PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Sherk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sherk is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Ghost K- Stop. Pablo Rivera could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Sean Sherk's chin.

Rivera
vs
Sherk

160 cm
26
155 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

181 cm
20
148 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

KAISER

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pablo Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sean Sherk!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Illya Tyunina and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Sherk throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rivera takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Sherk throws a nice looking combination but Rivera bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sherk scores with a nice strike.
Sherk slips a straight right by Rivera.
Rivera takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sherk misses with a few strikes there.
Sherk swings for the body but Rivera moves out of range.
Rivera avoids a punch combination nicely.
Pablo Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sherk bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rivera's head.
Rivera misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk throws a right hand that Rivera ducks under and follows up with a left that Rivera also avoids with ease.
Sherk misses with the combination.
Rivera fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Rivera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rivera takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sherk throws a series of punches but Rivera avoids them all with ease.
Rivera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sherk throws a shot from downtown. Rivera moves away and avoids it.
Sherk moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Sherk fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Rivera on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherk misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Rivera counters with a straight right hand.
Rivera lands a jab to Sherk's midsection.
A shot to the body from Rivera misses
and Sherk cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rivera ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rivera scores with a jab. Sherk acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Sherk has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rivera dodges the punch combination from Sherk.
Sherk is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Sherk slips under a jab from Rivera.
Rivera takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rivera misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk throws a shot from downtown. Rivera moves away and avoids it.
Sherk waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rivera.
Rivera throws an overhand right that lands on Sherk's shoulder, as Sherk tries to avoid the shot.
Sherk darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rivera misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sherk counters with a series of strikes. Rivera will be more careful next time no doubt.
Danga de danga de dang - Sherk scores with a four punch combination!
Rivera lands a right hook to the body.
Sherk dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sherk throws a combination that misses

and Rivera counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sherk wants to stand but Rivera is controlling the position.
Rivera is looking to work some ground and pound but Sherk has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera stops Sherk from standing up.
Rivera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sherk's head.
Rivera with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
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.
Rivera is looking to work some ground and pound but Sherk has wrist control.
Rivera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sherk swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rivera lands a couple of decent looking shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivera loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Sherk pushes Rivera off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sean Sherk will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sherk throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sherk throws a looping overhand right but Rivera ducks down to avoid it.
Sean Sherk seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sherk ducks under a wild hook from Rivera.
Sherk moves out of range of the strikes.
Sherk listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sherk swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rivera takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sean Sherk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera swings for the body but Sherk moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk looks to throw the jab but Rivera is out of range.
Rivera has his takedown stuffed
and Sherk counters with a two punch combo.
Sherk throws a lazy right hand but Rivera sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rivera swings for the body but Sherk moves out of range.
Sherk keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sherk throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sherk looks to land a combination. Rivera sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A swing and a miss from Rivera.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sherk. Rivera does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivera. Sherk does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sherk will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rivera slips a jab from Sherk.
A punch combination from Sherk misses.
Rivera uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sherk.
Rivera misses the jab.
Rivera swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A slow jab from Sherk misses its intended target.
Rivera showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sherk.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rivera stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rivera takes a swing at Sherk's ribcage but misses.
Sherk misses with a double jab.
Rivera misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sherk counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nice cross by Sherk.
A punch lands to the side of Rivera 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Rivera misses with a body shot
and Sherk counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A left and a right from Sherk both land. Nice combination.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sherk, as that shot connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera scores with a hook to the body. Sherk takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rivera with a poor takedown
and Sherk counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivera shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sherk but Sherk pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pablo Rivera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sherk misses with a two punch combination.
Rivera drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rivera misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sherk counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rivera misses the body punch
and Sherk counters with a one-two to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sherk walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Rivera moves away from the strike by Sherk.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Sherk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sherk misses with a double jab.
Sherk swinging wildly here.
Rivera missing with a left hand there. Sherk was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rivera misses with a hook to the body
and Sherk counters with a two punch combo.
Sherk swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rivera makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sherk scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sherk is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rivera takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Rivera throws a hook but Sherk avoids it easily.
Sherk misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera scores with a sloppy right hand. Sherk should have avoided that one.
Sherk lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rivera at a distance.

Sherk gets caught flat footed, as Rivera shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sherk wants to stand but Rivera is controlling the position.
Rivera in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rivera won't allow Sherk to get back to his feet.
Rivera works over Sherk with some ground and pound from guard.
Sherk wants to stand but Rivera is controlling the position.
Rivera landing some decent shots from guard.
Pablo Rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sherk pushes Rivera off and gets back to his feet.
Sherk swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rivera counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rivera misses with a looping left.
Nice shot lands for Sherk.
A shot to the body from Rivera misses
letting Sherk counter with a right hand.
Rivera swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Sherk to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera moves out of range as Sherk strikes.
Rivera swings for the body but Sherk moves out of range.
Sean Sherk is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rivera closes the distance and clinches up with Sherk, looking for a takedown. Rivera pushes Sherk against the cage but Sherk circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rivera moves out of range as Sherk strikes.
Rivera takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sherk works the jab nicely.
A shot to the body from Sherk misses

and Rivera counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sherk wants to get back to his feet but Rivera is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sean Sherk is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera throwing strikes but missing.
Sherk wants to stand but Rivera is controlling the position.
Sherk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rivera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sherk swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sherk can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rivera working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sean Sherk.
I've got Sherk winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sean Sherk!