PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steve River (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). River comes into the arena with Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down blaring out of the sound system. Anderson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The High Road kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

River
vs
Anderson

168 cm
21
153 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

174 cm
28
148 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

TWGC Champion
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry
Fury Nutrition Inc.

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve River!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Craig Anderson!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
River fails to land with a series of punches.
Anderson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but River avoids it really well and circles away.
River misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Anderson.
Anderson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
River keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
River lands a body punch in the clinch.
River tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Anderson avoids it.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Anderson has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
River lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Craig Anderson has been cut.
Anderson is trying to pull guard but River has him pressed against the cage.
River misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Anderson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from River.
A frustrated look appears on River's face as he tries to break the clinch.
River has had enough of the clinch but Anderson keeps him there for the moment.
River utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Anderson.
A short body shot lands from River as the two fighters clinch.

River pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Anderson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
River is looking to score with low kicks.
Anderson fails with a takedown attempt.
Steve River has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Craig Anderson.
River just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
River misses with a straight left.
Anderson throws a head kick but River moves out of range.
Anderson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Steve River is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Anderson tries a head kick but it misses.
Anderson throws a low kick, looking for River's leg but River calmly moves out of range.
River connects with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Anderson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Anderson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from River.
A telegraphed right hand from River misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from River.
River throws a low kick but Anderson avoids it.

River clinches with his opponent.
Anderson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
River lands a body shot.
River lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
River on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
River throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Andersons head.
River digs a right hand underneath Anderson's ribcage. Anderson let out a lung full of air as it connected.
River tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

River manages to break the clinch.
River checks a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by River. That's going to slow Anderson down.
River dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Anderson. That did some damage!
No luck for Anderson with that takedown attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
River wants to land a leg kick but Anderson is out of range.
River takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
River slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
River throws a hook but Anderson avoids it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice shot lands for Anderson.
Anderson blocks the body kick.

River pushes Anderson up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve River dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Craig Anderson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

River chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Anderson can pounce on him.
Anderson throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
River waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Anderson.
River works Anderson's body with a nice hook.
A telegraphed right hand from River misses the target.
Anderson throws a leg kick that misses.
River misses with a wild body shot.
Anderson throws a head kick but River moves out of range.
Anderson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from River.
Anderson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Anderson slips under a jab from River.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from River misses.

Anderson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Anderson showed some decent athleticism there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anderson controlling the pace.
Anderson wants to pass to mount but River is defending the position.
River is looking to get back to full guard here but Anderson has managed to pass to side control instead.
River is looking to regain half guard here but Anderson keeps moving and retains side control.

Anderson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. River knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
River tries to buck Anderson off but Anderson is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Anderson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Anderson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
River is trying to control Anderson's posture but Anderson avoids it.

Anderson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
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!
River regains half guard.

Anderson wants to work for an arm triangle but River is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
River is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Anderson is working for a kimura but River is defending it quite comfortably.
River is refusing to be controlled, as Anderson sits in half guard.
River trying to control here.
River controlling the position well.
River has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Anderson maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! River could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Anderson has cracked it and River is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Anderson!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Craig Anderson!
Craig Anderson bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.