PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kevin McArthur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stan Rivers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McArthur comes to the cage accompanied by Breathing. Rivers has chosen Cyco Vision as his entrance music. Stan Rivers has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

McArthur
vs
Rivers

200 cm
24
144 lbs
10 - 8 - 1

182 cm
25
135 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Vitality

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Kevin McArthur!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Stan Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Alec Ball and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McArthur throws a lazy uppercut

and Rivers counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rivers lands an elbow inside that McArthur shrugs off.

It looks like Kevin McArthur has been cut.

McArthur manages to break the clinch.
Rivers is looking to clinch but McArthur is avoiding it.
Rivers thows a body kick. McArthur tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A combination from McArthur does no damage.
Rivers throws a sloppy head kick and McArthur moves out of range easily.
McArthur looks to throw the jab but Rivers is out of range.
McArthur missing with a left hand there. Rivers was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rivers slips a jab from McArthur.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McArthur smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rivers moves out of range as McArthur strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rivers looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
McArthur really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rivers slips under a jab from McArthur.
McArthur throws an overhand right that lands on Rivers's shoulder, as Rivers tries to avoid the shot.
Rivers lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McArthur circles away quickly and effectively.
Kevin McArthur is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McArthur tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rivers manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Rivers drives through and clinches with McArthur against the cage.
McArthur wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
McArthur is trying to force a seperation but Rivers has the dominant position.
McArthur on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

McArthur's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rivers clinches.
Rivers misses with a punch to the body.
McArthur has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rivers comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
McArthur is trying to break the clinch but Rivers has him pressed against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rivers as McArthur tries to tie him up.
Rivers lands a knee to the head.
Rivers stalling the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McArthur is looking to control Rivers's arms but Rivers gets an underhook and turns him. Now McArthur has his back to the cage.
Rivers leaning against his opponent.
McArthur struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivers controls his hands.
McArthur wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rivers blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rivers prevents McArthur from breaking the clinch.
McArthur prevents a takedown attempt there.

Rivers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McArthur keeps the fight on the outside.
Decent striking displayed by McArthur there.
McArthur throws a one two combo.
Kevin McArthur seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McArthur tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McArthur misses with a series of wild punches.
A big right from McArthur misses.
Rivers wants to clinch.
Rivers fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McArthur thows a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kevin McArthur will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kevin McArthur's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A combination from McArthur does no damage.
Rivers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rivers tries a head kick but it misses.
Rivers swats away the attempt to clinch by McArthur.
McArthur misses with a right hand
and Rivers counters with a leg kick.
McArthur showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rivers.
Rivers tries to clinch but McArthur moves out of range.
McArthur is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McArthur misses with a lunging right hand

and Rivers counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rivers prevents McArthur from breaking the clinch.
A short left from Rivers.
Rivers keeps control of McArthur as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McArthur tries to circle away but Rivers has him pinned against the cage.
Rivers with an attempt at a knee that misses.
McArthur misses with a punch to the body.
Rivers throws a knee to the head but misses.
McArthur tries to break free but Rivers pushes him back against the cage.
McArthur is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
McArthur wants to break the clinch but can't.
McArthur misses with a punch to the body.
McArthur working hard to break the clinch.
McArthur can't find room to land a body shot as Rivers controls the action.
Rivers has McArthur pressed against the cage, preventing McArthur from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
McArthur tries to break the clinch but Rivers is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McArthur prevents the takedown attempt.
McArthur taking a breather.
McArthur wants to break the clinch but can't.
McArthur avoids the elbow strike from Rivers, against the cage.

McArthur manages to break the clinch.
McArthur jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stan Rivers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivers avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rivers doesn't manage to clinch there - McArthur circles away.
Rivers displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as McArthur throws out the jab.
McArthur looks to land a right hand but Rivers moved out of range.
A nice combination there by McArthur.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers tries to clinch but McArthur is having none of it.
Rivers looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rivers goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
McArthur circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rivers tries a head kick but it misses.
McArthur throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rivers counters with a nice low kick that buckles McArthur's knee momentarily.
McArthur swings for the body but Rivers moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McArthur paws at him with a jab and circles away.

McArthur gets tackled into the cage by Rivers. Rivers maintains the clinch.
Rivers misses with an elbow over the top.
Rivers creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A frustrated look appears on McArthur's face as he tries to break the clinch.
McArthur avoiding damage as Rivers throws knees to the body.
McArthur blocks the elbow strike.

McArthur's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rivers tries to clinch up but McArthur circles away and keeps his distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivers moves in looking to clinch but McArthur pushes him off.
Rivers tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McArthur paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Stan Rivers will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Kevin McArthur's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

McArthur connects with a jab.
McArthur waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rivers.
Rivers fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rivers fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but McArthur is out of range.
McArthur looks to throw the jab but Rivers is out of range.
Rivers is looking to clinch.
Rivers fails to land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Rivers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McArthur throws a big shot that misses.
McArthur swings widly with a right hand

and Rivers counters by moving into the clinch.
Stan Rivers seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
McArthur struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivers controls his hands.
McArthur has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rivers avoiding damage.
Rivers tries to land knees in the clinch but McArthur avoids the damage to the body.
Rivers has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. McArthur is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
McArthur avoiding damage as Rivers throws knees to the body.
Rivers throws an elbow but it misses.
McArthur is trying to force a seperation but Rivers has the dominant position.
Rivers throws an elbow that misses.
Rivers is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McArthur is keeping busy.
McArthur wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers keeps the fight in the clinch, despite McArthur's efforts to push away.
Rivers struggles to land a body shot inside as McArthur controls his hands.

McArthur breaks from the clinch.
McArthur lands with an uppercut that bounces Rivers off the cage and back into range.
Rivers is looking to slow McArthur down with leg kicks.
Rivers tries to clinch up but McArthur circles away and keeps his distance.
McArthur lands with a cross.
McArthur lands a right hook to the body.
Kevin McArthur is winning the standup battle so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McArthur fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rivers manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McArthur is looking to clinch but Rivers is avoiding it.
McArthur misses with a combination
and Rivers counters with a head kick. That will keep McArthur thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
McArthur misses with a body shot
and McArthur takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rivers swings for the body but McArthur moves out of range.
Rivers is looking to clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - McArthur scores with a four punch combination!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for McArthur, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rivers moves out of range of the strikes.

McArthur tries to keep at a distance but Rivers has taken the fight into the clinch.
McArthur wants to break free but Rivers has control.
Rivers looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rivers just misses with a elbow thrown towards McArthur's brow.
McArthur can't break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivers tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
McArthur misses with a shot to the kidneys.
McArthur misses with a hook to the ribs.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by McArthur as Rivers tries to tie him up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kevin McArthur.
I think McArthur has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Stan Rivers!
Post fight, an emotional Stan Rivers said 'I want to thank all you fans for coming out tonight, Vitality for sponsoring me and helping me look so good, my team at Hey Steve's Fight Shack, all of my loved ones back home, and Kurt Triangle for letting me fight here in Legacy!! Thank you!'.