PBP Commentary

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

Larson
vs
Rivet

180 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

190 cm
18
200 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Juggernaut Fuel

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gary Larson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alexandre Rivet!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Seu Braga and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivet lands a nice shot to the body.
Rivet fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Alexandre Rivet seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Larson doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivet circles away.
Rivet throws a nice looking combination but Larson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rivet lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Rivet throws a looping overhand right but Larson ducks down to avoid it.

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

Rivet breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rivet moves into the clinch.
Larson fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Rivet escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Larson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Larson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rivet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Larson throws a low kick but Rivet avoids it.
Rivet sizes up Larson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A combination from Rivet does no damage.
Rivet fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rivet is looking to clinch but Larson is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Rivet.
Larson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Larson tries a head kick but it misses.
Rivet swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rivet lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Rivet gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Rivet manages to break the clinch.
Rivet misses with a double jab.
Horrible takedown by Larson or perhaps it was just good defense by Rivet which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gary Larson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Larson tries to clinch

and Rivet counters with a shoot takedown. Larson fights it but they end up in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Larson is breathing heavily.
Rivet loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rivet is looking to stand up but Larson won't let him.
Rivet distracts Larson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rivet wants to control from the top but Larson keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivet tries to stand but Larson is controlling from the bottom.
Larson keeping full guard, as Rivet tries to pass.
Rivet has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Larson is proving hard to escape from.
Larson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rivet has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rivet pulls guard successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivet wants to stand but Larson is controlling the position.

Rivet manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Rivet lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Rivet gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Rivet's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rivet closes the distance and clinches.
Rivet tries to score a body lock takedown but Larson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Rivet gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Larson controls Rivet momentarily but Rivet frees himself.
Rivet prevents Larson from getting back to his feet.
Rivet really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Larson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rivet has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Larson is proving hard to escape from.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Larson tries to control but Rivet wriggling away.
Rivet is trying to stand up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandre Rivet dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Larson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rivet pinned against the cage. Rivet gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Larson missing with a left hand there. Rivet was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rivet works the jab nicely.
Rivet shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Larson as he avoids it easily.

Larson tries to keep at a distance but Rivet has taken the fight into the clinch.

Rivet pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rivet lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Larson circles away quickly and effectively.
Rivet lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rivet throws a series of punches but Larson avoids them all with ease.
Larson doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivet circles away.
Horrible takedown by Rivet or perhaps it was just good defense by Larson which made him look bad.
Larson shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivet with a nice cross.
Larson tries to move into range but Rivet moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rivet scores with a crisp jab that stopped Larson in his tracks.
Rivet lands a jab-cross combination.
Rivet scores with a nice right hand.

Rivet gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Rivet breaks from the clinch.
Rivet throws a wild body kick that Larson sees coming a mile off.
Rivet shoots for a takedown but Larson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gary Larson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexandre Rivet.

Rivet changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Larson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rivet works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Rivet creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Larson sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Larson is looking to regain half guard here but Rivet keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larson pushes Rivet away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rivet gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Larson is looking to regain half guard here but Rivet keeps moving and retains side control.
Rivet is looking to take a break and control but Larson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rivet wants to stand but Larson is controlling his arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Rivet gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Rivet breaks the clinch.
Rivet lands with a nice body punch.

Rivet feints and as Larson raises his hands in defense, Rivet changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rivet wants to get up but he can't break Larson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Larson is trying to keep Rivet in close.
Rivet is looking to stand up but Larson won't let him.
Rivet trying to control but Larson is working from the bottom.
Rivet postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivet is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rivet must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rivet wants to stand but Larson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Larson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Larson takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rivet has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Rivet rushes Larson and presses him up against the cage.

Rivet pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rivet misses with a few strikes there.
Rivet throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Larson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rivet counters with a nice body shot.
Rivet wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandre Rivet showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rivet is defended easily by Larson.
Larson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rivet as he jumps to the side.
Gary Larson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rivet rushes Larson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rivet prevents Larson from breaking the clinch.

Rivet is trying to trip Larson. He has hold of a leg but Larson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rivet persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Larson has his foot on Rivet's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rivet works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rivet makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Larson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Rivet won't allow Larson to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivet slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Larson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Rivet looking to pass the guard.
Rivet lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two 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.
Rivet would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rivet scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rivet wants to stand but Larson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rivet with a flurry of punches that miss.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Larson misses with a takedown
and Rivet counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Rivet darts in and clinches Larson up against the cage.

Rivet breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rivet has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivet shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rivet showed some decent athleticism there.
Larson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rivet is working away from the top position though.
Rivet is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Rivet thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Larson's head.
Rivet is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Larson is trying to control but can't.
Larson looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivet drops an elbow to the side of Larson's head.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rivet closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Larson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rivet's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rivet's back!
Larson not allowing Rivet to control his hands.
Larson keeps control of the position as Rivet tries to break free.
Rivet prevents Larson from getting a body triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexandre Rivet comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rivet 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 26:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 26:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexandre Rivet!