PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Scooter Dahan (ranked 5616 p4p, 25513 weight class) and Enrique Rivera (ranked 359 p4p, 391 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dahan
vs
Rivera

167 cm
25
150
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
145
0 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Prefers standup

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Scooter Dahan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Enrique Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera tries to clinch up.
Rivera looks for the body kick but Dahan saw that one coming.
Dahan drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rivera sprawls and moves away.
Dahan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Rivera moves into the clinch.
Rivera gets underhooks to prevent Dahan's takedown attempt.
A frustrated look appears on Rivera's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rivera tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rivera is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rivera.
Rivera throws an elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A shot in the inside from Rivera.
Rivera pushes Dahan back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rivera swings wildly with an uppercut but Dahan uses good head movement to avoid it.

Rivera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dahan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rivera manages to avoid it.
Rivera throws out a counter right but Dahan avoids it with no problem.
Dahan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Dahan goes for a double leg but Rivera avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rivera continues to drive forward.

Rivera breaks the clinch.
Rivera doesn't manage to clinch there - Dahan circles away.
Rivera scores with a punch to the head.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch but Dahan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rivera misses with a straight left.
Rivera lands a head shot.
Rivera is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Rivera forces Dahan back against the cage and clinches.
Rivera trying to land knees to the body.

Dahan turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dahan taking a breather here.
Rivera is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Dahan asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dahan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rivera takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Dahan scoring with punches from side control.
Rivera tries to escape but Dahan is in control.
Dahan scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet.
Dahan advances to full mount.

Dahan is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rivera is surviving well by controlling Dahan's body position as best he can.
Rivera is bucking up trying to escape but Dahan cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Dahan with a couple of short strikes.
Dahan lands a big shot there that rocks Rivera but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Dahan is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rivera trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dahan working the ground and pound effectively.
A nice elbow there by Dahan.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivera is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Dahan moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Rivera has worked his arm free - good work by Rivera!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rivera can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dahan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Rivera to see if he's OK.

Dahan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dahan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rivera wants to get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Scooter Dahan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Rivera throws a leg kick

and Dahan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rivera won't be happy with that.

Dahan wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rivera, who protects the arm well.
Dahan trying to control the position but Rivera is working away.
Dahan 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.
Rivera pushes Dahan away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Dahan gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Rivera on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Rivera takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dahan in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Scooter Dahan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rivera wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dahan lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rivera down.
Dahan working the head with strikes.

Rivera bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Rivera misses with a right hand

and Dahan counters with a single leg into guard. Rivera didn't expect that.
Dahan wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.
Dahan wants to pass the guard but Rivera is keeping the position.
Dahan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dahan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rivera can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dahan 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.
Dahan working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Dahan works over Rivera with some ground and pound from guard.
Dahan is looking to work some ground and pound but Rivera has wrist control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Dahan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Dahan pushing down on Rivera's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rivera is refusing to be controlled, as Dahan sits in half guard.
Dahan lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Dahan there.
Dahan is looking to advance position but Rivera won't allow it.
Dahan takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Dahan is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Rivera is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Rivera is squirming around, avoiding Dahan's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dahan lands a heavy elbow.
Dahan controlling his opponent.
Dahan landing strikes, looking to finish!
Dahan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rivera is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivera in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Dahan landing punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Dahan looking for a guillotine from mount but Rivera is having none of it.

Dahan looking for a guillotine from mount but Rivera is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Scooter Dahan dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Dahan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rivera throws a body kick that misses

and Dahan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rivera won't be happy with that.

Dahan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dahan is chipping away with strikes.
A lull in the action here as Dahan stalls from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dahan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rivera is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dahan is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Dahan looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Dahan creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet.
Dahan works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Dahan's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Rivera sneaks out the side door and pushes Dahan away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Dahan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rivera tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Dahan counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dahan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rivera keeps working.
Dahan prevents Rivera from standing back up.
Dahan lands with a punch from half guard.

Dahan is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rivera has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rivera is trying to stand up here but Dahan is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dahan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rivera doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Dahan.
Dahan seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Dahan.

That's four 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.
Dahan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rivera does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet.

Dahan is working for a submission of some sort.
Dahan is trying to control. Rivera wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Enrique Rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dahan slips a nice elbow through Rivera's hands, connecting with Rivera's forehead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rivera punching from the bottom.
Rivera is looking to escape.
Scooter Dahan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dahan looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scooter Dahan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dahan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scooter Dahan!