exactly?

And that's the end of the fight!
mauricio rua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for rua, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mauricio rua!