PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richard Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maurcio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Head comes to the cage accompanied by Deftones Head Up. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Head
vs
Rua

175 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Richard Head!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Maurcio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua slaps away a takedown attempt from Head, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rua ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Rua fails with the takedown

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

Rua escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Head gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Head trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua trying to keep a closed guard but Head is proving a slippery customer.
Rua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Head loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head tries to stand but Rua is controlling from the bottom.
Rua wants to stand up but Head is controlling him.
Head trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.
Rua tries to bum rush Head with a series of wild strikes but Head uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Rua scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rua tries to stand but Head controls the position and pulls Rua into his guard.
Rua really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Head. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Head manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rua manages to get himself to full guard.
Head is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Head is one step ahead there.
Rua seems keen to control Head's posture.

Rua looking for a guillotine here but Head defends easily.

Rua working for a triangle but Head defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Head is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Head is looking to work some ground and pound but Rua has wrist control.
Head working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Head gets to his feet - Rua follows without any prompting.
Head looks to score with a jab to the body but Rua is just out of range.
Head shoots in and drives through. Rua sprawls well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rua is defended easily by Head.
Richard Head has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maurcio Rua.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Head has Rua pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Head pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Rua tumbling to the mat - Head dives into Rua's guard.
Rua wants to control the position but Head says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Head dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rua with a poor takedown

and Head counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Head has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rua!

Head jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Rua is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Rua and Head has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Rua struggling a bit here.
Rua tries to buck Head off but Head is having none of it.
Head is working Rua over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rua keeping his opponent close.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to control but Head postures up.
Rua is trying to work for a sweep but Head has mounted him!
Head trying to control but Rua is having none of it.
Rua working to try and regain half guard.
Head can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rua is looking to escape.

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 wants to hold on but Head pushes him away.

Head jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Rua manages to avoid the submission attempt.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rua stuffs the takedown.
Rua tries to clinch up but Head circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Head shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Head throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rua's waist but Rua gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Head off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Head counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rua won't be happy with that.
Head tries to advance to mount but can't.
Rua wants to control but Head postures up.
Head trying to control the action but Rua is working from the bottom.
Head working the body and head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Head stands up and beckons Rua to his feet.
Rua fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Head manages to avoid it.
Nice sprawl there from Rua as Head shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Head. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice takedown defense from Head. No joy for Rua on that attempt.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Head swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Head lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rua has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rua and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Head displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rua.
Rua works over Head's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Head dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Head fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rua sprawls well initially but Head persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rua is trying to maintain the position but Head is very close to passing his half guard.
Rua tries to get to full guard but Head has control of the leg.

Rua looking for submissions off his back.
Ground and pound from Head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Head is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rua sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head stops Rua from getting back to his feet.

Head decides to stand and escape the position.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Head holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rua tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Head decides to pull guard.
Head is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.
Head can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rua controls the pace.
Head not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to control from the top but Head keeps moving.
Rua must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Head looking for a sweep. Not yet Head, not yet.
Rua looking to sit in guard and control but Head gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rua wants to control but Head passes easily into half guard.
Rua holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Head decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rua lands a shot to the body.
Rua is looking to control Head's arms but Head gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rua has his back to the cage.
Head is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rua looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rua prevents a takedown attempt there.
Head is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rua is keeping busy.
Head tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rua just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Head. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Head fails to pull guard.
A frustrated look appears on Rua's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Head has Rua pressed against the cage, preventing Rua from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rua tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Head just stands there and leans against the cage.
Head tries to pull guard but Rua won't allow it.
Rua tries to score a body lock takedown but Head shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Head successfully pulls guard.
Head trying to control the position.
Head looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rua sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Maurcio Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Richard Head is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Head blocks nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Head showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Head, 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Head!