PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jose Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henry The Rat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jose Rivera has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rivera
vs
The Rat

175 cm
19
158 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

170 cm
23
150 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Henry The Rat!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from The Rat.
Nice takedown defense from Rivera. No joy for The Rat on that attempt.

Rivera shoots in and bounces The Rat off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rivera controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The Rat looking to control.
The Rat looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The Rat trying to strike off his back.
Rivera stands up out of The Rat's guard for a moment - The Rat manages to land a nice upkick.
Rivera slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The Rat 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.
The Rat doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rivera lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.

The Rat has clasped his hands together around Rivera's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The Rat postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Rivera is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The Rat sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rivera is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
An elbow from The Rat crashes against the mat.
The Rat grinds an elbow into Rivera's temple.
The Rat trying to control the position but Rivera is working away.
The Rat looks gassed!
The Rat tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
The Rat misses with a takedown
and Rivera makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Jose Rivera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henry The Rat.
The Rat has his takedown stuffed

and Rivera counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera stays in close to The Rat's body and controls the position.
The Rat working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rivera.

Rivera is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rivera postures up in The Rat's guard and throws a big left but The Rat blocks it.
The Rat throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The Rat looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rivera puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Rivera is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The Rat holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Rivera tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Rivera 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.
The Rat throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Rivera looking to finish with strikes here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivera is working for a guillotine from mount but The Rat frees his head quite easily.
Rivera prevents The Rat from getting the reversal.

Rivera looking to secure an arm triangle but The Rat defends it well.
The Rat is squirming around, avoiding Rivera's attempts to control the action.
The Rat is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rivera with the ground and pound from mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if The Rat can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rivera blocks The Rat's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The Rat is looking to get to half guard.
The Rat throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The Rat avoids a series of strikes thrown by Rivera.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The Rat throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The Rat wants to control but Rivera is having none of it.

Rivera is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, The Rat has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The Rat is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Rivera dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

The Rat shoots and misses

and Rivera counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rivera.
The Rat is trying to keep Rivera in close.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but The Rat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rivera is stalling in the full guard.
The Rat is striking but Rivera is not phased and passes to half guard.
The Rat punching from the bottom.
The Rat flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The Rat tries to roll over but Rivera keeps him under control.
Rivera blocks the strikes from The Rat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rivera with a poor takedown

and The Rat decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rivera's guard.
The Rat content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rivera wants to sweep here but The Rat controlling him for the moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells The Rat's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The Rat must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The Rat is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The Rat postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rivera is trying to keep The Rat in close.
The Rat trying to control but Rivera is working from the bottom.
The Rat postures up in Rivera's guard and throws a big left but Rivera blocks it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
The Rat with a poor takedown

and Rivera counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The Rat throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Rivera works to advance to full mount. The Rat defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
The Rat is mounted and he's throwing punches. Is that wise?
The Rat wants to control but Rivera is having none of it.
The Rat is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Rivera goes for an armbar but he's not got it… The Rat turns into him and now he's in Rivera's guard.
The Rat is working Rivera over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Jose Rivera overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The Rat with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rivera trying to keep a closed guard but The Rat is proving a slippery customer.
The Rat postures up in Rivera's guard and throws a big left but Rivera blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Rat loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rivera is trying to keep The Rat in close.
Rivera is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The Rat makes his way to full guard. A much better position for The Rat.
The Rat is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The Rat looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rivera is one step ahead there.
The Rat avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The Rat looking for a sweep. Not yet The Rat, not yet.
Rivera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The Rat gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rivera counters with a shoot takedown. The Rat fights it but they end up in guard.
Jose Rivera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henry The Rat.
The Rat trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Rivera advances to half guard.
The Rat trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivera tries to pass to full mount but The Rat defends it.
The Rat moves into full guard.
The Rat striking off his back, scoring a few points.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Rivera dominated that second round.
That's time! Rivera's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

The Rat looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The Rat scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The Rat is nestled in close to Rivera, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rivera is looking to control The Rat's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rivera avoid being mounted?
Rivera wants to get back to full guard.

Rivera looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. The Rat lands a nice short elbow.
Rivera on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The Rat throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
The Rat gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rivera counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rivera.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Rat trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The Rat wants to sweep here but Rivera controlling him for the moment.
Rivera slips nicely into half guard.
Rivera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but The Rat does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rivera passes to side control.
The Rat is trying to strike from the bottom but Rivera has passed into full mount.

Rivera moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, The Rat has worked his arm free - good work by The Rat!
The Rat strikes from the bottom but Rivera takes advantage and advances to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The Rat wants to control but Rivera is having none of it.
The Rat is looking to get to half guard.
Rivera tries to control but The Rat wriggling away.
Rivera throwing strikes here but The Rat is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The Rat flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Poor strikes thrown by Rivera there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The Rat tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The Rat throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rivera. What's that going to do exactly?
Rivera wants to control the pace but The Rat is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Rat tries to lock up and control but Rivera gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The Rat tries to reverse the position but Rivera maintains control.
Rivera tries to control but The Rat wriggling away.
Rivera looking to finish with strikes here!
Rivera looking to control but The Rat is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The Rat throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The Rat working to try and regain half guard.

That's four 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.

Rivera has hold of The Rat's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and The Rat manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The Rat is squirming around, avoiding Rivera's attempts to control the action.
Rivera blocks The Rat's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
The Rat swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

Rivera is going olschool here, as he tries to force The Rat to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so The Rat shrugs it off.
The Rat is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Rivera is working for a guillotine from mount but The Rat frees his head quite easily.
Rivera sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Rivera showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rivera 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Rivera!