PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Igor Zanta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juancho Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Juancho Rivera will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Zanta
vs
Rivera

209 cm
32
205 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

189 cm
36
216 lbs
22 - 16 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent elbows
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Igor Zanta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juancho Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Frank Dennis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zanta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zanta moves to clinch but Rivera breaks away
and Rivera makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Zanta really felt that one!
Zanta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rivera scores with a nice right hand.
Zanta wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zanta moves in looking to clinch but Rivera pushes him off.
Zanta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rivera manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rivera lands with a hook. Zanta tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Rivera.
Rivera's coach down at HILITE Fighting Club was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Rivera's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rivera throws a wild body kick that Zanta sees coming a mile off.
Zanta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zanta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zanta wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Rivera lands a jab.
Rivera scores with a nice head shot.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Zanta wants to clinch
and Rivera counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zanta tries to clinch there but Rivera circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Zanta blocks the leg kick.
Rivera throws a body punch but Zanta moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivera. Zanta does a little dance to reset his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zanta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zanta doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivera circles away.

Zanta has closed the distance and engaged Rivera in a clinch.
Zanta lands an elbow that stopped Rivera in his tracks for a moment.
Zanta throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Zanta throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rivera takes an elbow to the temple.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Zanta.
Rivera lands a left hand that snaps the head of Zanta backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rivera.
Zanta throws an elbow that misses.
Zanta misses with an elbow strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Zanta as Rivera tries to tie him up.
Rivera struggles to land a body shot inside as Zanta controls his hands.
A head punch on the inside from Rivera fails to land.
Rivera is leaning against Zanta and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rivera misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera avoids a wild elbow strike from Zanta.
Rivera misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rivera takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Juancho Rivera has been cut.
Rivera lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rivera blocks an elbow strike from Zanta.
Rivera avoids the elbow strike from Zanta, against the cage.
Zanta misses with an elbow strike.
Rivera swings wildly with an uppercut but Zanta uses good head movement to avoid it.
Good body shot from Rivera.
Rivera lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zanta backwards.
Zanta throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Zanta pushes off an throws an elbow but Rivera leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Zanta throws an elbow that misses.
Zanta throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rivera tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Zanta's elbow.
Zanta lands a nice elbow.
Zanta creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Zanta misses with an elbow over the top.
Rivera lands a hook that snaps the head of Zanta backwards.
Zanta misses with an elbow over the top.
Rivera avoids a wild elbow strike from Zanta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zanta misses with an elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zanta throws an elbow but misses.
Zanta lands an elbow inside.

Rivera breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rivera lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Zanta looks to clinch
and Rivera connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rivera thumps Zanta with a low kick.
Zanta really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rivera moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rivera keeps the fight on the outside.
Zanta closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rivera counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rivera scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zanta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rivera getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Rivera scores with a leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zanta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zanta wants to clinch.
Igor Zanta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Zanta pushes Rivera up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Rivera.
Zanta throws an elbow that misses.
A right hook to the body lands for Rivera.
Zanta creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rivera's defenses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rivera creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Zanta throws an elbow but it misses.
Rivera tries to work over Zanta's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Zanta creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rivera struggles to land a body shot inside as Zanta controls his hands.

Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zanta closes the distance but Rivera moves to the side
and Rivera counters with a straight right hand.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rivera ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rivera catches Zanta with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rivera swats away the attempt to clinch by Zanta.
Zanta tries to clinch up but Rivera circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juancho Rivera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Juancho Rivera's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rivera lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Igor Zanta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Zanta wants to clinch.
Zanta wants to clinch
and Rivera counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rivera jabs Zanta to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Zanta takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rivera scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivera goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Zanta is rocked!
Rivera stuns Zanta with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Oh Zanta is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Decent striking displayed by Rivera there.
Zanta tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Rivera to counter with a crisp jab.
Zanta wants to clinch but Rivera slips to the side
and Rivera scores with a counter punch that sends Zanta to the canvas! Rivera smells blood - he's punishing Zanta with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Zanta has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Juancho Rivera!