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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Derek Legion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franco Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Legion comes to the cage accompanied by Winds of Plague - A Cold Day in Hell/Anthems to the Apocalypse. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 170 cm
23
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0 |
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185 cm
23
159 lbs
7 - 2 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Decent elbows
Granite chin |
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BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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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 Las Vegas, Derek Legion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Franco Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Legion throws a hook to the side of Rivera's head but Rivera sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Legion throws a jab but it's blocked by Rivera.
Legion throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Rivera counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
It looks like Derek Legion has been cut.
Rivera rushes Legion and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Legion is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rivera leaning against his opponent.
I was talking to Legion's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Legion tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rivera just stands there and leans against the cage.
Legion avoiding damage.
Legion tries to pull guard but Rivera won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Derek Legion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Legion jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rivera walks away with a smile on his face. Legion gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rivera drives through and clinches with Legion against the cage.
Rivera breaks the clinch.
Rivera clinches up with Legion and pushes him back against the cage.
Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rivera has managed to clinch.
Legion tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera leaning against his opponent.
Legion fails to pull guard.
Legion tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rivera smiles and moves away.
Rivera clinches with his opponent.
Legion tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rivera just stands there and leans against the cage.
Legion fails to pull guard.
Rivera doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Legion wants a takedown.
Rivera stalls.
Legion fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Legion dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legion tries to pull guard but Rivera forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Legion effectively controlling the action here.
Legion has Rivera pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Legion pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Rivera tumbling to the mat - Legion dives into Rivera's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Legion wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera looking to control.
Rivera keeping moving, preventing Legion from controlling successfully.
Rivera controls Legion momentarily but Legion frees himself.
OK we're going to have a standup here. Franco Rivera hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rivera drives through and clinches with Legion against the cage.
Rivera stalling in the clinch.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Legion tries to pull guard but Rivera holds him up against the cage and eventually Legion drops back down to his feet.
Rivera breaks from the clinch.
Franco Rivera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Legion swings widly with a right hand
and Rivera counters with a good, hard body kick but Legion shrugs it off.
Rivera rushes Legion and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rivera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rivera gets a clinch.
Rivera is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Legion is keeping busy.
Rivera looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rivera tries to land knees in the clinch but Legion avoids the damage to the body.
Rivera stalling in the clinch but Legion improves position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Legion wants a takedown.
Rivera is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Rivera is defending well against a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Franco Rivera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Derek Legion's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Rivera clinches with his opponent.
Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Legion is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rivera.
Franco Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera gets a clinch.
Legion jumps guard but Rivera turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rivera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Legion motions for Rivera to come forward. Legion throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Legion lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Legion stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Rivera has taken the fight to the clinch.
Legion presses Rivera against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Legion is trying to pull guard but Rivera has him pressed against the cage.
Legion jumps guard but Rivera stands there with Legion around his waist. Legion gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Derek Legion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Legion fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Legion tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rivera just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rivera misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Legion.
Rivera controlling the action here for a moment.
Legion tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rivera smiles and moves away.
Rivera gets a clinch.
Legion pulls guard.
Legion is looking for a triangle but Rivera pushes his legs off easily.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Legion is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legion throws his legs up looking for a submission but Rivera uses it to pass to side control.
Rivera thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rivera wants to stand but Legion is controlling his arm.
Legion manages to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Legion looking for submissions off his back.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera trying to control the action but Legion is working from the bottom.
Rivera really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Legion. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Legion is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rivera's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rivera's back!
Rivera is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Legion gets his way!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivera fending off the submission attempt from Legion.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Legion looking for the RNC.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Legion working for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Derek Legion dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Derek Legion's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!
Rivera rushes Legion and presses him up against the cage.
Legion tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rivera just stands there and leans against the cage.
Legion is looking to take this one to the mat.
Legion is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Derek Legion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivera connects with a knee to the head.
Rivera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rivera clinches.
Legion tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Legion goes for a takedown attempt but Rivera pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rivera takes the fight into the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rivera - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Legion is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rivera is trying to maintain a safe position but Legion gets an underhook and turns Rivera into the cage.
Legion tries to work over Rivera's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Legion fails to pull guard.
Rivera stops a takedown attempt from Legion.
Rivera landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Legion managing to block the knees to the body from Rivera.
Legion decides to pull guard.
Rivera has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Legion is proving hard to escape from.
Legion is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rivera must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legion working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Rivera has passed into half guard!
Rivera keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rivera is thwarting Legion's attempts to control the position.
Rivera trying to control from half guard but Legion is working away.
Legion looking for submissions off his back.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Legion has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Rivera escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Rivera!
Rivera misses with the ground and pound.
Rivera working away.
Legion is looking to regain half guard here but Rivera keeps moving and retains side control.
Legion sneaks back into half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Legion tries to roll over but Rivera keeps him under control.
Rivera is looking to take a break and control but Legion is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Legion actively working from the bottom here.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Franco 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franco Rivera!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
54% |
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