PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Balor Devlin (ranked 5544 p4p, 3932 weight class) and Sean Rivers (ranked 558 p4p, 473 weight class). Rivers is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Gojira - Sphinx. Sean Rivers has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Devlin
vs
Rivers

179 cm
21
173
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
21
180
2 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Balor Devlin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sean Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Devlin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rivers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Devlin.
Balor Devlin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Devlin throws a body punch but Rivers moves out of range.
Devlin swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Devlin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Devlin lands in his opponent's guard.
Rivers is trying to keep Devlin in close.
Rivers managing to control the position.
Rivers can't keep his opponent in guard - Devlin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rivers is defending against the submission attempts here by Devlin.

Devlin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Devlin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rivers sees it coming and defends easily.
Rivers preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Devlin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Devlin seems to be working for a kimura but Rivers defends the submission attempt.
Devlin looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Rivers wants to get back to his feet.
Devlin trying to control the action but Rivers is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rivers is trying to stand back up but Devlin is controlling him
Rivers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Devlin.
Rivers is pressing down on Devlin's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Devlin drops back looking for a leg! Rivers is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rivers manages to kick Devlin off! Devlin jumps back into Rivers's guard.
Devlin wants to control from the top but Rivers keeps moving.
Rivers is pulling down on Devlin's head to control his posture.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Devlin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Devlin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Devlin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Devlin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Devlin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Devlin throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Devlin won't allow Rivers to sweep him here.
Devlin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Devlin preventing the sweep.
Devlin works over Rivers with some ground and pound from guard.
Devlin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Devlin throws a strike but Rivers rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rivers works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Devlin throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Rivers manages to pass to side control.
Devlin striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Devlin manages to work his way to half guard, despite Rivers's best efforts.
Devlin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rivers is working away from the top position though.
Rivers prevents Devlin from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Devlin is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rivers pulls his head out easily.
Rivers tries to stand and escape but Devlin is controlling the position.
Rivers is controlling the pace.
Devlin trying to control but Rivers postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rivers controlling the action here.
Rivers wants to control but Devlin is keeping him busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balor Devlin dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Devlin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rivers.
Rivers just misses with a punch to the body.
Rivers thuds a left hand into Devlin's body.
Devlin slips under a jab.
Rivers looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rivers misses with a looping left.
Devlin tests Rivers's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Devlin loads up on a big right hand but Rivers slips the punch.
Rivers misses the shot to the body.
Devlin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rivers has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Devlin misses with a hook. Rivers ducked under it nicely.
Devlin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rivers now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Devlin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Rivers to counter with a crisp jab.
Devlin doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rivers is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Devlin rather than just go for the knockout.
Rivers avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rivers throws out a counter right but Devlin avoids it with no problem.
Rivers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Devlin manages to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Devlin misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Devlin dives in and grabs Rivers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rivers pushes down on Devlin's head and hops out.
A countering left hand to the body from Rivers misses.
Sean Rivers seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Devlin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A countering left hand to the body from Rivers misses.
A cross from Devlin lands.
Rivers feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Devlins jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rivers misses with a straight left.
Devlin misses with a two punch combination.
Devlin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rivers manages to avoid it.
A nice side step and Rivers releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Devlin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rivers.
Devlin takes a swing at Rivers's ribcage but misses.
Devlin connects with a crisp jab.
Rivers misses with a looping right.
Devlin throws an off balance right hand
and Rivers counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A jab from Rivers does it's job there.

Devlin is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Devlin circles to his right, straight into a beautiful hook by Rivers. Devlin falls face first into the canvas - great knockout victory for Rivers!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Sean Rivers!
Sean Rivers tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.