PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roman Strupek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aiden Rivers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Strupek kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Click Clack. Rivers has chosen hed(pe)- Bartender as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Strupek
vs
Rivers

183 cm
28
176 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

176 cm
28
185 lbs
12 - 8 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Roman Strupek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Aiden Rivers!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivers. Strupek does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rivers smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rivers misses with a looping left.
Nice uppercut there from Rivers.
Rivers throws the left hand but Strupek avoids the punch easily.
Rivers will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aiden Rivers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strupek tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rivers swivels and escapes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivers. Strupek does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rivers digs a good hook to Strupek's body.
Rivers swings for the body but Strupek moves out of range.
Rivers misses with a hook

and Strupek counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Strupek is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rivers is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rivers has escaped and now he's on top!
Rivers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Strupek swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Strupek is looking for a triangle but Rivers pushes his legs off easily.
Rivers advances to half guard.
Strupek wants to control but Rivers is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rivers is looking to take a break and control but Strupek is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rivers sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Strupek defending well though.
Rivers wants to pass the guard but Strupek is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strupek is staying active underneath Rivers, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rivers is thwarting Strupek's attempts to control the position.
Strupek punching from the bottom.
Strupek trying to control but Rivers postures up.
Rivers works his way into side control.
Rivers working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rivers tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strupek tries to bench press Rivers off him but Rivers keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strupek struggling a bit here.

Rivers looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rivers lands a decent elbow from side control.

Rivers thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rivers postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Strupek is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rivers throws a strike aimed at the side of Strupek's head but Strupek avoids it well.
Strupek is looking for a sweep.
Rivers looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Strupek is avoiding damage well.
Rivers postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers wants to control but Strupek is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Strupek's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rivers lands a decent elbow from side control.

Rivers tries for a kimura but Strupek is defending well.
Rivers has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Strupek has one of Rivers's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Strupek is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rivers is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Strupek has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rivers lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Strupek uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rivers.

Rivers shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Strupek napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Strupek takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Strupek struggling a bit here.
Rivers working the ground and pound.

Rivers looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Strupek is looking to regain half guard here but Rivers keeps moving and retains side control.
Strupek can't do much from the bottom here.
Rivers wants to take a breather but Strupek manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Rivers.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strupek working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers wants to control from the top but Strupek keeps moving.
Rivers is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Strupek controls Rivers momentarily but Rivers frees himself.
Rivers throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rivers wants to pass the guard but Strupek is keeping the position.
Strupek wants to sweep here but Rivers controlling him for the moment.
Strupek is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rivers postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rivers controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rivers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rivers trying to control the position from guard on top but Strupek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strupek looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rivers is one step ahead there.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Strupek misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Strupek shoots in but no luck this time.
Strupek shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rivers as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Strupek. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers misses with a combination

and Strupek counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rivers won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Rivers's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Aiden Rivers has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rivers is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Strupek off and has taken his back!
Rivers wants to control but Strupek manages to buck him off and is now in Rivers's guard! Nice work there by Strupek!
Rivers trying to keep a closed guard but Strupek is proving a slippery customer.
Rivers looking to hit a scissor sweep but Strupek is one step ahead there.
Strupek tries to free his leg and advance position but Rivers is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Strupek lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rivers lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Strupek!
Rivers unloads with some shots from mount but Strupek bucks and avoids them well.
Strupek is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Strupek holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Rivers tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Rivers controlling the pace for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strupek is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rivers thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aiden Rivers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rivers lands a right hook to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Strupek as Rivers shoots in.
Strupek shoots and misses
and Strupek takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rivers with a jab.
Rivers fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Strupek dives in and grabs Rivers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rivers pushes down on Strupek's head and hops out.
Rivers thows a body shot but no joy.
Some wild striking there from Rivers.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers digs a good body shot into Strupek's ribs.
Rivers scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Strupek tries to clinch up but Rivers circles away and keeps his distance.
Rivers takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Rivers has his takedown stuffed

and Strupek counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rivers takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Strupek seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Strupek is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rivers defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers landing a few short strikes.

Strupek is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Strupek with the ground and pound but Rivers uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Strupek drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rivers dives on top into guard.
Rivers throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Strupek wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Rivers is now in half guard.
Rivers is looking to take a break and control but Strupek is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rivers is looking to advance position but Strupek won't allow it.
Strupek has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rivers is working away from the top position though.
Rivers is looking to take a break and control but Strupek is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Strupek is looking to improve his position.
Strupek desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Strupek is trying to control but can't.
Strupek avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rivers.
Aiden Rivers is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strupek is looking to control Rivers's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Strupek avoid being mounted?
Rivers controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rivers slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Strupek tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Rivers counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Roman Strupek has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Strupek had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rivers defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aiden Rivers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rivers 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aiden Rivers!