PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jae Darko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Darko's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Gasolina. Rivera has chosen Tupac - Hell Razor (remix) as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Darko
vs
Rivera

180 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
179 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

Fight Club Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jae Darko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Junior Rivera!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rivera moves in looking to clinch but Darko pushes him off.
Rivera is looking to clinch.
Rivera tries to clinch but Darko is having none of it.
Rivera lands a head kick. Darko smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Jae Darko has been cut.
Rivera displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Darko throws out the jab.
Darko fails to land with a series of punches.
Darko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rivera checks the leg kick.
Darko lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Rivera instigates a clinch.
Rivera lands a nice elbow.
Rivera lands a damaging elbow.
Rivera is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rivera lands an elbow that stopped Darko in his tracks for a moment.

Rivera breaks from the clinch.
Darko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Rivera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Darko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rivera circles away.
Rivera staying out of range there.
Darko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Junior Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Darko darts in and clinches Rivera up against the cage.
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!
Darko can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rivera is trying to trip Darko. He has hold of a leg but Darko is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rivera persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Rivera throwing strikes from guard but Darko blocks nicely.
Rivera postures up in Darko's guard and throws a big left but Darko blocks it.
Darko wants to sweep here but Rivera controlling him for the moment.
Darko utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rivera works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rivera sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Darko defending well though.
Rivera not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rivera missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rivera tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Darko counters with a nice uppercut.
Darko closes the distance and clinches up with Rivera, looking for a takedown. Darko pushes Rivera against the cage but Rivera circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Darko stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rivera.
Darko is breathing heavily.
Darko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rivera pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is looking to clinch but Darko is avoiding it.
Darko stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rivera.

Rivera clinches.
Rivera lands an elbow that stopped Darko in his tracks for a moment.

Jae Darko's cut is getting worse.
Darko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rivera gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jae Darko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A knee to the head by Rivera.
Rivera throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Darko blocks it with crossed arms.
Rivera lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rivera throws an elbow but misses.

Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rivera tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Darko counters with a left and a right that stings Rivera.

Rivera knocks Darko to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?

Darko is rocked!
Darko is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Oh Darko is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Rivera tries for a kimura but Darko is defending well.
Darko seems to have got his legs back now.
Rivera creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Rivera has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera looks to clinch
and Darko counters with a left to the body.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Darko keeps the fight on the outside.
A nice combination there by Darko.
Rivera misses with a head kick.
Rivera throws a head kick that half lands.
Rivera is looking to clinch.
Darko fails to land the takedown.
Darko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Darko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rivera is looking to clinch.
Rivera is looking to clinch but Darko is avoiding it.
Rivera connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rivera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rivera drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Darko can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darko is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Rivera looks up at the clock and then as Darko takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Rivera smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Rivera looks up at the clock and then as Darko takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Rivera smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Darko tries to buck Rivera off but Rivera is having none of it.
Rivera scores with punches from side control.
Rivera working the ground and pound.
Rivera in side control lands a decent elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darko takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Rivera thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rivera throws a strike aimed at the side of Darko's head but Darko avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Rivera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jae Darko's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

The fight stays on the outside here - Rivera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice defenses there by Rivera.
Rivera wants to clinch but Darko slips to the side
and Darko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Darko misses with a low kick.
Rivera scores with a push kick.
Rivera wants to clinch but Darko slips to the side

and Darko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Darko fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Rivera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Darko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rivera is fending him off so far but Darko persists. Nope, Rivera circles away and we're back to standing.

Rivera clinches with his opponent.
Rivera connects with a knee to the head.
Rivera with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rivera scores a nice knee to the body.
Rivera with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rivera connects with a nasty looking knee right to Darko's face.
Rivera is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Darko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rivera has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Rivera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Darko steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Rivera. That one must have hurt.
Rivera looks to clinch
and Darko counters with a three punch combo that has Rivera backing up. Rivera nods at Darko to acknowledge the strikes.
Rivera tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Darko counters with a three punch combo that has Rivera backing up. Rivera nods at Darko to acknowledge the strikes.
Rivera tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Darko looks to land a combination. Rivera sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Rivera moves into range and clinches up with Darko.

Rivera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rivera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivera clinches but Darko breaks the clinch
letting Darko counter with a right hand.

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.
Darko tries to break the clinch but Rivera is controlling the position.

Rivera breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Darko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Darko cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darko fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jae Darko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivera feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Darko's calf.
Rivera cracks the inside of Darko's front leg.
A head kick from Rivera lands but Darko takes it in his stride.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rivera closes the distance looking to clinch
and Darko cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jae Darko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rivera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rivera tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Darko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rivera tries to clinch up
and Darko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rivera clinches but Darko breaks the clinch

and Darko counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darko misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Darko trying to control the position but Rivera is working away.
Rivera is trying to buck Darko off.
Darko tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Darko fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Rivera tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Rivera is trying to get back to half guard.
Rivera sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rivera manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rivera keeping moving, preventing Darko from controlling successfully.

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.

Rivera pushes Darko off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Darko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Darko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Darko counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rivera thinking.
Rivera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rivera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rivera misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rivera takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Darko keeps the fight on the outside.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Darko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Darko throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Darko throws a leg kick

so Rivera counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Rivera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jae Darko's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch but Darko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rivera doesn't manage to clinch there - Darko circles away.
Rivera throws a head kick but Darko moves out of range.
Darko takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Darko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rivera circles away quickly and effectively.
Rivera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rivera wants to clinch up but Darko keeps it at a distance.
Darko moves into range and connects with a jab.
Darko connects with a crisp jab.
Rivera connects with a high kick.
Rivera staying out of range there.
Rivera takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Darko rushes Rivera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rivera just misses with a elbow thrown towards Darko's brow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rivera breaks the clinch.
A clash of legs there as Rivera blocks the low kick.
Rivera bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera tries to clinch but Darko moves out of range.
Rivera tries to clinch up but Darko circles away and keeps his distance.
Rivera throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Jae Darko's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Rivera rushes Darko and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rivera misses with an elbow strike.
Darko lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rivera backwards.
Rivera landing knees to the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rivera lands a knee to the head.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but Darko blocks it.

Darko pulls Rivera into guard.
Darko 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.
Rivera landing some decent shots from guard.
Darko lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rivera!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Darko jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Rivera is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Rivera and Darko has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Rivera striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivera pushes Darko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Darko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Rivera is working to avoid the ground and pound but Darko connects with a decent elbow.

Darko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rivera is trying to buck Darko off.
Rivera takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Junior Rivera has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Rivera is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rivera is trying to control but can't.

Darko postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Rivera to stand up.
Rivera closes the distance but Darko moves to the side
and Darko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rivera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rivera tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Darko to counter with a crisp jab.
Rivera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Darko misses the shot to the body.
A head kick misses from Rivera.
Darko scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Rivera pushes Darko up against the cage in a clinch.
Rivera throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Darko blocks it with crossed arms.
Rivera scores a nice knee to the body.
Rivera creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Darko's defenses.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Jae Darko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera can't break the clinch.

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

Darko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rivera takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Rivera is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Rivera is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ground and pound from Darko.
Junior Rivera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Darko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rivera keeps working.
Rivera trying to hold on to Darko's head to control him but Darko postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Junior Rivera.
Well Rivera has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Junior Rivera!