PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Geraldo Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dzhugashvili comes to the cage accompanied by Gosudarstvenniy Gimn SSSR . Rivera has chosen Sucker Punch - Sweet Dreams as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili
vs
Rivera

187 cm
23
212 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

190 cm
29
215 lbs
20 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Stonewall
Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags & 95% Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Geraldo Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Joseph Jones and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera moves out of range as Dzhugashvili strikes.
Rivera swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Dzhugashvili walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Dzhugashvili has taken the fight to the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Rivera.

Dzhugashvili breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dzhugashvili moves in looking to clinch but Rivera pushes him off.
Dzhugashvili thows a body shot but no joy.
Rivera swinging wildly here.

Dzhugashvili fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rivera, pushing him back against the cage.
Dzhugashvili lands with a light punch inside.
Rivera lands with a left to the head.
Dzhugashvili with a knee to the head.

It looks like Geraldo Rivera has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rivera misses with a hook to the ribs.
A frustrated look appears on Rivera's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dzhugashvili obliges.
Dzhugashvili pushes Rivera back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Dzhugashvili lands a nice knee to the body.
Rivera tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dzhugashvili's elbow.
Rivera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dzhugashvili breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch up but Rivera circles away and keeps his distance.
Dzhugashvili throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch there but Rivera circles away.
Dzhugashvili doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivera circles away.
Rivera misses with a body shot.
Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera misses the shot to the body.
Rivera misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rivera misses with a hook. Dzhugashvili ducked under it nicely.
Rivera fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dzhugashvili manages to avoid it.
Rivera keeps the fight on the outside.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch but Rivera moves away
and Dzhugashvili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dzhugashvili tries to close the distance and clinch but Rivera swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A combination from Rivera does no damage.

Rivera tries to keep at a distance but Dzhugashvili has taken the fight into the clinch.
Dzhugashvili prevents a body shot from Rivera.
Dzhugashvili scores with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dzhugashvili lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Dzhugashvili using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
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!
Dzhugashvili keeps control of Rivera as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Dzhugashvili trying to land knees to the body.
Rivera has a couple of punches blocked by Dzhugashvili.
Rivera lands with a left to the head.
Rivera throws a head punch that misses.
Dzhugashvili misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rivera.
Dzhugashvili working aggressively here.
Dzhugashvili blocks an uppercut.
Dzhugashvili trying to land knees to the body.
Dzhugashvili prevents Rivera from breaking the clinch.
Rivera prevents a body shot from Dzhugashvili.

Rivera breaks from the clinch.
Dzhugashvili tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dzhugashvili looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rivera counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera sizes up Dzhugashvili with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Dzhugashvili tries to close the distance and clinch but Rivera swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rivera needs to keep his hands up - Dzhugashvili had a free shot at his head there.
Dzhugashvili wants to clinch.
Rivera misses with a few strikes there.
Rivera throws a hook to the side of Dzhugashvili's head but Dzhugashvili sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dzhugashvili fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dzhugashvili loads up on a big right hand but Rivera slips the punch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dzhugashvili looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch up.
Rivera falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dzhugashvili connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Dzhugashvili rushes Rivera and presses him up against the cage.
Dzhugashvili tries to throw a body punch but Rivera avoids it by throwing Dzhugashvili back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dzhugashvili tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rivera is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Dzhugashvili is keeping busy.
Dzhugashvili unloads a knee to the mid-section.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dzhugashvili trying to land knees to the body.

Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Dzhugashvili rushes Rivera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Dzhugashvili crunches a lovely knee into Rivera's ribcage.
Rivera looks gassed!
Dzhugashvili lands a shoulder strike.
Dzhugashvili lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Dzhugashvili landing knees to the body.
Rivera has had enough of the clinch but Dzhugashvili keeps him there for the moment.
A nice left hand lands by Dzhugashvili.
A short uppercut from Dzhugashvili.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Dzhugashvili unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rivera lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Dzhugashvili lands a nice uppercut.
Rivera doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dzhugashvili looking to throw knees to the head but Rivera is blocking nicely.
Dzhugashvili tries to work over Rivera's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Geraldo Rivera's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dzhugashvili throws a looping overhand right but Rivera ducks down to avoid it.

Dzhugashvili moves into the clinch successfully.
Rivera misses with a punch to the body.
Dzhugashvili lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Dzhugashvili tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rivera avoids it.
Dzhugashvili makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Dzhugashvili lands with a light punch inside.

Rivera is rocked!

Dzhugashvili breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rivera is still on wobbly legs! Can Dzhugashvili finish him?
Rivera looks to score with a jab to the body but Dzhugashvili is just out of range.
Dzhugashvili is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivera missing with a left hand there. Dzhugashvili was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rivera seems to have recovered his senses.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Rivera.
Rivera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dzhugashvili doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivera circles away.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch up
and Rivera counters with a one-two to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Dzhugashvili there.
Rivera misses with a series of wild punches.
Dzhugashvili closes the distance but Rivera moves to the side
and Rivera counters with a right hand to the body.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch up
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
and Rivera counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rivera keeps the fight on the outside.
Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili is winning the standup battle so far.
Rivera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dzhugashvili wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Dzhugashvili avoids the body shot from Rivera.
Rivera lunges at Dzhugashvili with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Dzhugashvili's hand.
Rivera throws a hook but Dzhugashvili avoids it easily.
Dzhugashvili fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dzhugashvili's jab looks to have found its range, popping Rivera under the eye.
Dzhugashvili tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera throws a lazy right hand but Dzhugashvili sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Dzhugashvili wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch but Rivera moves out of range.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch up
and Rivera counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Dzhugashvili tries to clinch but Rivera moves out of range.
Rivera lands a nice looking body shot.
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!
Dzhugashvili wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Dzhugashvili wants to clinch
and Dzhugashvili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dzhugashvili looks to clinch
and Rivera counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dzhugashvili moves in looking to clinch but Rivera pushes him off.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rivera counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dzhugashvili dodges the punch combination from Rivera.
Rivera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Dzhugashvili rushes Rivera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Dzhugashvili blocks an uppercut.
A knee to the head by Dzhugashvili.
Dzhugashvili tries a body shot but Rivera blocks it.
Rivera is pushing Dzhugashvili up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Dzhugashvili manages to break the clinch.

Dzhugashvili moves into the clinch.
Dzhugashvili using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rivera has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rivera is trying to break the clinch but Dzhugashvili has him pressed against the cage.
Rivera lands with a left to the head.
Dzhugashvili lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Rivera scores with a hook to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivera can't find room to land a body shot as Dzhugashvili controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Dzhugashvili - that landed with a thud.
Rivera is breathing heavily.
Dzhugashvili lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rivera or not.
A short uppercut from Dzhugashvili.
Rivera misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rivera fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dzhugashvili connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rivera's face.
Rivera tries to work over Dzhugashvili's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rivera tries to throw a body punch but Dzhugashvili avoids it by throwing Rivera back against the cage.
Dzhugashvili throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rivera blocks it with crossed arms.
Rivera misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rivera tries to throw a body punch but Dzhugashvili avoids it by throwing Rivera back against the cage.
Dzhugashvili works on Rivera's body with a couple of short punches.
Rivera managing to block the knees to the body from Dzhugashvili.
Dzhugashvili misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Dzhugashvili escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dzhugashvili fails to land with a series of punches.
Dzhugashvili is looking to clinch.
Rivera keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Geraldo Rivera's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Dzhugashvili tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rivera manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rivera lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dzhugashvili looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rivera gets tackled into the cage by Dzhugashvili. Dzhugashvili maintains the clinch.
Dzhugashvili misses with a body punch.
Dzhugashvili fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dzhugashvili lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rivera fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rivera misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dzhugashvili struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivera controls his hands.
Dzhugashvili lands with a left to the head.
Dzhugashvili lands a nice shot to the body.
Dzhugashvili landing knees to the body.
Rivera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dzhugashvili throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Riveras head.
Dzhugashvili is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Dzhugashvili lands a left hand.
Dzhugashvili with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Dzhugashvili tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dzhugashvili has Rivera pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Rivera is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Dzhugashvili - that's hurt Rivera badly! Oh, another knee lands and Rivera is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Rivera doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:11 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili!
After the big win, Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Stonewall and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.