PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Serge Savard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juancho Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Savard comes to the cage accompanied by Voivod- Tribal convictions. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Savard
vs
Rivera

191 cm
22
222 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

189 cm
29
216 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
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 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Serge Savard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Juancho Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Alec Ball and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rivera lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A head kick misses from Savard.
Savard thows a body kick. Rivera tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Rivera scores with a jab to the body.
A jab from Rivera does it's job there.
Rivera scores with the left hand. Savard knows he should have avoided that one.
Rivera looks to score with a jab to the body but Savard is just out of range.
Rivera loads up on a big right hand but Savard slips the punch.
Savard uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rivera.
Rivera moves out of range of the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savard throws a wild body kick that Rivera sees coming a mile off.
Savard goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Savard pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Savard throws a right hand that Rivera ducks under and follows up with a left that Rivera also avoids with ease.
Rivera looks to land a right hand but Savard moved out of range.
Juancho Rivera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rivera takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Good leg kick by Savard there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Savard takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A big left from Rivera misses.
Rivera throws a jab but it's blocked by Savard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rivera throws a right hand that misses
and Savard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
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!
Rivera keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rivera swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rivera throws a lazy uppercut

and Savard counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rivera's guard now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Savard decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rivera, up you get!
Savard moves out of range as Rivera throws a body kick.
Savard misses with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera throws a hook but Savard blocks it.
Rivera on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Savard. Savard obviously looking to wear him down.
Savard pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rivera back to the cage. Savard follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Juancho Rivera has been cut.
Savard gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Rivera throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Savard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A swing and a miss from Rivera.
Savard throws a body kick, spinning off balance
letting Rivera counter with a right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rivera swings for the body but Savard moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera thows a body shot but no joy.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Rivera.

It looks like Serge Savard has been cut.
Rivera waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Savard.
A big left from Rivera misses.
Good shot there by Rivera.
Rivera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Savard lands a front kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rivera throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Savard counters with a nice body kick.
Savard looks to land a body kick but Rivera moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Serge Savard dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

An inside leg kick from Rivera misses.
Rivera tries a low kick but Savard avoids it.
Rivera scoring well with a low kick there.
Rivera throws a lazy uppercut

and Savard counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rivera has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Rivera pushes Savard off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera blocks a head kick by Savard.
The fighters circling - Rivera throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rivera misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Savard.
Savard throws a head kick that misses.
Savard feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Riveras jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rivera chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Savard can pounce on him.
Rivera lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rivera pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Savard avoids the body shot from Rivera.
Savard goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Rivera works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Savard shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rivera sprawls well. Rivera wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Savard gets slowly back to his feet.
Savard slips under a jab.
Rivera misses with an uppercut. Savard saw that one coming.
Savard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Rivera does it's job there.
Savard throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Savard changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rivera tries to avoid it but Savard manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rivera to the ground. Rivera escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rivera throws a lazy right hand but Savard sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rivera misses the shot to the body.
Savard on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Savard takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rivera swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Savard.

Savard gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Savard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Savard scores with a head kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Savard avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rivera misses with an attempted mid kick.
Savard checks a leg kick.
Savard lands a front kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivera cracks a nice hook into Savard's ribs.
Savard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Juancho Rivera will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rivera lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Savard throws a wild body kick that Rivera sees coming a mile off.
Savard scores with a sloppy right hand. Rivera should have avoided that one.
Juancho Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera blocks a head kick by Savard.
Rivera connects with an inside leg kick.
Rivera works Savard's body with a nice hook.
Rivera lands with a cross.
Rivera misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Savard.
Rivera throws a good cross that connects.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savard moves out of range as Rivera strikes.
Savard tries a head kick but it misses.
Rivera swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Savard. Rivera shrugs it off though.
A head kick misses from Savard.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivera. Savard does a little dance to reset his feet.
Savard fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rivera darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rivera stuns Savard with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Savard rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rivera moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rivera misses the jab.
A clash of legs there as Savard blocks the low kick.
Savard shoots in looking for a takedown. Rivera tries to sprawl out of it but Savard keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rivera manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Savard explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A shot to the body from Rivera misses
and Savard counters with an inside leg kick.
Rivera throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera lands a slapping body shot.
Rivera has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Savard.
Nice shot by Rivera.
Savard on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Rivera scores with a hook to the body. Savard takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Savard shoots for a takedown but Rivera saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rivera throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rivera.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rivera connects with a body shot that sends Savard's belly button to the back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savard tries a head kick but it misses.
Rivera misses with a hook.
Savard throws a body kick that misses.
Rivera throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Savard has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Serge Savard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown by Savard or perhaps it was just good defense by Rivera which made him look bad.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Savard looking to land some kicks to the body here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juancho Rivera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rivera has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Juancho Rivera!