PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mauricio rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Walker has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Walker
vs
rua

190 cm
23
192 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

193 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Walker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, mauricio rua!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, John Mangel and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Walker closes the distance and clinches.

Walker successfully pulls guard.
rua trying to control but Walker is working from the bottom.
Walker on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Walker tries to get out of the position.

Walker working for a triangle but rua defends it easily.
rua looking to pass the guard.
rua not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
rua slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

rua stands up and beckons Walker to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rua avoids the head kick by Walker.

Walker gets caught flat footed, as rua shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
rua sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Walker's guard.
rua controlling the action here.
rua winds up and cracks Walker with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Walker makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Walker.
rua slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
rua wants to control from the top but Walker keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
rua advances position into side control!

rua decides to stand back up.
Walker is looking to clinch.

Walker decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
rua trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rua holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
rua looks gassed!
Walker is trying to control the action in half guard but rua is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
rua tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
rua trying to control but Walker postures up.
Walker is just content to waste time from the top position. rua takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
rua pulls Walker in close to his closed guard and prevents Walker from doing any damage or advancing position.
Walker is looking to stand up but rua won't let him.

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.
rua seems keen to control Walker's posture.
rua throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Walker preventing the sweep.
rua is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Walker trying to control but rua is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mauricio rua dominated that round.
That's time! Walker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

rua shoots in for a double leg but Walker sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Walker tries a head kick but it misses.
rua swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Walker takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Walker looks to land a combination. rua sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
rua shoots in but Walker avoids the takedown attempt easily.
John Walker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of mauricio rua.
Walker throws a combination that misses
and rua counters with a head kick.
Walker fails in his attempt to clinch.
John Walker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Walker's waist but Walker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing rua off to one side.
Walker tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Walker scores with a one two! rua had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker tries to close the distance and clinch but rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Walker.
Walker fails with the takedown
and rua counters with a good low kick that Walker was not able to check.
Walker lands a straight punch to the body, keeping rua at a distance.
Walker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
rua fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Walker manages to avoid it.
Walker keeps the fight on the outside.
rua closes the distance and clinches up with Walker, looking for a takedown. rua pushes Walker against the cage but Walker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Walker falls off balance throwing a combination

and rua counters with a takedown into side control.
Walker takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
rua moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
rua trying to control the action but Walker is working from the bottom.

rua decides to take the fight back to the feet.
rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking body kick lands there for rua.
Walker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Walker with a body punch. A glancing blow.

rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Walker, pushing him back against the cage.

rua escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
rua rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Walker moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Walker has his takedown stuffed

and rua decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Walker's guard.
rua trying to control but Walker is working from the bottom.
rua looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Walker is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rua is in close to Walker's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Walker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
rua controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
rua passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mauricio rua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Walker connects with the punch.
Walker throws a head kick but rua moves out of range.
Good exchange - Walker coming out on top.
rua avoids the head kick by Walker.
rua rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Walker moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Walker swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
rua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
rua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Walker swivels and escapes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walker punishes rua's body with a nice straight punch.

Walker shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in rua's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

rua is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Walker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker stalling in the clinch but rua improves position.
Walker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

rua breaks the clinch.
Walker throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
rua with a lazy takedown attempt

and Walker counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
rua controlling the position for now.
Walker knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for rua on the ground.
rua is looking to control Walker's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can rua avoid being mounted?
rua is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Walker is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and rua defends it well.
rua slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
rua controlling Walker's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rua's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
rua is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
rua is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Walker has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Walker would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Walker preventing the sweep.
rua looking to control.
Walker stays in close to rua's body and controls the position.
rua looking to control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Walker jabs at rua's body.
rua scores with a leg kick.

Walker gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
John Walker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
mauricio rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Walker looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Walker showed his dominance in that final round.
I think rua has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mauricio rua!