PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Patrick River (ranked 1313 p4p, 2196 weight class) and Armad Bates (ranked 184 p4p, 295 weight class). River's entrance music is Pantera - Walk. A fine choice. Patrick River has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

River
vs
Bates

188 cm
23
186
5 - 2 - 0

190 cm
21
198
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
Conviction

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Patrick River!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Armad Bates!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bates shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as River sprawls well. River wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bates gets slowly back to his feet.
A good leg kick by River.
River throws a leg kick

and Bates counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bates is pushing down on River's leg trying to pass to half guard. River is fighting to maintain full guard but Bates has managed to sneak the leg through.

Bates is looking for a kimura but River is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bates to get the leverage.
Bates tries to pass to full mount but River defends it.

Bates is looking for a kimura but River is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bates to get the leverage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

River looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Bates is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bates is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. River doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bates.
Bates stalling.

Bates seems to be working for a kimura but River defends the submission attempt.

Bates is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Bates seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
River is controlling Bates's position as best he can from this difficult position.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bates seems to be working for a kimura but River defends the submission attempt.
River trying to control but Bates postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bates is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are battling for position here. River manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Bates advances to half guard.
Bates stalling away here and it's allowed River to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

River working for a triangle but Bates defends it easily.

River is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

River working for a triangle but Bates defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates trying to control the position from guard on top but River is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
River keeping full guard, as Bates tries to pass.

River is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

River is looking for a triangle but Bates pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armad Bates dominated that round.
That's time! River's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

River swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bates wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Patrick River seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bates looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Bates ducks under a wild hook from River.
Bates thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bates throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bates ducks down and throws a hook to the body but River moves away.
River keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
River lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
An inside leg kick from Bates misses.
River throws a quick counter kick to the body but Bates avoids it.
River looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A little jabbing left from Bates on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Bates misses with a lunging right hand
and River counters with a low kick, right behind Bates 's knee.
Bates slips a jab from River.
River misses with a body shot.
Bates is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Bates throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from River.
River lets loose with a powerful body kick. Bates will feel that in the morning.

River moves into the clinch.
River prevents the takedown attempt.
River tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bates's elbow.
Bates's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
River is defending well against a takedown attempt.
River tries a body shot but Bates blocks it.
Bates blocks a body shot from River.
River can't find room to land a body shot as Bates controls the action.

Bates has dropped down and is working for a takedown. River is trying to keep an underhook but Bates manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Bates trying to pass the guard but River defending well.

Bates is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates moves into full mount! River won't be happy about that!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
River is in all sorts of trouble here.
River is working hard here to advance position.

Bates working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
River wants to hold on but Bates pushes him away.
Bates fails to advance to River's back.
River is squirming around, avoiding Bates's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bates looking for a guillotine from mount but River is having none of it.

Bates swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and River is now in Bates's guard. A big mistake from Bates there, giving up the dominant position!
River loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
River postures up and lands a big shot to Bates's brow.
River trying to control but Bates is working from the bottom.
Armad Bates has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bates avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
River is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Bates is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
River with a nice head shot there.
River has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bates wants to control but River passes easily into half guard.
River looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Bates tries to get to full guard but River has control of the leg.
River missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
River missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
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 Patrick River 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. This is the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Bates. Those never looked like landing.
Bates needs to keep his hands up - River had a free shot at his head there.
River is looking to slow Bates down with leg kicks.
Bates avoids a kick to the body.
River comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
River wants to clinch up but Bates keeps it at a distance.
Bates drops down looking to force a counter takedown but River defends it well.
River lands a front kick.
River ducks under a wild hook from Bates.
A punch combination from River misses.
Bates is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
River misses with an uppercut
and Bates counters with a left to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates swings for the body but River moves out of range.
River checks the leg kick.
River misses the shot to the body.
Bates is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down River rather than just go for the knockout.

River takes the fight into the clinch.
Bates wants a takedown but no success here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates fails to pull the fight into his guard.

River breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fighters circling - Bates throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
River walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
River lands a head kick. Bates smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Bates walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
River fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
River misses with a low kick.
Bates swings and misses with a shot to the body
and River counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
River scores with a decent looking hook.
River throws a head kick but Bates moves out of range.
Bates throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bates takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
River uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bates gets tackled into the cage by River. River maintains the clinch.
River misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bates tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. River smiles and moves away.
Patrick River has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Armad Bates.
Bates swings for the body but River moves out of range.
Bates checks a low kick from River.
River backing away here, and Bates unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from River.
Patrick River is winning the standup battle so far.
River blocks a low kick nicely.
Bates shoots in for a double leg but River sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
River misses with a body shot.
River lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
The crowd cheers as River lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bates doesn't seem phased though.
Bates throws a body punch but River moves out of range.
River tried to counter with a leg kick but Bates avoided it.
Some bone on bone action there as Bates checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Bates was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
River throws a body kick that misses.

River gets a double leg takedown into Bates's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River trying to control but Bates is working from the bottom.
Bates not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Bates looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! River has picked Bates up and slammed him! Bates can't keep hold of the triangle and River manages to pass to side control!
River misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
River trying to control the action but Bates is working from the bottom.
River looking to control but instead Bates has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Bates has hold of River's hands but River slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bates looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
River moves into full mount! Bates won't be happy about that!
Bates really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

River jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Bates is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Bates and River has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

River thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
River slows the pace down.

And that's the end of the fight!
Patrick River showed his dominance in that final round.
I think River 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Patrick River!
During a confident post fight interview, Patrick River thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.