PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Matiss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juancho Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Matiss
vs
Rivera

186 cm
43
210 lbs
20 - 15 - 0

189 cm
45
216 lbs
35 - 30 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
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 20 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mario Matiss!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 30 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juancho Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Ren Mimura and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera avoids the head kick by Matiss.
Rivera tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Matiss was well out of range. Poor timing from Rivera.
Matiss moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Matiss finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Matiss lands a really nice looking cross but Rivera seems unphased.
Matiss lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rivera's sensitive parts.
Matiss tries to clinch up but Rivera circles away and keeps his distance.
Rivera tries a low kick but Matiss avoids it.
It looked like Matiss wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A nice leg kick lands there from Matiss.
Rivera lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Matiss throws a sloppy head kick and Rivera moves out of range easily.
Matiss throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rivera throws a low kick, looking for Matiss's leg but Matiss calmly moves out of range.
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Matiss falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rivera counters with a thumping low kick.
A swing and a miss from Rivera.
Matiss cracks Rivera with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matiss tests Rivera's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Matiss steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rivera.
Decent striking displayed by Matiss there.

Matiss clinches.
Matiss is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rivera working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Matiss tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Matiss landing knees to the body.
Matiss lands an uppercut.
Matiss scores with a knee to the head.
A short uppercut from Rivera.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matiss lands an uppercut.
Matiss blocks a body shot from Rivera.
Matiss blocks a body shot from Rivera.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matiss lands a shoulder strike.
Rivera throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rivera.
Rivera misses with a punch to the body.
Rivera goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Matiss throws a knee to the head but misses.
Matiss with a knee to the head.

It looks like Juancho Rivera has been cut.

Rivera breaks the clinch.
Juancho Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rivera throws a body shot but no joy.
An attempted straight right counter from Matiss misses the target.
Rivera throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Matiss throws a leg kick which misses Rivera's front leg but catches the back leg as Rivera tries to avoid it.
Rivera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jab from Matiss.
Rivera pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rivera throws a looping overhand right but Matiss ducks down to avoid it.
Matiss tries a low kick but Rivera avoids it.
Rivera throws out a counter right but Matiss avoids it with no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matiss lands a front kick.
Rivera just misses with a punch to the body.
Rivera checks a leg kick nicely.
Rivera takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A lazy left from Matiss finds it's target.
Matiss takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Nice body punch from Matiss.
Matiss leaning against his opponent.
Matiss blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rivera tries to throw a body punch but Matiss avoids it by throwing Rivera back against the cage.
Matiss with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short uppercut from Matiss.
Matiss landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knees in the clinch landing for Matiss.
Rivera looks winded!
Rivera swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rivera goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera swings wildly with an uppercut but Matiss uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short body shot lands from Matiss as the two fighters clinch.
A knee to the head by Matiss.
Matiss lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Matiss lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Matiss landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Matiss obliges.
Matiss connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rivera's face.
Matiss lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Matiss drops Rivera with a big knee straight up the middle! Rivera is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!

Rivera is rocked!
Matiss throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rivera is still on wobbly legs! Can Matiss finish him?
Rivera pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rivera seems to have recovered his senses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matiss scores with the left hand. Rivera knows he should have avoided that one.
Rivera on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Matiss. Matiss obviously looking to wear him down.
Matiss fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rivera has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rivera throws a jab when Matiss was well out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Matiss dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Juancho Rivera's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Matiss pressing his opponent against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Matiss for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Rivera goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Matiss blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rivera has a couple of punches blocked by Matiss.
Matiss utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Matiss lands a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right handed body shot lands from Matiss.
Rivera is breathing heavily.
Matiss lands a nice uppercut.
Rivera misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rivera can't find room to land a body shot as Matiss controls the action.
Still in the clinch, Matiss scores with a nice short uppercut.
Mario Matiss has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matiss lands a good knee to the midsection. Rivera won't want to take too many of those.
Rivera takes a knee right on the jaw!
Matiss scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Matiss with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Matiss lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
A right hand to the body from Matiss.
Matiss gets through Rivera's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Matiss.
A nice left hand lands by Matiss.
A left hand lands to the body for Matiss.
This has been an exciting period of action!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Matiss creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A bit of stalling here from Matiss.
Matiss lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Matiss lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Matiss landing knees to the body.
Matiss lands a knee to the head.
Matiss lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short right from Matiss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matiss gets through Rivera's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rivera takes a knee to the side of the body.
Matiss lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Matiss lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Matiss with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Matiss lands a shot to the body.
Matiss lands with a light punch inside.
Matiss's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Matiss lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Matiss using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rivera has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Matiss lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Matiss landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Matiss jerks Rivera's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Rivera drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Matiss goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Matiss because Rivera was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Mario Matiss!
A victorious Mario Matiss thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.