PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Augusto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Rua
vs
Augusto

185 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucas Augusto!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Mauricio Rocha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Augusto misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Augusto takes a kick to the side of the head.
Nice takedown defense from Augusto. No joy for Rua on that attempt.
Rua tries for a takedown but Augusto sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Augusto misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Rua rushes Augusto and presses him up against the cage.
Rua stalling.
Rua goes for a takedown attempt but Augusto pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rua controlling the action here for a moment.
Augusto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rua smiles and moves away.

Rua drives through and clinches with Augusto against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua scores a nice knee to the body.

Augusto manages to pull guard.

Augusto working for a triangle but Rua defends it easily.
Rua looking to pass the guard.
Rua lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Augusto tries to strike from the bottom.
Augusto can't keep his opponent in guard - Rua advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Augusto won't allow Rua to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to stand but Augusto has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Rua trying to control from Augusto's half guard. Augusto has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Rua slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Augusto looks gassed!
Augusto tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rua wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Rua.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to control for a moment but Augusto uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Augusto is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rua defends it well.
Rua is trying to maintain the position but Augusto is very close to passing his half guard.
Rua is looking for a sweep. Augusto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four 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.

Rua looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Augusto is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Augusto shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rua makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Augusto tries for a takedown but Rua circles away easily
and Rua counters with a nice body kick.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Crack! A monster head kick from Rua and Augusto falls like a tree - timbeeeeeeeeeeerrrr! A highlight reel knockout by Rua!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Thiago Rua!