PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrei Menavolov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rua
vs
Menavolov

185 cm
19
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
25
216 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrei Menavolov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Menavolov is defended easily by Rua.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Menavolov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Menavolov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rua jabs Menavolov to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Menavolov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rua avoids it really well and circles away.
Mauricio Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrei Menavolov.
Rua lands with a right hand.
Menavolov swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rua counters with a straight right hand.
Menavolov misses with a hook to the body
and Rua counters with a nice uppercut.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.
Menavolov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rua counters with a nice body shot.
Rua lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Menavolov misses with a leg kick.
Rua lands with an overhand left.
Nice takedown defense from Rua. No joy for Menavolov on that attempt.
Menavolov looks gassed!
Rua's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Rua duly obliges.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Menavolov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rua is looking to clinch but Menavolov is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menavolov shoots in but Rua avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Menavolov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Menavolov fails with a takedown attempt.
Rua tries to clinch but Menavolov is having none of it.
Menavolov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rua is looking to clinch but Menavolov is avoiding it.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Menavolov circles away.
Rua dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Menavolov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Rua connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Menavolov is trying desperately to land a takedown but Rua is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Menavolov.
Rua tries to clinch there but Menavolov circles away.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Menavolov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Menavolov swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua connects with a right hand. Menavolov shakes it off.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Menavolov is defended easily by Rua.
Mauricio Rua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua is looking to clinch but Menavolov is avoiding it.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Menavolov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Menavolov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rua avoids it really well and circles away.
Rua connects with a crisp jab.
Rua lands with a good body shot.
Menavolov moves forwards but Rua connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Menavolov on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rua tries to clinch up but Menavolov circles away and keeps his distance.
Menavolov circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menavolov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Menavolov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua wants to clinch but Menavolov slips to the side

and Menavolov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Menavolov is working away from the top position though.
Rua is trying to get back to full guard.
Rua wants to sweep but Menavolov has passed to side control!
Rua struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Menavolov decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Rua digs a good hook to Menavolov's body.
Menavolov shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Menavolov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua tries to clinch up

and Menavolov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua has a hand on Menavolov's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Menavolov takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua 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.

Menavolov circles away from the clinch attempt

and Menavolov counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Rua's face as Menavolov controls the position.
Menavolov throwing shots but missing, from side control.
A lull in the action here as Menavolov stalls from top position.
Menavolov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rua!
Rua is in a horrible position here. Menavolov smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is wriggling around trying to escape.
Menavolov controlling from mount.
Menavolov has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rua's face.
Menavolov controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menavolov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Menavolov working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menavolov controlling the position easily from mount.
Rua is just holding on here. Menavolov manages to take his back.
Menavolov has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Rua's body.

That's four 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.
Menavolov gets his hands free as Rua looks to control.
Menavolov is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Rua tries to escape the position.
Menavolov biding his time, controlling Rua.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Menavolov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Menavolov is defended easily by Rua.
Rua with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Rua jabs at Menavolov's body.

Menavolov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rua is trying to defend but Menavolov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Menavolov passes the guard and advances to mount!
Menavolov breaks from Rua's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is bucking up trying to escape but Menavolov cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Menavolov raining down hammerfists from mount.
Menavolov lands a heavy elbow.
Menavolov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rua knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Menavolov on the ground.
Menavolov landing punches.

It looks like Mauricio Rua has been cut.
The referee warns Rua that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Menavolov lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Menavolov lands a nice shot to the head.
A nice elbow there by Menavolov.
Menavolov with shots to the head and body - Rua looks very uncomfortable down there.
Menavolov content just to control the position here.
Menavolov putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Menavolov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menavolov scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rua?
Menavolov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua tries to control the position but Menavolov now has his back.

Menavolov has managed to slip his arm under Rua's chin. This could be all over... yep, Rua is tapping out! Submission win for Menavolov.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Andrei Menavolov!