PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Crespo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Crespo has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Rua
vs
Crespo

185 cm
22
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
209 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ivan Crespo!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Crespo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crespo is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rua is trying to stand back up but Crespo is controlling him
Crespo is trying to control the action in half guard but Rua is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rua wants to control but Crespo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Crespo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rua is trying to get back to full guard.
Crespo is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Crespo throwing shots but Rua is blocking nicely.
Crespo trying to mount his opponent but Rua defends it.
Crespo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crespo is taking a breather. Rua says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rua stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rua wants it to stay on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Crespo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rua tries to break free but Crespo pushes him back against the cage.
Crespo wants a takedown but no success here.
Mauricio Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Crespo.
Rua gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Crespo.
Crespo looks gassed!
Rua wants to break the clinch but can't.
Crespo goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rua prevents it.
Rua prevents a takedown attempt there.
Crespo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rua's efforts to push away.
Crespo can't get the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rua throws a right hand that Crespo ducks under and follows up with a left that Crespo also avoids with ease.
Crespo needs to keep his hands up - Rua had a free shot at his head there.
A punch combination from Rua misses.
Rua lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Ivan Crespo has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Crespo.
Rua will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Crespo crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Rua - the referee stops the clock and Crespo gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Rua. Crespo manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Rua throws a series of punches but Crespo moves out of range.
Rua throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rua misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua connects with a high kick.
Rua misses with the combination.
Crespo shoots in looking for a takedown. Rua tries to sprawl out of it but Crespo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rua manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rua lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rua.
Crespo wants to clinch up but Rua keeps it at a distance.
Rua lands a jab-cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crespo wants to clinch up but Rua keeps it at a distance.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rua!
Rua slaps away a takedown attempt from Crespo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rua misses with a wild combination.

Crespo pushes Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
Crespo takes an elbow to the temple.
Rua wants to break the clinch but can't.
Crespo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rua fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rua misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ivan Crespo's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Crespo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rua is fending him off so far but Crespo persists. Nope, Rua circles away and we're back to standing.
Crespo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rua lands with a shot to the body.
Horrible takedown by Crespo or perhaps it was just good defense by Rua which made him look bad.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
A thudding body kick lands there by Rua!
Rua connects with a good right hand that stumbles Crespo. Crespo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Crespo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rua finds it's way round the side to connect with Crespo's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a series of punches but Crespo avoids them all with ease.
Mauricio Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua connects with a single shot there.
Rua thuds a left hand into Crespo's body.
Rua dips to his left and cracks Crespo with an uppercut!
Rua cracks Crespo with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A punch combination from Rua misses.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Crespo closes the distance and clinches.
Rua is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Crespo prevents Rua from breaking the clinch.
Rua is trying to stall.
Crespo is working for takedown but Rua is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mauricio Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Crespo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Crespo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Rua. Those never looked like landing.
Crespo tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rua goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Crespo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Crespo eats them both and turns towards Rua to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Rua pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Crespo back to the cage. Rua follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Crespo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crespo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Crespo is defended easily by Rua.
Rua throws a right and a left that Crespo avoids nicely.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Crespo tries to clinch up.
Rua lands a nice leg kick that just misses Crespo's sensitive parts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Crespo tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Crespo fails to land the takedown.
Sloppy strikes from Rua. Those never looked like landing.
Crespo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mauricio Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A nice combination there by Rua.
Rua misses with a wild combination.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ivan Crespo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Rua stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rua wants it to stay on the feet.
Rua scores with a head kick. Crespo tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Rua scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Crespo is rocked!
Rua throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crespo is still on wobbly legs! Can Rua finish him?
Crespo moves out of range as Rua strikes.
Rua misses with a series of wild punches.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Mauricio Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Crespo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Crespo seems to have recovered his senses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Crespo fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Crespo fails with a takedown attempt.
Mauricio Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Crespo.
Crespo closes the distance and clinches up with Rua, looking for a takedown. Crespo pushes Rua against the cage but Rua circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rua lands a body shot.
A combination from Rua does no damage.
Crespo shoots in looking for a takedown but Rua manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Crespo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rua scores with a head kick. Crespo tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Crespo blocks a head kick by Rua.
Ivan Crespo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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 misses with a two punch combination.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Rua.
Rua throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.

Crespo throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rua tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Crespo is in Rua's guard.
Rua keeping moving, preventing Crespo from controlling successfully.
Rua lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Crespo!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crespo looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Crespo grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Ivan Crespo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rua lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.

Rua looking for the choke but no joy.
Rua lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua tightening his grip on Crespo, looking for the choke.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Rua is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Crespo taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Rua.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Mauricio Rua!