PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jake Hoffman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hoffman
vs
Rua

183 cm
20
178 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

178 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Win Nutritional - proof of quality

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jake Hoffman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Thiago Cunha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hoffman.
Rua tries to clinch but Hoffman is having none of it.

Hoffman looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Hoffman decides to stand and escape the position.
Rua tries to clinch there but Hoffman circles away.

Hoffman closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rua did well to prevent Hoffman getting side control.
Hoffman trying to control from half guard but Rua is working away.
Hoffman is controlling the pace.
Rua pushes Hoffman off looking to stand but Hoffman dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoffman 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.
Hoffman is really struggling to control Rua but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Rua is trying to stand.
Hoffman trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rua is looking to clinch but Hoffman is avoiding it.
Jake Hoffman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hoffman changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rua looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hoffman looking to control but instead Rua has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hoffman wants to control but Rua is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hoffman is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rua defends it well.
Hoffman is breathing heavily.
Hoffman prevents Rua from standing back up.
Rua trying to control from the bottom.
Hoffman tries to pass to full mount but Rua defends it.

Hoffman is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hoffman wants to take a breather but Rua is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Rua drives through and clinches with Hoffman against the cage.
Hoffman is pressed up against the cage. Rua has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hoffman down to the mat. Hoffman avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Hoffman pushes him off.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Hoffman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hoffman shoots for a double leg takedown but Rua sprawls well. He's pushed Hoffman's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rua lands a front kick.

Rua bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hoffman is looking for a sweep.
Rua working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Rua lands with a kick to the temple. Hoffman shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Rua looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hoffman is looking to control Rua's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hoffman avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rua stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Hoffman to get to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Rua dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rua displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hoffman.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hoffman paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rua fails to land the takedown.
Hoffman's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Hoffman duly obliges.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hoffman with a jab.

Hoffman looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Hoffman from controlling successfully.
Hoffman is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rua is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hoffman 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.
Hoffman trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hoffman trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Rua stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Hoffman to get to his feet.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hoffman misses with the combination.
Hoffman avoids the head kick by Rua.
Rua swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hoffman tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rua swivels and escapes.
Rua shoots for a double leg takedown but Hoffman sprawls well. He's pushed Rua's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jake Hoffman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Rua.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Hoffman pushes him off.

Hoffman looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rua!
Hoffman wants to control the pace but Rua is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoffman controlling his opponent.

Hoffman wants to finish this one by submission but Rua is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Hoffman.
Hoffman tries to control but Rua wriggling away.

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.
Jake Hoffman overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hoffman is stalling here but it's allowed Rua to get half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hoffman is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rua is just riding it out for now. Hoffman eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Hoffman dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Hoffman circles away.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hoffman gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rua counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hoffman's guard now.
Hoffman working a defensive guard here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hoffman holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jake Hoffman just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Hoffman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from Hoffman. Hoffman gets slowly back to his feet.

Rua clinches up against the cage.
Rua drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Rua ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rua no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Hoffman tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.

Rua wriggles free and stands up.

Hoffman darts in and clinches Rua up against the cage.
Rua drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hoffman pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rua clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking to slow down the pace here.
Rua has had enough of the clinch but Hoffman keeps him there for the moment.
Rua stops a takedown attempt from Hoffman.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Hoffman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A knee to the head by Rua.
Rua lands a nice knee to the body.

Rua pulls Hoffman into guard.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Hoffman from controlling successfully.
Rua looking to control.
Hoffman trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoffman's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hoffman wants to stand and escape but instead Rua has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Hoffman trying to control the position.
Hoffman on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hoffman tries to get out of the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hoffman shoots in but no luck this time.

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

Rua looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
It looks like Rua is going to stand back up.
Hoffman wants to control but Rua is keeping busy.

Rua stands up out of the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rua 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Rua!