PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Strickland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Strickland has chosen Momma Said Knock you out as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rua
vs
Strickland

188 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sean Strickland!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Strickland. That did some damage!
No luck for Rua with that takedown attempt.
Strickland swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Strickland shoots in for a double leg but Rua sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mauricio Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strickland thows a body shot but no joy.
Rua wants to clinch.
Strickland misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Rua clinches.
Strickland tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rua avoids it.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rua wants to clinch up but Strickland keeps it at a distance.

Strickland moves into the clinch.
Rua working hard to break the clinch.
Rua wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rua is trying to break the clinch but Strickland is controlling him.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Strickland has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strickland is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Strickland keeps control of Rua as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Strickland gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Strickland wants to stand but Rua is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Strickland on the ground.
Strickland tries to free his leg and advance position but Rua is retaining full guard.
Strickland prevents Rua from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Strickland sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Strickland wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

Rua working for a triangle but Strickland defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strickland showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rua scores with a nice head shot.

It looks like Sean Strickland has been cut.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Strickland shows good takedown defense.
Rua clinches but Strickland breaks the clinch
and Strickland counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rua is breathing heavily.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rua thows a left - swing and a miss!

Strickland darts in and clinches Rua up against the cage.
Rua working hard to break the clinch.
Rua is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strickland pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rua throws a head kick that misses

so Strickland counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Strickland trying to control the position from guard on top but Rua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rua can't keep his opponent in guard - Strickland advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Strickland keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Strickland is looking for a kimura here.
Rua has hold of Strickland's hands but Strickland slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Strickland wants to control but Rua is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rua is trying to stand up here but Strickland is controlling him well.
Strickland looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rua with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rua wants to improve his position but Strickland is controlling well.

Rua looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Strickland controlling the action here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Strickland throws a combination. Rua tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Strickland tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Strickland dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sean Strickland's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rua shoots in and drives through. Strickland sprawls well.
Strickland shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Strickland circles away.

Strickland scores with a takedown into Rua's guard.
Strickland slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Strickland stands up.
Strickland fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua closes the distance and clinches up with Strickland, looking for a takedown. Rua pushes Strickland against the cage but Strickland circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strickland shoots in and drives through. Rua sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Rua gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Strickland has him pressed against the cage.

Strickland's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Strickland shoots in and drives through. Rua sprawls well.
Mauricio Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Strickland moves into the clinch.
Strickland fails to pull guard.
Rua wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Strickland pulls Rua into guard.
Rua wanted to stand there but Strickland had control of the position.

Rua got a little sloppy there for a moment and Strickland has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rua has managed to get both his arms back between Strickland's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strickland has a closed guard, preventing Rua from standing up.
Rua has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Strickland is trying to keep Rua in close.
Strickland striking off his back but it's not causing Rua any problems.
Strickland wants to sweep but no luck.
Strickland is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A lazy body kick from Rua

and Strickland counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Strickland tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rua just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rua is trying to break the clinch but Strickland is controlling him.
Strickland jumps guard but Rua stands there with Strickland around his waist. Strickland gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rua being controlled against the cage.
Rua has Strickland pressed against the cage, preventing Strickland from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Strickland is struggling to control the position.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Strickland is defending well for now.

Strickland manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Strickland wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.
Rua wants to stand and escape but instead Strickland has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Strickland thows a big elbow that misses.

Strickland gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland throws a head kick that misses.
Rua looks for a takedown but Strickland sprawls well.

Strickland gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Rua is trying to break the clinch but Strickland has him pressed against the cage.
Rua is looking to break free of the clinch but Strickland has double underhooks.

Strickland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Strickland bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Strickland decides to stand back up.
Horrible takedown by Strickland or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Rua throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Rua keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Strickland showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sean Strickland's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Strickland closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. Strickland pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Strickland takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Strickland sprawls well. Strickland wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
Rua stuffs the takedown.
Rua tries to clinch up

and Strickland counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rua!
Rua squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Strickland looking to control but Rua is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Strickland controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.
Rua takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Strickland controlling from the full mount.
Rua wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Rua is trying to escape the mount.

That's two 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.
Strickland looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.
Strickland controlling the position easily from mount.
Rua is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rua is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
BOOM! Strickland connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Strickland looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Strickland lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Strickland lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Sean Strickland has got the better of the ground game so far.
Strickland landing shots from mount.

Strickland looking to secure an arm triangle but Rua defends it well.
Rua throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Strickland won't let Rua get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Strickland tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Rua is trying to stand but he's just given Strickland his back.
Rua is really stuck here.
Strickland is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Strickland gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Strickland gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Strickland apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Strickland scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strickland moves out of range as Rua strikes.
Strickland tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rua counters with a head kick. That will keep Strickland thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

And that's the end of the fight!
Sean Strickland comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Strickland 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sean Strickland!