PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Bowie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rafael Rua has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Craig Bowie's chin.

Bowie
vs
Rua

172 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

187 cm
26
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Bowie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rafael Rua!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua throws a right hand that Bowie ducks under and follows up with a left that Bowie also avoids with ease.
Bowie tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bowie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bowie checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua misses with a body shot.
Rafael Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bowie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bowie was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bowie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bowie tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Rua takes a swing at Bowie's ribcage but misses.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Rua misses with a head kick.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.
Bowie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rua.

That's two 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.
Rua misses with a few strikes there.
Rua throws a low kick but Bowie moves out of range easily.
Bowie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bowie misses with a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bowie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua throws a lazy head kick
and Bowie counters with a head kick. That will keep Rua thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rua misses with a head kick.
Bowie tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Bowie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A big right from Rua misses.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bowie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bowie throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Bowie counters with a stiff right hand.
Rua looks to throw a body kick
and Bowie counters with a straight right hand.
Bowie is looking to clinch.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua throws the left hand but Bowie avoids the punch easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fight stays on the outside here - Bowie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bowie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Bowie dominated that 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.

Rua misses with an uppercut. Bowie saw that one coming.
Rua fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bowie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bowie avoids the head kick by Rua.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Rua in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Rua misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bowie.
A big left from Bowie misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua throws a body kick the misses
and Bowie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bowie blocks a head kick by Rua.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Bowie dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Craig Bowie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bowie is looking to clinch.
Bowie wants to clinch.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick and Bowie moves out of range easily.

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.
Bowie throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.
Bowie is looking to clinch.
Bowie throws a nice head kick!
Bowie tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bowie moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Bowie tries to clinch up but Rua circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Bowie rather than just go for the knockout.
Rua throws a lazy head kick
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bowie doesn't manage to clinch there - Rua circles away.
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Bowie dodges the punch combination from Rua.
Bowie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rua throws a leg kick that is checked
and Bowie counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

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.
Rua misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rua loads up on a big right hand but Bowie slips the punch.
Bowie tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua throws a head kick that misses.
Bowie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rua.
Bowie tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rua fails to land with a series of punches.
Bowie tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Bowie dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bowie throws a low kick, looking for Rua's leg but Rua calmly moves out of range.
Rua throws a head kick that misses
and Bowie counters with a stiff right hand.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bowie manages to avoid it.
Rua tries to land a front kick but Bowie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Bowie moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua scores with a body shot.
Bowie tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowie tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Bowie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Bowie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick by Rua misses
and Bowie counters with a head kick.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Rua thows a body shot but no joy.
Bowie tries to clinch up.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a right and a left that both miss.

Bowie clinches.

Rua has Bowie pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rua pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Bowie tumbling to the mat - Rua dives into Bowie's guard.

Rua drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Rua seems to have locked his on tight now - Bowie screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Rua, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Rafael Rua!