PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rampage Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rampage Rua will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Walker
vs
Rua

158 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

160 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Walker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rampage Rua!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Felipe Paraventi and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walker misses with a wild body shot.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Walker.
The fight stays on the outside here - Walker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Walker but Walker pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rua tries for a takedown but Walker sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Paul Walker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rampage Rua.
Rua dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Walker. That did some damage!
Rua looks for a takedown but Walker sprawls well.
Rua connects with a solid leg kick.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Walker circles away.
Walker misses with a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Walker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Walker is fending him off so far but Rua persists. Nope, Walker circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Walker.
A head kick misses from Walker.

Walker gets the takedown into side control.
Walker staying calm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is trying to get back to half guard.
Rua looks gassed!
Rua gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Walker controls the position.
Rua is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Walker lands a nice forearm strike.
Rua is trying to work for a sweep but Walker has mounted him!

Walker stands up from mount. Strange move.

Walker has managed to clinch.
Walker scores with a shot to the side of Rua's head.

Walker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt

and Walker counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Walker.
Rua blocks the elbow strike.

Walker gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rua has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Walker is working away from the top position though.

Rua looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Rua looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Walker decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Walker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Walker decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rua's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Walker is one step ahead there.
Rua trying to keep a closed guard but Walker is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Walker from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Walker lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Rua is looking for a triangle but Walker pushes his legs off easily.
Walker sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but Walker is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Walker slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Walker trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

That's four 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 wants to stand up but Walker is controlling him.
Rua lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Walker!
Rua looking to finish Walker with some ground and pound. This is bad for Walker!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rua cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rua fails to move to back control.
Rua connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rua has hold of Walker's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Walker manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Walker is looking to improve his position but Rua isn't that keen on the idea.
Rua trying to control but Walker is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Walker dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rua doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Walker counters with a right hand to the body.
Rua shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Walker pinned against the cage. Walker gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Walker pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua throws a nice looking combination but Walker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rua.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.
Walker is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Rua drops back, looking for a kneebar! Walker looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Walker looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Walker!
Rua is looking to regain half guard here but Walker keeps moving and retains side control.
Walker cracks Rua with a big elbow.
Walker working the ground and pound.
Walker happy to just control the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Rua!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Walker looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rua tries to lock up and control but Walker gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rua slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Rua is controlling Walker's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Rua is looking to improve his position.
Rua manages to get to full guard.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker controlling from the top position.
Walker preventing the sweep.

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

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Walker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua has a takedown stuffed.
Paul Walker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rampage Rua.
Walker scores with a shot to the body.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker throws a jab when Rua was well out of range.
Walker swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown. Walker fights it but they end up in guard.
Rua pushes down on Walker's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Walker is pressing down on Rua's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rua stopping the sweep attempt from Walker.

Rua postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Walker is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rua, into his guard.
Rua trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Walker gets to his feet. Rua looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Nice body kick there by Walker.
Walker looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Rampage Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Walker is looking to clinch.
Rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Walker tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
Rua has a couple of punches blocked by Walker.
Rua fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Walker gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua is refusing to be controlled, as Walker sits in half guard.
Rua regains full guard. Nicely done.
Walker content to stall in guard here.

Rua throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Walker from controlling successfully.
Walker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
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 Paul Walker will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rua checks the leg kick nicely there.
Rua lands a nice leg kick that just misses Walker's sensitive parts.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Walker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rua, pushing him back against the cage.
Walker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rua drops down looking for an ankle pick but Walker pulls his leg out and moves away.
Walker throws a jab but it's blocked by Rua.
Walker tries a head kick but it misses.
Walker tries to clinch there but Rua circles away.

Rua bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Walker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rua creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Walker sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Rua prevents Walker from escaping the position.
Rua manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua stands and throws Walker's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Walker gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rua prevents Walker from improving his position.
Rua looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Walker with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rua is stalling here. Walker is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Rua seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Walker has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Walker happy to just control the position for now.
Walker scoring with punches from side control.
Rua is looking to regain half guard here but Walker keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Rua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rua is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker trying to control the position but Rua is working away.
Rua is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Walker is controlling him well.
Paul Walker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rua sneaks back into half guard.
Rua is trying to get back to full guard.
Rua is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Walker throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.
Walker tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Walker on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rua. Rua obviously looking to wear him down.

Walker has closed the distance and engaged Rua in a clinch.
Rua avoids the elbow strike from Walker, against the cage.

Walker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Walker throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Rua fails with the takedown

and Walker counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker controlling the position from side mount.
Walker tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Rua gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rua is pressing down on Walker's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rua looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Walker has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Rua to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Walker is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Rua pulls down on the head and he's put Walker to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Rampage Rua!