PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Junior Brandon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juancho Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon's entrance music is Life Is Beautiful. A fine choice. Juancho Rivera will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Brandon
vs
Rivera

178 cm
31
215 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

189 cm
41
216 lbs
30 - 25 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Junior Brandon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 25 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juancho Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brandon throws out a loose jab but Rivera uses good head movement to avoid it.
Brandon tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rivera defends well and Brandon ends up having to push Rivera into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rivera cracks a nice hook into Brandon's ribs.
A punch combination from Brandon misses.
Brandon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rivera now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Rivera scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rivera lands a nice shot to the body.
Junior Brandon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera catches Brandon with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rivera lands a nice shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivera. Brandon does a little dance to reset his feet.
Brandon shoots for a takedown but Rivera saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rivera appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Brandon gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivera wants to break the clinch but can't.
Brandon tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rivera smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Junior Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rivera gets caught napping as Brandon dives in and scores a takedown. Rivera manages to retain guard.
Brandon throwing strikes from guard but Rivera blocks nicely.
Brandon is standing up over Rivera. Rivera looks to escape but Brandon dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon working the ground and pound but Rivera is defending the strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Brandon working the head and body with strikes.

Brandon is trying to get an arm triangle but Rivera is defending well.

Brandon tries for a kimura but Rivera is defending well.
Brandon working the strikes but Rivera uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Brandon tries to pass to full mount but Rivera defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Brandon is looking for a kimura but Rivera is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Brandon to get the leverage.

Rivera manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Brandon keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Rivera prevents a takedown attempt there.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rivera.
Rivera can't find room to land a body shot as Brandon controls the action.
Brandon is trying to push Rivera away but Rivera has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A hook to the body from Rivera.
Rivera digs a right hand underneath Brandon's ribcage. Brandon let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Brandon is breathing heavily.
Brandon is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rivera to keep the fight standing.
Rivera digs a right hand into Brandon's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Brandon's gas tank.
Rivera pushes Brandon back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandon blocks a body shot from Rivera.
A right hook to the body lands for Rivera.
Rivera lands an uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Rivera as the two fighters clinch.
Rivera gets through Brandon's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Brandon blocks a body shot from Rivera.

Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rivera turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Brandon drops his hands momentarily and Rivera takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Junior Brandon has been cut.
Rivera connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Brandon momentarily.
Brandon misses with a hook
and Rivera counters with a nice uppercut.
Rivera is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Brandon rather than just go for the knockout.
Both fighters circling slowly here as the pace drops. Hopefully one of them does someth.. OOOHHHH!!!! Rivera throws an absolute beast of a head kick! Brandon is done! He's out cold, twisted and contorted up against the cage! Wow!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:52 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Juancho Rivera!