PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tempelton Shire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Georges Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shire
vs
Rua

174 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

168 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

[†]FALCON CLOTHING[†]

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 New York, Tempelton Shire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Georges Rua!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Dean Styles and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shire shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shire moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Shire is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Rua looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rua is trying to control the action in half guard but Shire is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Shire is defending against the submission attempts here by Rua.
Shire is trying to control but can't.

Rua is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Shire defends it well.

Rua is looking for a kimura but Shire is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rua to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shire is looking to improve his position.

Rua is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Shire is just riding it out for now. Rua eventually gives up the hold.
Rua looks gassed!
Shire wants to get back to his feet.
Shire knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rua on the ground.
Shire tries to roll over but Rua keeps him under control.
Shire trying to hold on to Rua's head to control him but Rua postures up.

Shire is defending against the submission attempts here by Rua.
Shire moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shire controls Rua momentarily but Rua frees himself.
Shire wants to stand but Rua is controlling the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Shire trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rua on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Shire moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Shire has his takedown stuffed

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into side control. Shire won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shire throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Rua is trying to get an arm triangle but Shire is defending well.
Shire is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Shire is trying to improve his position.
Shire is working hard here to advance position.
Rua prevents Shire from escaping the position.

Rua tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rua has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Shire is looking to regain half guard here but Rua keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shire fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tempelton Shire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shire looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Shire fails with the takedown.

Shire closes the distance and clinches.
Shire is pressed up against the cage. Rua has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shire down to the mat. Shire avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Georges Rua dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Shire moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Shire throws a low kick but Rua avoids it.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from Shire. Shire gets slowly back to his feet.
Shire defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rua.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rua.
Shire wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Shire struggling a bit here.

Rua is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Shire is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rua is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shire can't do much from the bottom here.
Shire tries to bench press Rua off him but Rua keeps the position.
Shire struggling a bit here.
Shire wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shire moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Shire misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

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

Shire clinches with his opponent.
Rua has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Shire is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rua tries for a takedown but Shire manages to get underhooks.
Tempelton Shire has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Georges Rua.
Rua blocks the elbow strike.
Shire wants a takedown but no success here.
Shire tries to pull guard but Rua won't allow it.
Shire looking for a takedown.
Shire changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rua fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Shire has his takedown stuffed

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown. Shire fights it but they end up in guard.

Rua drops back, looking for a kneebar! Shire looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Shire looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Shire!
Shire tries to stand but Rua is controlling his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to get back to half guard.
Rua is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Shire is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua trying to control but Shire flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Shire gets his hands free as Rua looks to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shire keeps control of the position as Rua tries to break free.

Shire looking for the choke but no joy.

Shire working for the choke.
Rua just trying to survive but Shire is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua is in bad spot here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Georges Rua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Shire looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Shire tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily

and Rua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Shire tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rua thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Shire is looking to stand up but Rua isn't so interested in that idea.
Rua trying to control but Shire is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shire looking for a sweep. Not yet Shire, not yet.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shire working a defensive guard here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shire tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rua counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Shire!
Rua looking to control but Shire is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Rua is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Shire is surviving well by controlling Rua's body position as best he can.
Rua prevents Shire from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shire wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Rua.
Shire keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rua throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Shire because Rua loaded up on that one.
Shire is working to get back to half guard.
Rua moves to the back.

Rua is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Shire defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Rua tightening his grip on Shire, looking for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shire covering up well and avoiding damage.
You can see the frustration on Shire's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Rua has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Shire wants to control his opponent's hands but Rua gets his hands free.
Rua has the hooks in. Shire is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Georges Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shire is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Rua somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

Rua patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Shire trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Shire tries to roll but Rua sticks to his back.
Shire looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Tempelton Shire has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Georges Rua has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rua has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

And that's the end of the fight!
Georges Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rua winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30

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