PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lionel Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Terry Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Terry Rivera is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Messi
vs
Rivera

190 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

199 cm
25
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lionel Messi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Terry Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Colin Fray and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Messi wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Messi tries to clinch there but Rivera circles away.
Messi is looking to clinch.

Rivera fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Messi sprawls well initially but Rivera persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rivera trying to advance position but Messi counters by regaining guard.
Rivera must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Messi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rivera is controlling him.
Rivera throws a strike but Messi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messi slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Rivera.
Messi wants to stand up but Rivera is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Messi stands up out of the half guard.

Rivera looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Messi!
Rivera controlling the pace for now.
Rivera wants to stand but Messi is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera lands with some strikes.
Messi gets back to half guard.

Rivera is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Messi sees it coming and defends easily.
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!
Messi looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rivera is trying to control. Messi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Rivera looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Messi gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera looking to sit in guard and control but Messi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Messi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Messi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Messi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivera circles away.
Rivera fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Messi has his takedown stuffed

and Rivera counters with a single leg into guard. Messi didn't expect that.
Messi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rivera wants to control from the top but Messi keeps moving.
Rivera looking to sit in guard and control but Messi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
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.

Messi stands up from Rivera's guard - Messi perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Terry Rivera dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rivera throws a leg kick that misses.
Messi tries to clinch there but Rivera circles away.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rivera turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Rivera gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Rivera throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Rivera working for a triangle but Messi defends it easily.
Rivera wants to stand but Messi is controlling the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rivera can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Messi preventing the sweep.
Messi passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rivera is looking for a sweep.
Rivera looking for a sweep but Messi has passed into full mount! Oh no!

Messi stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi fails to land the takedown.
Lionel Messi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera tries for a takedown but Messi circles away easily
enabling Messi to counter with a crisp jab.
Messi lands with an uppercut that bounces Rivera off the cage and back into range.
A good leg kick by Messi.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch but Messi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Messi clinches up with Rivera and pushes him back against the cage.
Messi wants to get back to striking at distance but Rivera won't allow it.

Rivera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Messi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
No luck for Rivera with that takedown attempt.
Lionel Messi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Terry Rivera.
Messi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rivera counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera working over Messi with some ground and pound. Messi looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rivera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Messi's head.
Messi trying to control but Rivera postures up.

Messi manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Rivera throws a low kick but Messi avoids it.
Messi throws a right hand that Rivera ducks under and follows up with a left that Rivera also avoids with ease.

Messi rushes Rivera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Messi.
Rivera tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Messi gets control of Rivera's arms and successfully pulls guard. Messi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Rivera trying to control but Messi is working from the bottom.
Rivera trying to move into half guard but instead Messi has managed to sweep!

Messi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rivera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivera blocks a head kick by Messi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lionel Messi will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rivera moves into range and clinches up with Messi.
Rivera is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Messi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Rivera turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Rivera manages to end up in side control.
Rivera landing a few strikes.
You can see the frustration on Messi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Messi is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Rivera really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Messi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
What's Messi going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.

Rivera tries for a kimura but Messi is defending well.
Messi wants to control but Rivera postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi is not content to let Rivera control the position.
Messi is trying to buck Rivera off.
Messi is trying to control Rivera's posture but Rivera avoids it.
Messi regains half guard there - taking advantage of Rivera's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi is staying active underneath Rivera, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rivera is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Rivera looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Messi trying to control but Rivera postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rivera stops Messi from getting back to his feet.
Rivera trying to mount his opponent but Messi defends it.
Rivera keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are battling for position here. Messi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Messi seems keen to control Rivera's posture.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Terry Rivera.
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 Josh West scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Terry Rivera!