PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ruben Rivera (ranked 1731 p4p, 166 weight class) and Balbus Michael (ranked 1439 p4p, 142 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rivera
vs
Michael

157 cm
27
145 lbs
9 - 6 - 2

178 cm
32
150 lbs
19 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 6 - 2, fighting out of London, Ruben Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Balbus Michael!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Michael ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Michael lands a leg kick that knocks Rivera off balance momentarily.
Rivera connects with an inside leg kick.

Rivera clinches.
Rivera trying to land knees to the body.

Michael breaks from the clinch.
Rivera throws a leg kick which misses Michael's front leg but catches the back leg as Michael tries to avoid it.
Rivera does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Michael tries to keep at a distance but Rivera has taken the fight into the clinch.

Michael pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Michael lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rivera has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rivera and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Michael tries to keep at a distance but Rivera has taken the fight into the clinch.
Michael tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rivera's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera working Michael over with knees to the body.
Michael is leaning against Rivera and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rivera putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Michael in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rivera lands a left hand.
Rivera lands a left hand.
Rivera is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Michael lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Michael misses with a punch to the body.
Rivera misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Michael.
A body shot lands from Michael.

Michael breaks from the clinch.
Rivera wants to clinch up but Michael keeps it at a distance.
Rivera takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Michael throws out a leg kick but Rivera moves out of range and Michael only half commits.
Michael avoids the head kick by Rivera.
Rivera has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Lucky Liam's MMA Academy in the buildup to the fight.
Michael throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ruben Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Michael misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Rivera has managed to clinch.
Rivera misses with an elbow over the top.
A short right from Michael on the inside.
Michael avoids a wild elbow strike from Rivera.
Rivera misses with some punches.
Michael wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rivera unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rivera.
Rivera looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Michael blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rivera landing knees to the head.
Michael tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rivera just misses with a elbow thrown towards Michael's brow.

Michael breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Rivera - that will leave a mark!
Rivera tries to land a body kick
letting Michael counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera tries to clinch up.
Michael lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rivera is looking to clinch.
Rivera throws a hook but Michael avoids it easily.
Michael looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Rivera wants to clinch
and Michael counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Michael misses with a looping right.
Michael moves out of range as Rivera throws a body kick.
Michael throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Rivera slips under a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Michael. Rivera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Michael circles away from the clinch attempt
and Michael cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael digs a good body shot into Rivera's ribs.
Rivera tries to clinch up.
Michael connects with an inside leg kick.
Rivera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rivera tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Michael manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rivera misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Michael is trying to break free.
Michael lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Michael lands a nice shot to the body.
Michael struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivera controls his hands.
Michael tries a body shot but Rivera blocks it.
Rivera lands a nice uppercut.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ruben Rivera will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Michael misses with an uppercut.
A low kick from Rivera misses
and Michael counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rivera tries to land a body kick
and Michael counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Good leg kick by Michael there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rivera checks the leg kick nicely there.
Michael has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rivera stalks Michael and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Michael's face. Michael staggers backwards, shaken.

Rivera closes the distance and pushes Michael back into the cage.
Michael blocks an uppercut.

Michael breaks from the clinch.
Michael has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rivera.
Michael bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ruben Rivera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera lands with a kick to the temple. Michael shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivera takes one on the button.
A punch lands to the side of Rivera 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rivera gets a clinch.
Rivera misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Michael.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Michael avoids it.
Rivera creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Michael blocks a body shot from Rivera.
Rivera misses with a knee to the head.
Michael avoiding damage as Rivera throws knees to the body.
Rivera creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Michael's defenses.
Rivera missing with knees to the body.

Michael breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Michael takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Michael gets tackled into the cage by Rivera. Rivera maintains the clinch.
Ruben Rivera has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nice body punch from Michael - that landed with a thud.
Michael lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rivera or not.
Rivera is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Michael is defending well for now.
Michael pushes Rivera back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Michael is trying to force a seperation but Rivera has the dominant position.
Rivera putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Michael in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Michael lands a shot to the body.
Rivera has a couple of punches blocked by Michael.
Rivera lands a knee to the body.
Michael blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Michael tries to work over Rivera's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Michael goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Michael breaks the clinch.
Rivera is looking to clinch but Michael is avoiding it.
Michael throws out a counter right but Rivera avoids it with no problem.
Michael tries to score with a low kick but Rivera moves his leg out of the way.
Michael lands a jab to the head.
Rivera throws a lazy head kick
and Michael counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Michael lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rivera at a distance.
Rivera throws a sloppy body shot
and Michael counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Balbus Michael seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Rivera clinches.
Michael throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael is leaning against Rivera and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Michael tries to throw a body punch but Rivera avoids it by throwing Michael back against the cage.
Michael struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivera controls his hands.
Rivera prevents a body shot from Michael.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but Michael blocks with his arms.
Rivera working aggressively here.
Michael scores with a shot to the side of Rivera's head.
Rivera missing with knees to the body.

Michael breaks the clinch.
Rivera throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Michael counters with a nice uppercut.
Rivera connects with a leg kick. Michael looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rivera does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Michael appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Rivera tries to clinch up but Michael circles away and keeps his distance.
A little jabbing left from Michael on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rivera misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Rivera instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera throws a punch but it's blocked by Michael.
Michael goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Michael blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rivera struggles to land a body shot inside as Michael controls his hands.
Rivera works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Michael wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rivera misses with a knee to the head.
Rivera comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivera pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rivera misses with a short punch on the inside.

Michael's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Michael is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Michael throws a right and a left that both miss.
Michael walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rivera checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rivera tries to clinch up.
Rivera throws a right hand that misses
and Michael cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Michael with a body punch. A glancing blow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ruben Rivera will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Michael gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Rivera tries to clinch up but Michael circles away and keeps his distance.
Michael looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Rivera misses with a body kick.
Rivera uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Michael.
Michael throws a leg kick
and Rivera counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Michael is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rivera. Michael shrugs it off though.
Rivera connects with a solid leg kick.
Rivera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Michael tries to score with a low kick but Rivera moves his leg out of the way.
Rivera seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera wants to clinch
and Michael counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rivera throws a sloppy head kick
letting Michael counter with a right hand.
Rivera looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera wants to clinch but Michael slips to the side
and Michael counters with a leg kick.
Rivera on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Michael throws a body shot but no joy.
Michael takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Michael missing with a left hand there. Rivera was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rivera walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rivera tries to clinch
and Michael counters with a stiff right hand.
Rivera tries to clinch but Michael moves away
and Rivera takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Michael lands an overhand right.
Michael changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rivera misses with a body kick.
Rivera is looking to slow Michael down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Michael has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rivera on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Michael. Michael obviously looking to wear him down.
Michael misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rivera.
Rivera looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Rivera moves into range and clinches up with Michael.

Michael breaks from the clinch.
Michael avoids the body shot from Rivera.
Michael blocks the body kick.
Michael flicks out a counter leg kick but Rivera steps away.
Rivera lands a leg kick that knocks Michael off balance momentarily.
Michael throws an overhand right that lands on Rivera's shoulder, as Rivera tries to avoid the shot.
Michael's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Rivera stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Michael.
Nice jab there from Michael.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Michael on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Rivera tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Michael counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rivera is looking to chop away at Michael's legs.
Michael throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Michael lands with a cross.
The fighters circling - Michael throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Michael is looking to slow Rivera down with leg kicks.
Rivera slips a jab and a cross from Michael.
Rivera tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Michael manages to circle out of the way.
Michael checks a leg kick.
Michael feints a counter leg kick.

Rivera clinches.
Rivera lands a nice elbow.
Michael tries to stall but Rivera uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rivera looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rivera trying to land knees to the body.

Michael breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Rivera forces Michael back against the cage and clinches.
Michael lands a shoulder strike.
Rivera misses with an elbow over the top.
Michael misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rivera using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Michael has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Michael lands a shot to the body.

Michael breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.
Balbus Michael has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Michael.

Michael breaks from the clinch.
Rivera moves in looking to clinch but Michael pushes him off.
Rivera tries to clinch there but Michael circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Balbus Michael.
I think Rivera has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!