PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Austin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Austin has chosen Six Million Dollar Man as his entrance music. Steve Austin is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Rivera
vs
Austin

160 cm
23
155 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
156 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Fightworld Formula
-GTI- Divine Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pablo Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Austin!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Russell Pearce and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left lands for Austin.
Rivera throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Austin.
A nice combination there by Austin.
Some bone on bone action there as Rivera checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A nice combination there by Austin.
Rivera with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Austin to score with a decent uppercut.
Rivera tries to move into range but Austin moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Austin lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rivera will feel that in the morning.

Rivera shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Austin tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Rivera has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Austin takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Austin bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivera not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Austin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Austin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Austin trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Austin not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rivera trying to control the position.
Austin throwing strikes but missing.
Rivera working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Austin.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Austin lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rivera has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rivera and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rivera shoots for a double leg takedown but Austin sprawls well. He's pushed Rivera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Austin pushes Rivera up against the cage in a clinch.
Austin lands with a light punch inside.
Austin throws an elbow that misses.
Austin missing with knees to the body.
Austin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Austin.
Austin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.

Rivera gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Austin wants to sweep but Rivera has passed to side control!
The ground and pound from Rivera seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Austin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Austin tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Rivera has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
The referee warns Austin that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivera goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Austin is on top in guard.
Rivera looking for a sweep. Not yet Rivera, not yet.
Austin wants to pass the guard but Rivera is keeping the position.
Austin preventing the sweep.
Rivera is working hard here to advance position.
Rivera has momentary wrist control but Austin slips an elbow through the middle.

Rivera had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Austin defends it easily.
Austin trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Austin cracks Rivera with a solid left hand.
Austin wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.
Austin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rivera 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.
Rivera not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Austin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Austin looking to pass the guard.
Rivera avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steve Austin will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rivera looks to score with a jab to the body but Austin is just out of range.
Rivera misses with a body shot.
Rivera just misses with a punch to the body.
Austin takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Austin moves into range and clinches up with Rivera.
Austin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rivera in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rivera tries for a takedown. No joy.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Austin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rivera's brow.
Austin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rivera blocks it with crossed arms.
Austin landing knees to the head.
Austin lands a knee to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Austin.
Rivera blocks the elbow strike.

Rivera pulls Austin into guard.
Rivera can't keep his opponent in guard - Austin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Rivera is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Austin pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Austin is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rivera doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Austin.
Rivera is trying to control but can't.
Rivera makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rivera.
Austin passes into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rivera manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rivera controls Austin momentarily but Austin frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Rivera looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rivera looking to control.
Austin wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.
Austin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Austin working the ground and pound.
Austin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Austin misses with the ground and pound.
Rivera manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is looking to improve his position.
Austin trying to control the action but Rivera is working from the bottom.

Rivera looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Austin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Austin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rivera scores with a jab to the body.
Austin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

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.
Good standup being displayed there by Austin as he connects with a hook.
Austin misses with an uppercut. Rivera saw that one coming.
Rivera throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rivera ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Austin moves away.
Rivera looks to score with a jab to the body but Austin is just out of range.

Austin drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Austin with the ground and pound but Rivera regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Austin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rivera avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Austin.
Austin wants to free his trapped foot but Rivera is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Austin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Austin jabs Rivera right on the nose. Rivera blinks but takes it well.
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Austin throws a jab but it's blocked by Rivera.
Austin is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A combination from Austin does no damage.
Rivera lands with a cross.
Rivera fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Rivera bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rivera takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Austin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rivera to the mat! Rivera manages to get full guard.
Austin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rivera wants to sweep here but Austin controlling him for the moment.

Austin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Austin thows a big elbow that misses.
Austin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Austin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rivera keeping moving, preventing Austin from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rivera uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Austin.
Good exchange - Austin coming out on top.
Austin feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rivera's calf.
Pablo Rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rivera throws a body punch but Austin moves out of range.
Austin stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Austin loads up on a big right hand but Rivera slips the punch.
Rivera swings for the body but Austin moves out of range.
Austin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rivera throws a jab but it's blocked by Austin.
Austin has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Austin misses with a straight right.
Austin tries to land a leg kick but Rivera saw it coming and moves away.
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A head kick misses from Austin.
Steve Austin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rivera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Austin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Austin lands a jab.
Austin tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera misses the shot to the body.
Rivera ducks right into an uppercut from Austin.
Austin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rivera has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rivera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rivera takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rivera is looking to wear down Austin with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rivera ducks under a wild hook from Austin.
A swing and a miss from Rivera.
Austin has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Austin there as he acknowledges the shot.
Austin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rivera throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rivera ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Austin moves away.
Austin with a hook.
Rivera fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Austin manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Austin misses with a double jab.
Austin throws a nice looking combination but Rivera bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rivera dives in and grabs Austin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Austin pushes down on Rivera's head and hops out.
Austin throws a right hand that Rivera ducks under and follows up with a left that Rivera also avoids with ease.
Rivera just misses with a punch to the body.
Austin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Austin throws a jab when Rivera was well out of range.
Austin misses with an uppercut.
Rivera looks to score with a jab to the body but Austin is just out of range.
Austin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rivera.
Austin looks to land a combination but Rivera avoids it well.
Austin misses with a combination
and Austin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Steve Austin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Austin looks to throw the jab but Rivera is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Austin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Austin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Austin!