PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas comes to the cage accompanied by Devil went down to Georgia. Rivera comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Your Hand in Mine kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thomas
vs
Rivera

188 cm
31
202 lbs
25 - 13 - 1

190 cm
31
197 lbs
27 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

QFClothing

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 25 - 13 - 1, fighting out of London, John Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Carlos Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Andrew Berry and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera misses with a straight right.
Rivera avoids the body shot from Thomas.
Rivera connects with a nice looking jab.
Thomas chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rivera misses the shot to the body.
A big left from Thomas misses.
Rivera throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thomas throws a lazy right hand but Rivera sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rivera throws a leg kick but Thomas checks it.
Thomas takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Thomas throws a leg kick that is checked
and Rivera counters with a left to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Thomas.
Rivera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rivera bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Thomas's head.
Thomas takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rivera misses with a looping right.
Thomas feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rivera's calf.
Thomas swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Rivera counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Thomas fails with a takedown attempt.
Thomas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rivera.
Thomas connects with a body shot that sends Rivera's belly button to the back.
An inside leg kick from Rivera misses.
Thomas misses with a looping left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rivera.
Rivera lands a head shot.
Rivera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rivera bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rivera throws the left hand but Thomas avoids the punch easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas thows a body shot but no joy.
Sloppy strikes from Thomas. Those never looked like landing.
Rivera throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rivera ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
Rivera lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like John Thomas has been cut.
Thomas just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas scores with the left hand. Rivera knows he should have avoided that one.
Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
John Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good standup being displayed there by Rivera as he connects with a hook.
Thomas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rivera counters with a thumping low kick.
A good leg kick by Rivera.
Thomas throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thomas. Rivera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thomas throws a hook but Rivera blocks it.
Thomas darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rivera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Thomas uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rivera.
Rivera scores with a push kick.
Rivera uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rivera.
Rivera looks to land a left hand but Thomas moved out of range nicely.
Rivera lands with an overhand left.
Thomas misses with a jab to the body
and Rivera counters with a right hand to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rivera lands a nice hook to Thomas's body. Thomas takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Thomas is breathing heavily.
Thomas ducks under a wild hook from Rivera.
Thomas misses with a hook
and Rivera counters with an outside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Rivera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Thomas's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rivera misses with a low kick as Thomas jumps back.
Rivera moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
Rivera connects with a looping right hand.
Carlos Rivera seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rivera checks a leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rivera.

Thomas scores with a takedown into Rivera's guard.
Rivera utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thomas stopping the sweep attempt from Rivera.
Rivera trying to keep a closed guard but Thomas is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas looking to sit in guard and control but Rivera gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thomas seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Rivera trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Rivera looking to sit in guard and control but Thomas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rivera working for a triangle but Thomas defends it easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rivera wants to sweep here but Thomas controlling him for the moment.
Thomas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rivera works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Thomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rivera tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Thomas throws a big elbow that misses.
Rivera keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thomas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rivera's guard.
Thomas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Thomas lands a nice short elbow.

Thomas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Thomas sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rivera trying to hold on to Thomas's head to control him but Thomas postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Thomas is staying active.
Thomas is looking to take a break and control but Rivera is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thomas is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rivera!
Thomas wants to control the pace but Rivera is squirming around nicely.
Thomas 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas landing strikes from the mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice elbow there by Thomas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Thomas dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Thomas's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Thomas throws a lazy right hand but Rivera sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thomas takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Rivera takes a swing at Thomas's ribcage but misses.
Rivera thuds a left hand into Thomas's body.
Thomas throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rivera counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Thomas takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Thomas misses with a right hand
and Rivera counters with a nice body kick.
A big left from Rivera misses.
Thomas misses with a leg kick
and Rivera counters with a right hand to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thomas counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Thomas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Thomas walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rivera.
Rivera moves away from the strike by Thomas.
Thomas throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rivera goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Rivera throws a hook to the side of Thomas's head but Thomas sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rivera misses with a straight left.
Rivera connects with a leg kick. Thomas looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rivera tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A jab from Thomas misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera scores with a head kick.

Thomas is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A shot to the body from Thomas misses
and Rivera scores with a counter punch that sends Thomas to the canvas! Rivera smells blood - he's punishing Thomas with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Thomas has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:15 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Carlos Rivera!
Carlos Rivera decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.