PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Riviera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Bender (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bender has chosen Don't You Forget About Me as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Riviera
vs
Bender

165 cm
23
155 lbs
14 - 2 - 0

172 cm
23
156 lbs
13 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

KAISER

[JMFC] 160!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jorge Riviera!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Bender!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Robert Douchet and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bender bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
An inside leg kick from Riviera misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bender looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riviera lands with an uppercut that bounces Bender off the cage and back into rage.
Bender wants to slow Riviera down by chopping away at his legs.
Riviera throws a nice looking combination but Bender bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bender cracks Riviera with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Bender lunges at Riviera with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Riviera's hand.
Riviera misses the jab.
Bender slips a straight right by Riviera.
Riviera is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bender.
Bender slips a jab and a cross from Riviera.
A jab from Riviera misses.
Bender uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Riviera.
Bender throws a leg kick which misses Riviera's front leg but catches the back leg as Riviera tries to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice cross by Bender.
Bender scores with a kick to the body.
Bender slips under a jab.
Bender is looking to slow Riviera down with leg kicks.
Bender staying out of range there.
Riviera throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Bender counters with an outside leg kick.
Riviera takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nice uppercut lands for Bender. That snapped Riviera's head back.
A head kick misses from Bender.
Riviera falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bender cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A left lands for Bender.
Jorge Riviera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riviera throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bender uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Riviera.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bender scores with a nice body kick.
Riviera connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A slow jab from Riviera misses its intended target.
Riviera checks a leg kick.
Riviera misses with a straight left.
Riviera thows a leg kick but Bender checks it
and Bender counters with a low kick, right behind Riviera 's knee.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bender keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Riviera.
A lazy left from Riviera finds it's target.
Bender showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Riviera.
Bender looks to land a body kick but Riviera moved away.
Riviera throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bender tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bender is looking to chop away at Riviera's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Bender is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Riviera had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Riviera throws out a loose jab but Bender uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bender moves forwards but Riviera connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Bender scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Riviera displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bender throws out the jab.
Riviera takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Bender throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Riviera displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bender throws out the jab.
Riviera misses with a hook.
Bender keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Riviera.
Riviera on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Bender. Bender obviously looking to wear him down.
Riviera takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Bender slips a straight right by Riviera.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Riviera.
Bender has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bender takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Riviera takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Bender fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Riviera is out of range.
Bender explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Riviera on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Bender attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Riviera rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bender moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Riviera misses the target.
Riviera checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Bender throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riviera falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bender finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Riviera is breathing heavily.
Riviera takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Riviera thows a leg kick but Bender checks it
and Bender counters with a good low kick that Riviera was not able to check.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Bender dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Riviera throws a jab but it's blocked by Bender.
Bender lands a slapping body shot.
Riviera looks to land a right hand but Bender moved out of range.
Bender takes one to the side of the head.
Riviera moves out of range of the leg kick from Bender.
Bender uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Riviera.
Riviera swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Good leg kick by Bender there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Bender moves away from the strike by Riviera.
Bender lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Riviera at a distance.

Bender has managed to clinch.
Riviera misses with the head strike.
Bender unloads a knee to the mid-section. Riviera lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Riviera throws a punch but it's blocked by Bender.
Bender trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Bender trying to land knees to the body.
Riviera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riviera misses with a punch to the body.
Riviera managing to block the knees to the body from Bender.
Bender scores with a knee to the head.
Bender missing with knees to the body.
Riviera looking to slow down the pace here.
Riviera managing to block the knees to the body from Bender.
Riviera has Bender pressed against the cage.
Riviera lands a nice shot to the body.
Riviera swings wildly with an uppercut but Bender uses good head movement to avoid it.
Riviera will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Riviera can't find room to land a body shot as Bender controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bender tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Riviera avoids it.
Riviera is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bender.
Bender working Riviera over with knees to the body.
Bender missing with knees to the body.
Riviera throws a punch but it's blocked by Bender.
Bender with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Riviera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Bender missing with knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Riviera fails to land.
Bender blocking some punches.
Bender working Riviera over with knees to the body.
Bender blocking some punches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bender trying to land knees to the body.
Riviera tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Riviera is rocked!
Riviera avoiding damage as Bender throws knees to the body.
Oh Riviera is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Riviera fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bender is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Riviera seems to have got his legs back now.
Bender tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Riviera avoids it.
Riviera throws a punch but it's blocked by Bender.
Riviera swings wildly with an uppercut but Bender uses good head movement to avoid it.
Riviera misses with a punch on the inside.
Riviera tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Riviera misses with a body punch.
Bender blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Riviera is struggling to control the position.
A head punch on the inside from Riviera fails to land.
Riviera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

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.
Bender landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Bender trying to land knees to the body.
Riviera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riviera throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Bender is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A body shot lands from Bender.
Riviera is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bender is keeping busy.
Riviera can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Knees to the body from Bender.
Riviera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riviera has a couple of punches blocked by Bender.
Riviera fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bender blocking some punches.
A right hook to the body lands for Bender.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Bender showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Riviera's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A chopping leg kick lands by Riviera.
Riviera throws a jab but it's blocked by Bender.
Bender slips under a jab from Riviera.
Riviera throws a lazy right hand but Bender sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bender goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Bender throws a low kick but Riviera moves out of range easily.
Riviera moves out of range of the body kick from Bender.
Bender takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Riviera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bender misses with the body kick
and Riviera counters with a stiff right hand.
Bender lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bender is looking to score with low kicks.
Good standup being displayed there by Riviera as he connects with a hook.
Riviera throws a hook but Bender avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender throws a head kick that misses.
Riviera lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Riviera just misses with a punch to the body.
Riviera misses with a looping right.
Riviera displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bender throws out the jab.
Riviera ducks under a wild hook from Bender.
Bender finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Bender with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Riviera is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Riviera throws a big shot that misses.
Riviera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bender throws a body kick that misses.
Riviera swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bender counters with a nice low kick that buckles Riviera's knee momentarily.
Riviera misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riviera missing with a left hand there. Bender was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A big right from Riviera misses.
Riviera digs a good hook to Bender's body.
Riviera looks to throw the jab but Bender is out of range.
Bender scores with a jab to the body.
Riviera throws a combination that misses
and Bender counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Riviera thinking.
Riviera falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bender counters with a body kick.
Bender ducks under a wild hook from Riviera.
Riviera tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bender bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bender takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Riviera throws a hook but Bender avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riviera waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bender.
A low kick from Riviera is predictable there
and Bender counters with a thumping low kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bender walks into a straight right hand from Riviera.
Bender defending well as Riviera loads up on a big left hand.
Bender fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Riviera has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Bender with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bender tries to close the distance and clinch up but Riviera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Riviera throws a left and a right that both miss
and Bender counters with a right hand to the body.
Bender tries to clinch but Riviera is having none of it.
Riviera misses with a looping left.
Bender takes one to the side of the head.
Bender throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Riviera takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bender tries a low kick but Riviera avoids it.
John Bender seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bender punishes Riviera's body with a nice straight punch.
Riviera looks to land a left hand but Bender moved out of range nicely.
A low kick from Riviera is predictable there
and Bender counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bender. That's going to slow Riviera down.
Riviera looks to throw the jab but Bender is out of range.
Riviera throws an overhand right that lands on Bender's shoulder, as Bender tries to avoid the shot.
Bender connects with a solid leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
That kick from Bender tenderised Riviera's leg. Riviera is trying to keep his angry face on.
Riviera misses with an uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bender ducks under a wild hook from Riviera.
Riviera throws a lazy right hand but Bender sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Riviera gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Riviera tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Bender really dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bender displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Riviera throws out the jab.
Riviera is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Bender's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Bender lands with a hook. Riviera tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Bender goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Riviera chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bender can pounce on him.
A low kick from Bender misses
and Riviera connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Riviera stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bender.
Bender scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Riviera scores with a jab to the head.
Riviera throws a series of punches but Bender moves out of range.
A lazy left from Riviera finds it's target.
Bender has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Riviera is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Riviera throws a jab but it's blocked by Bender.
Riviera misses with a hook. Bender ducked under it nicely.
Bender throws a leg kick but Riviera sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riviera looks to land a right hand but Bender moved out of range.
Bender throws a push kick but Riviera slaps the foot to one side.
Riviera misses with a straight left.
Bender throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bender misses with a hook. Riviera ducked under it nicely.
Crunch! Bender slams his shin into Riviera's torso.
Bender does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Riviera misses with a double jab
and Bender counters with a stiff right hand.
Bender is looking to chop away at Riviera's legs.
Bender connects with a high kick.
Bender fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Riviera lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riviera throws a nice head kick!

Bender is rocked!
Riviera feints a kick and comes over the top with a right hand, followed by a left hook - both land, sending Bender crashing to the mat! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:13 of round 4, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Jorge Riviera!
Jorge Riviera retains his featherweight title!