PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Maurício Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Staton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rua
vs
Staton

191 cm
26
220 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
218 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

World class boxer
Granite chin

World class MT
Good gas tank

[GTI] Divine Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Maurício Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Staton!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Staton slips under a jab from Rua.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua looks to land a left hand but Staton moved out of range nicely.
Rua misses with a body shot
and Staton counters with a leg kick.
Maurício Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Staton connects with an inside leg kick.
Staton throws out a leg kick but Rua moves out of range and Staton only half commits.
A jab from Rua misses.
Staton scores with a push kick.
Rua thuds a left hand into Staton's body.
Rua throws a jab when Staton was well out of range.
Staton takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rua scores with a hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A jab from Staton does it's job there.
Staton throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a low kick as Staton jumps back.
Staton attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Staton swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.
Rua on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Staton misses with a wild body shot.
Staton misses with a straight right.
Staton ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Staton displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rua throws out the jab.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Staton scores with a hook to the body. Rua takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rua is looking to score with low kicks.
Rua throws out a loose jab but Staton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Staton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rua manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rua, right into the meat.
Rua fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Staton has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rua connects with a crisp jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Staton.
Rua throws a nice looking combination but Staton bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rua lands a lovely overhand right.
Staton ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Rua scores with a jab. Staton acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Staton moves out of range of the body kick from Rua.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Staton ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Rua has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Staton.
Rua is looking to clinch but Staton is avoiding it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurício Rua dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Staton throws the left hand but Rua avoids the punch easily.
Staton should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rua's corner calls for a 1-2. Rua obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Staton walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rua checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Staton ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Rua just misses with a punch to the body.
Staton looks to land a body kick but Rua moved away.
Staton fails with an attempt to clinch.
Staton misses with a few strikes there.
A swing and a miss from Rua.
Staton throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.
Maurício Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Rua lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rua throws out a loose jab but Staton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rua avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rua sizes up Staton with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua lands a nice leg kick that just misses Staton's sensitive parts.
The fight stays on the outside here - Staton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua misses with a straight right.
Staton moves away from the strike by Rua.
Staton tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Rua is able to avoid easily.
Rua throws out a loose jab but Staton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Staton blocks a head kick by Rua.
Rua lands a jab to Staton's midsection.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rua, right into the meat.
Rua misses with a low kick as Staton jumps back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staton tries to move into range but Rua moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick.
Rua scores with a hook to the body. Staton takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Staton trying to land knees to the body.
Rua lands a knee to the body.
Staton is breathing heavily.
Rua lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Michael Staton has been cut.
Rua tries to break free but Staton pushes him back against the ropes.
Rua with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rua is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Rua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Staton's elbow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua digs a right hand into Staton's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Staton's gas tank.
Rua misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Rua fails to land.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Staton.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurício Rua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Michael Staton's cut.
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 blocks a leg kick.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Staton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rua moves away.
Rua tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Staton counters with a thumping low kick.
Staton throws a hook but Rua blocks it.
Staton slips a straight right by Rua.
Rua throws a leg kick which misses Staton's front leg but catches the back leg as Staton tries to avoid it.
Rua swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rua thows a leg kick but Staton checks it
and Staton counters with a nice low kick that buckles Rua's knee momentarily.
Staton turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rua jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Donk. Rua catches Staton right on the button with a cross.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staton swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rua misses with a wild body shot.
Staton takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rua throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Staton sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Staton gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Rua makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Staton really felt that one!
Staton avoids the head kick by Rua.
Staton steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rua.
The fight stays on the outside here - Staton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Staton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rua manages to avoid it.
Rua works the jab nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Staton moves into range and clinches up with Rua.
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 tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Staton's elbow.
Rua swings wildly with an uppercut but Staton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rua lands with a light punch inside.
Staton is looking to control Rua's arms but Rua gets an underhook and turns him. Now Staton has his back to the ropes.
A frustrated look appears on Rua's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rua misses with a hook from the clinch.
Staton pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Staton misses with a hook from the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Staton stalling the fight.
Rua working hard to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurício Rua clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Staton's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Staton misses with a double jab.
Staton throws a hook but Rua blocks it.
Staton ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rua tries to land a front kick but Staton steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Staton. Rua shrugs it off though.
Staton lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Staton lands with a shot to the body.
Staton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Staton throws out a leg kick but Rua moves out of range and Staton only half commits.
Rua misses with a jab, cross combination.
Staton misses with a low kick.
Rua fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staton manages to avoid it.
Staton takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Rua.
Rua uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Staton.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice body kick there by Rua.
Rua's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Rua duly obliges.
Staton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rua.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Rua does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Staton wants to clinch up but Rua keeps it at a distance.
Rua lands with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rua misses with a hook
and Staton counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick
and Staton counters with a nice body kick.
Rua is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Staton tries to score with a low kick but Rua moves his leg out of the way.
Staton takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Staton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Staton.
Staton misses with a jab to the body
and Rua counters with a head kick. That will keep Staton thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Donk. Rua catches Staton right on the button with a cross.
Staton chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Staton misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua throws a leg kick
and Staton counters with an outside leg kick.
Rua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Staton can do to turn this around?
Rua throws a looping overhand right but Staton ducks down to avoid it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Staton. That's going to slow Rua down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurício Rua had his way with Michael Staton in that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Staton's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Rua throws out a loose jab but Staton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Michael Staton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maurício Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Staton lands a nice looking body kick.
Rua swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rua lunges at Staton with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Staton's hand.
Rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Staton has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rua finds it's way round the side to connect with Staton's head.
Rua looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Staton scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rua doesn't seem bothered though.
Staton is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.
Good shot there by Staton.
Rua throws a big shot that misses.
Staton throws a body punch but Rua moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with a low kick.
Rua shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Staton looks to land a body kick but Rua moved away.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Staton feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ruas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Staton lands a leg kick that knocks Rua off balance momentarily.
Staton avoids the head kick by Rua.
Staton misses with a leg kick.
Staton shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Staton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rua.
Staton ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Rua looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staton throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rua scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Staton slips under a jab.
Nice shot lands for Staton.
Rua lands with an overhand left.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Staton ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
A big left from Rua misses.
Staton misses with a hook
and Rua counters with an outside leg kick.
Staton misses with a straight left.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Staton tries to clinch up.
Rua blocks the body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Staton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rua has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 49:46
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 49:46
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maurício Rua!
Maurício Rua decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.