PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Virgil Bates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Richard Chivers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Bates
vs
Chivers

157 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

185 cm
24
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Virgil Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Richard Chivers!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bates shoots in but no luck this time.

Chivers is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bates's half guard.
Chivers thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bates's head.
Chivers prevents Bates from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chivers is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bates defends it well.
Chivers performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Chivers has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Bates is looking to improve his position.
Bates could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bates is working hard here to advance position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Chivers not doing much here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Chivers drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bates is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Chivers controlling from side mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Chivers wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Chivers throws an elbow but Bates slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bates is trying to improve his position.
A lull in the action here.
The ground and pound from Chivers seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bates tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Chivers decides to stand back up.

Chivers shoots in and gets a takedown into Bates's guard.
Chivers is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Chivers works over Bates with some ground and pound from guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Chivers gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Chivers instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Chivers dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

No luck for Bates with that takedown attempt.
Chivers has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Chivers fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Chivers has taken the fight to the clinch.

Chivers gets control of Bates's arms and successfully pulls guard. Chivers will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Chivers looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Bates has picked Chivers up and slammed him! Chivers can't keep hold of the triangle and Bates manages to pass to side control!
Chivers is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Chivers taking a bit of punishment here - Bates scoring with strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates grinds an elbow into Chivers's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates has control of an arm but Chivers manages to advance to Bates's back!
Chivers missing with strikes from the back.
Bates has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Chivers.
Bates is keeping busy.
Bates is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Chivers missing with strikes.

Chivers is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Bates knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Bates for a finish.
Chivers wants to control but Bates manages to buck him off and is now in Chivers's guard! Nice work there by Bates!
Bates has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bates accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Chivers is pulling down on Bates's head. It's preventing any offense from Bates, at least for the moment.
Bates landing some decent shots from guard.
Bates works over Chivers with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chivers trying to control the position.
Richard Chivers has got the better of the ground game so far.

Chivers looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Chivers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Chivers pulls Bates in close to prevent any damage.
Chivers trying to control the position.

Chivers throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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.
Chivers is trying to hold Bates in close to prevent damage but Bates has managed to pass into half guard.
Chivers wants to control but Bates is keeping busy.
Bates drops an elbow to the side of Chivers's head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chivers misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Richard Chivers will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Bates tries to sprawl but Chivers drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Chivers throwing shots but Bates is blocking nicely.

Bates looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bates gets back to full guard.
Bates looking for a sweep. Not yet Bates, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chivers decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bates, up you get!

Bates closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Chivers's guard.

Chivers has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Bates off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chivers throws a body shot but no joy.
Chivers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Chivers has managed to clinch.
Bates tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Chivers breaks the clinch.

Chivers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chivers trying to control the position from guard on top but Bates is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chivers controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chivers looking to pass the guard.
Chivers looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Chivers trying to control but Bates is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bates is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Chivers sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Virgil Bates is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Chivers moves into the clinch successfully.
Bates drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Chivers gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Chivers works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bates is working an open guard so Chivers takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Bates is looking to clinch.
Chivers throws a big counter head kick but Bates avoids it with no problem.

Chivers rushes Bates and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Chivers gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Bates regains guard.

Chivers decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bates, up you get!

Chivers scores with a takedown into Bates's guard.
Chivers slips nicely into half guard.
Chivers is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bates wants to improve his position but Chivers is controlling well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Chivers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Chivers 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Chivers!