PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leon Rivers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Bader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Bader's choice of entrance music: Darth Vader. 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.

Rivers
vs
Bader

188 cm
26
212 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

188 cm
22
215 lbs
4 - 0 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leon Rivers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 1, fighting out of New York, Ryan Bader!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Columbo Gatti and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bader moves into range and clinches up with Rivers.
Bader lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rivers backwards.
Rivers drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rivers.

Rivers is fighting off a takedown attempt but Bader is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rivers to the mat. Rivers regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Bader trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bader throws a strike but Rivers rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bader wants to stand up but Rivers is controlling him.
Rivers chips away with some ground and pound.
Rivers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rivers looking to pass the guard.
Bader wants to stand but Rivers is controlling the position.
Rivers throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bader works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rivers 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.
Rivers pushing down on Bader's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Bader makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
No luck for Rivers with that takedown attempt.
Bader throws a series of punches but Rivers avoids them all with ease.
Bader takes a swing at Rivers's ribcage but misses.

Rivers bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Bader bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Rivers shoots for a takedown but Bader saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leon Rivers. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rivers feints and as Bader raises his hands in defense, Rivers changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rivers lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Bader is looking to stand up but Rivers isn't so interested in that idea.
Bader looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers connects with a couple of short punches.
Rivers won't allow Bader to get back to his feet.
Rivers is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Bader wriggles free and stands up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rivers punishes Bader's body with a nice straight punch.
No joy there for Bader, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rivers avoids the head kick by Bader.
Rivers misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rivers shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bader pinned against the cage. Bader gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rivers shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rivers lands a lovely overhand right.
Bader on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivers shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Bader wriggles free and stands up.

Bader drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Bader is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rivers knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rivers defending against the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Rivers's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bader throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Bader in side control lands a decent elbow.
Rivers stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Bader throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bader tries to score with some ground and pound. Rivers controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Leon Rivers will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rivers lands a jab to Bader's midsection.

Rivers gets caught flat footed, as Bader shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bader thows a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bader throws a strike but Rivers rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bader wants to stand up but Rivers is controlling him.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Bader keeping full guard, as Rivers tries to pass.

Bader has his feet on Rivers's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Ryan Bader is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bader throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rivers shoots for a takedown but Bader saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers keeps the fight on the outside.
Rivers shoots in and drives through. Bader sprawls well.
A combination from Bader does no damage.
Bader tries to clinch there but Rivers circles away.
Rivers misses with a wild combination.

Bader closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rivers did well to prevent Bader getting side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bader is looking to take a break and control but Rivers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bader wants to pass the guard but Rivers is defending well.
Rivers tries to roll over but Bader keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bader is keen to just control but Rivers is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bader thows a huge punch but Rivers dodges it nicely.
Bader thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rivers to regain full guard.
Bader works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rivers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bader is working away from the top position though.
Rivers tries to roll over but Bader keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rivers is trying is best to control the position here.
Bader missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Bader thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rivers to regain full guard.

Bader has gone for a leg lock! Rivers slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bader's guard.
Bader wants to stand up but Rivers is controlling him.

Bader kicks Rivers off and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bader has closed the distance and engaged Rivers in a clinch.
Rivers changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bader fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leon Rivers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bader tries to clinch up but Rivers circles away and keeps his distance.

Rivers closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bader quickly recovers to half guard.

Bader has one foot on Rivers's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Bader looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bader throws a big right hand that misses.
Bader won't allow Rivers to sweep him here.
Bader throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Bader showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Bader closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bader lands in his opponent's guard.
Bader postures up in Rivers's guard and throws a big left but Rivers blocks it.
Bader with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rivers controlling the position.

Bader decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
The fighters circling - Rivers throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bader looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rivers gets the takedown into side control.
Ryan Bader has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Rivers lands some shots froms side control.
Bader is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Rivers landing a few strikes.
Bader is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Bader on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Bader taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rivers remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Bader tries to escape but Rivers is in control.
Rivers working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bader is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rivers has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Rivers is chipping away with strikes.
Rivers landing a few strikes.
Bader takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rivers in side control lands a decent elbow.
Rivers tries to move into full mount but can't pass Bader's legs.
Rivers works to advance to full mount. Bader defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Bader is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Bader is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Rivers landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rivers lands a heavy elbow.

Rivers has control of Bader's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Bader regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Bader taking shots to the head.
Bader is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Rivers scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bader?
Rivers controlling from mount.
Rivers postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Bader looks a forlorn figure.
Rivers fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rivers has control of Bader's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Bader regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Rivers raining down hammerfists from mount.
Bader is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rivers dominating with strikes here.
Rivers looking to finish Bader with some ground and pound. This is bad for Bader!
Bader is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivers lands a heavy elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Rivers showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rivers has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Leon Rivers!