PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arnaud Thiesa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rivera
vs
Thiesa

188 cm
23
235 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

199 cm
19
285 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Antonio Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Arnaud Thiesa!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksandr Martynov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thiesa drives through with a takedown into Rivera's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

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

Rivera escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thiesa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rivera looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Thiesa drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rivera looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rivera looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rivera!
Thiesa is looking to reverse the position.
Thiesa manages to work his way to half guard, despite Rivera's best efforts.

Rivera is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thiesa gets full guard.

Rivera thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Thiesa looking for a sweep. Not yet Thiesa, not yet.

Thiesa has his foot on Rivera's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rivera works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera postures up in Thiesa's guard and throws a big left but Thiesa blocks it.

Thiesa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rivera might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Thiesa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Thiesa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Thiesa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Thiesa looks gassed!

Thiesa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rivera doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rivera manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rivera wants to control from the top but Thiesa keeps moving.
Rivera working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

It looks like Arnaud Thiesa has been cut.
Rivera working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thiesa's head.

That has opened up Arnaud Thiesa's cut even more.

Thiesa is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rivera defends well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rivera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thiesa's head.

Thiesa working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Rivera has passed into half guard!
Thiesa is in trouble now - Rivera has advanced to mount!

Rivera wants to finish this one by submission but Thiesa is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Rivera.

Rivera is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Thiesa can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Rivera looking to secure an arm triangle but Thiesa defends it well.
Thiesa really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera breaks from Thiesa's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rivera connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Arnaud Thiesa's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Arnaud Thiesa's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Antonio Rivera!
A victorious Antonio Rivera thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.