PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dwayne Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harland Vacca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rivera
vs
Vacca

161 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dwayne Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Harland Vacca!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Roberts and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vacca bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rivera is trying to control Vacca's posture but Vacca avoids it.
Rivera is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Vacca is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Vacca has control of an arm but Rivera manages to advance to Vacca's back!
Vacca grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Rivera is looking to control Vacca but Vacca is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Vacca is trying to break free.
Vacca trying to get back to his feet but Rivera is in full control for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vacca rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Vacca is looking to improve his position.
Vacca wants to sweep but Rivera has passed to side control!
You can see the frustration on Vacca's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Vacca tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Vacca keeps trying to improve his position.
Vacca is holding Rivera down, trying to stall.
Vacca is trying to control Rivera's posture but Rivera avoids it.
Rivera throws a strike aimed at the side of Vacca's head but Vacca avoids it well.
Rivera wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vacca keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Vacca's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vacca is looking for a sweep.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivera looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Vacca is avoiding damage well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Vacca closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rivera moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rivera can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vacca controls the pace.
Rivera looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Vacca pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rivera is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vacca postures up.
Rivera seems keen to control Vacca's posture.
Vacca trying to control but Rivera is working from the bottom.
Vacca is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rivera is adopting a defensive guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Vacca wants to pass the guard but Rivera is keeping the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rivera is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harland Vacca dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A jab from Rivera misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Vacca.

Vacca shoots in and gets a takedown into Rivera's guard.
Rivera trying to control the position.
Rivera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vacca's guard.

Rivera stopping the sweep attempt from Vacca.

Vacca is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vacca managing to control the position.
Vacca is trying to hold Rivera in close to prevent damage but Rivera has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vacca throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Vacca is positioning himself well to prevent Rivera advancing to mount.
Rivera is keen to just control but Vacca is a slippery customer.
Vacca tries to get to full guard but Rivera has control of the leg.
Vacca is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Vacca misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Vacca regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rivera prevents Vacca from getting back to his feet.
Vacca manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rivera manages to get himself to full guard.

Rivera manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vacca manages to get himself to full guard.

Vacca is trying to keep Rivera in close.
Rivera has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rivera controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera won't allow Vacca to sweep him here.

Vacca working for a triangle but Rivera defends it easily.
Vacca controls Rivera momentarily but Rivera frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Vacca looking for a sweep. Not yet Vacca, not yet.
Rivera is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Vacca lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rivera throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rivera might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Vacca wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rivera will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rivera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harland Vacca showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rivera throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Vacca was covering up waiting for the punch and Rivera finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Vacca wants to sweep but no luck.
Vacca controls Rivera momentarily but Rivera frees himself.
Vacca is looking to sweep but instead, Rivera has passed into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vacca tries to roll over but Rivera keeps him under control.
Harland Vacca has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vacca is positioning himself well to prevent Rivera advancing to mount.
Rivera is looking to take a break and control but Vacca is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vacca is looking to escape.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Vacca trying to control from the bottom.
Rivera throwing shots but Vacca is blocking nicely.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Vacca closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vacca takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vacca sprawls well. Vacca wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rivera gets slowly back to his feet.
Rivera shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Vacca defends it nicely.
Vacca goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Dwayne Rivera has been cut.

Vacca closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Vacca lands in his opponent's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rivera working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vacca trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rivera thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Vacca not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Vacca has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rivera keeping full guard, as Vacca tries to pass.
Rivera controls Vacca momentarily but Vacca frees himself.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Vacca showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Vacca.
Rivera sneaks back into half guard.
Rivera is looking to control Vacca's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rivera avoid being mounted?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vacca throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dwayne Rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harland Vacca is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Vacca looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harland Vacca comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Vacca has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harland Vacca!