PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Royal Pain (ranked 3465 p4p, 2331 weight class) and Tom Rivers (ranked 403 p4p, 276 weight class). Pain comes into the arena with AC/DC Thunderstruck blaring out of the sound system. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Pain
vs
Rivers

181 cm
38
166
30 - 30 - 1

178 cm
34
157
17 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 30 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Royal Pain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pain tries to clinch up but Rivers circles away and keeps his distance.

Rivers gets caught napping as Pain dives in and scores a takedown. Rivers manages to retain guard.
Pain in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pain has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Pain pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rivers is keeping the position for now.
Pain scoring with some ground and pound.
Rivers pulls Pain in close to prevent any damage.
Pain with a nice head shot there.
Pain in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rivers is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pain loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pain scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rivers looking to control.
Pain stands up over Rivers, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rivers keeping moving, preventing Pain from controlling successfully.
Pain is working Rivers over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pain has gone for a leg lock! Rivers slips out almost immediately though and dives into Pain's guard.

I've been told that Rivers has been drilling his wrestling of late, which has already helped him take this fight to the mat. Let's see how much of an impact it has on the outcome of the ground game.
Pain pulls Rivers in close to prevent any damage.
Rivers with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rivers won't allow Pain to sweep him here.

Pain is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Pain working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rivers doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rivers manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rivers is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pain is trying to control the position but Rivers postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Rivers avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rivers missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pain 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.
Rivers controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pain has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Pain working for a triangle but Rivers defends it easily.

Pain escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rivers gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers throwing strikes from guard but Pain blocks nicely.

Pain is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rivers defends well.

Pain is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rivers passes Pain's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rivers takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Pain is not content to let Rivers control the position.
Rivers thows a huge punch but Pain dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pain is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rivers's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rivers's back!
Rivers tries to escape but Pain has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Rivers rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Rivers wants to control but Pain is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pain thows a huge punch but Rivers dodges it nicely.
Rivers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pain is working away from the top position though.
Pain not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Pain seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rivers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pain scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Pain is looking for a kimura but Rivers is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pain to get the leverage.
Pain wants to pass the guard but Rivers is defending well.

Pain is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rivers sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royal Pain dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rivers scores with a punch to the head.
Pain takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Pain instigates a clinch.
Rivers lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Pain or not.
Rivers scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rivers misses with a body punch.
Rivers lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Pain or not.
A short left from Rivers.
Rivers is working Pain over against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Rivers.
Rivers lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rivers lands an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivers working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Rivers scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rivers works on Pain's body with a couple of short punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rivers pushes Pain back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Rivers on the inside.
Rivers lands a nice uppercut.

Pain is rocked!
Rivers throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Pains head.
Oh Pain is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rivers creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Pain with a big uppercut! Pain tries to clinch up but Rivers pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Pain to the mat! Pain covers up and Rivers unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Tom Rivers!
Royal Pain was interviewed post fight and said 'Shit, there goes my chance to be like Mike.'.