PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bengt Strom (ranked 1992 p4p, 3522 weight class) and Rafael Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Strom
vs
Rivera

170 cm
25
160
4 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
160
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Granite chin

Brachial Nutrition

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bengt Strom!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rafael Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Francis DeMontford and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Strom looking to score a takedown here. Rivera is defending well but Strom drives through and ends up in Rivera's guard.
Rivera being controlled here, momentarily.
Strom knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rivera on the ground.
Rivera throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera is looking to stand up but Strom isn't so interested in that idea.
Rivera not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Strom tries to free his leg and advance position but Rivera is retaining full guard.
Strom might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strom sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Strom blocks a jab.
Rivera is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Strom throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rivera tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Strom is in Rivera's guard.

Rivera wriggles free and stands up.
Rivera tries to clinch up

so Strom counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rivera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Strom's guard.

Strom on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Strom tries to get out of the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Strom is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strom working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rivera.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strom throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Strom is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Strom looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Strom has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rivera can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Strom is breathing heavily.
Strom wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Rivera manages to pass to side control.
Strom wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strom avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rivera.
Rivera throwing shots but Strom is blocking nicely.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Strom slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Strom wants to sweep here but Rivera controlling him for the moment.
Strom wants to improve his position but instead Rivera has moved into half guard.
Strom blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rivera.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Strom is holding on to half guard well.
Rivera stalling away here and it's allowed Strom to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Strom wriggles free and stands up.

Strom closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rivera to the mat! Rivera manages to get full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Strom's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rivera can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Strom controls the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bengt Strom dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rivera pivots, looking for a leg kick but Strom is out of range and Rivera settles back down.

Strom changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rivera looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rivera sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Strom scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strom with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Strom seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rivera trying to control here.
Rivera is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strom is controlling the pace.
Strom seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rivera for as long as he can get away with.
Rivera works his way to full guard. Good work.
Strom cracks Rivera with a solid left hand.
Strom preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Strom sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rivera keeping full guard, as Strom tries to pass.
Rivera is trying to keep Strom in close.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Rafael Rivera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rivera throws a head kick that misses

and Strom counters with a takedown into side control.
Rivera tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Rivera is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strom punishing his opponent with strikes.
Strom controlling from mount.
Strom has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The referee warns Rivera that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Strom controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strom working the ground and pound effectively.
Strom sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strom working Rivera over with strikes here.

Rivera is rocked!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bengt Strom dominated that second round.
That's time! Strom's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Strom dives in and scores a takedown into Rivera's guard.
Strom postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bengt Strom overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rivera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Strom is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rivera looking to control.
Strom is in close to Rivera's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Strom controlling from the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Strom.
Strom is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rivera can do to turn this around?
Strom's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Strom continues to stall.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Strom gets the takedown into side control.
Rivera is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Strom's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera wants to stand back up but Strom manages to pass into side control.
Rivera is looking for a sweep.
Strom in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera tries to control but Strom manages to take his back.

Strom looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Rivera taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Bengt Strom!