PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Nuclear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua comes into the arena with Roy Jones - Can't be touched blaring out of the sound system. The crowd seem to be enjoying Nuclear's choice of entrance music: Nuclear Assault - Critical Mass. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rua
vs
Nuclear

185 cm
28
205 lbs
20 - 13 - 0

188 cm
31
209 lbs
19 - 13 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Project Mayhem

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 20 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, David Nuclear!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Winston Howard and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nuclear cracks Rua with a good jab.
Rua shoots for a double leg takedown but Nuclear sprawls well. He's pushed Rua's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nuclear bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Nuclear misses with an attempted mid kick.
Nuclear steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rua.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nuclear.
Nuclear throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nuclear looks to land a combination but Rua avoids it well.
Nuclear slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Nuclear looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nuclear lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nuclear fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Rua or perhaps it was just good defense by Nuclear which made him look bad.
Rua takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Nuclear misses with a few strikes there.
Rua shoots for a double leg takedown but Nuclear sprawls well. He's pushed Rua's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nuclear throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nuclear jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nuclear leaves Rua with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nuclear catches Rua with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nuclear sprawls well. Nuclear wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nuclear but Nuclear pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rua.
Nuclear fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuclear connects with a single shot there.
Nuclear leaves Rua with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nuclear throws a sloppy body shot

and Rua counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Nuclear's guard now.
Rua won't allow Nuclear to sweep him here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Nuclear controlling Rua's posture.
Rua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nuclear swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nuclear is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.
Nuclear looking for a sweep. Not yet Nuclear, not yet.
Rua postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nuclear looking to control.

OK we're going to have a standup here. David Nuclear hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Nuclear lands a leg kick that knocks Rua off balance momentarily.
Rua slips under a jab from Nuclear.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoids the body shot from Nuclear.
Rua fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nuclear avoids it really well and circles away.
Nuclear connects with a jab.
Nuclear scores with a sloppy right hand. Rua should have avoided that one.
Rua looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A slow jab from Nuclear misses its intended target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Nuclear dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rua has a takedown stuffed.
Mauricio Rua is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nuclear misses with a body shot.
Nuclear tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Rua shoots in but Nuclear avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nuclear jabs Rua to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Good leg kick by Nuclear there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
David Nuclear seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nuclear misses the shot to the body.
Nuclear scores with a kick to the body.
Rua has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua takes one to the chin there.
Nuclear buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Nuclear throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rua chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Nuclear can pounce on him.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Nuclear shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nuclear defends it nicely.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nuclear smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
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.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nuclear turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rua fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nuclear ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nuclear sprawls well. Nuclear wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
Nuclear connects with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuclear throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rua takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Rua doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rua is defended easily by Nuclear.
Rua steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Nuclear. That one must have hurt.
Rua tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nuclear sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rua somewhat.
Nuclear is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nuclear moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Nuclear rushes Rua and presses him up against the cage.
Rua has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Nuclear is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rua drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nuclear gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nuclear lands a hook that snaps the head of Rua backwards.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rua has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Nuclear is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Nuclear holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Nuclear breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Nuclear showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rua.
Rua on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nuclear. Nuclear obviously looking to wear him down.
Nuclear tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
No joy there for Nuclear, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rua takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Nuclear feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rua's calf.
Nuclear throws a quick inside leg kick.
Nuclear scoring well with a low kick there.

Nuclear clinches up with Rua and pushes him back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua prevents a body shot from Nuclear.
Nuclear is stalling here.
Rua lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nuclear backwards.
Nuclear connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Mauricio Rua has been cut.
Nuclear lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee calls for Nuclear to work.
Rua tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nuclear stops a takedown attempt from Rua.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short right from Nuclear.
Nuclear working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Rua is rocked!
Rua drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nuclear gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Oh Rua is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rua is looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nuclear pushes Rua back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rua is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Nuclear is stalling here.
Rua is trying to drag Nuclear to the mat but Nuclear just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A nice right hand lands inside from Nuclear.
Nuclear lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nuclear.
Nuclear creates some distance for himselfand unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Rua's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Rua drops to his knees and Nuclear pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). David Nuclear!
In his post fight interview, David Nuclear started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.