PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Randy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mauricio Rua has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Couture
vs
Rua

186 cm
27
213 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

194 cm
26
212 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Randy Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture throws a big shot that misses.
Couture wants to clinch but Rua slips to the side

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into side control. Couture won't be happy with that.
Rua creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Couture sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
You can see the frustration on Couture's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture is looking to regain half guard here but Rua keeps moving and retains side control.
Check out the look on Rua's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Rua lands a decent elbow from side control.
Couture defending against the ground and pound.
Couture takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua working the ground and pound.
Rua trying to control the action but Couture is working from the bottom.
Rua has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Couture!
Rua working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Rua looking to finish Couture with some ground and pound. This is bad for Couture!
Rua working the ground and pound effectively.

Couture is rocked!

It looks like Randy Couture has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua cracks Couture with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mauricio Rua!