PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Phil Rivers (ranked 1952 p4p, 5975 weight class) and Frank Lucas Iv (ranked 182 p4p, 389 weight class). Rivers comes to the cage accompanied by RUNNING IN THE 90’s. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rivers
vs
Lucas Iv

177 cm
26
155
11 - 7 - 0

168 cm
28
148
9 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

The Natural Order
Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phil Rivers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Lucas Iv!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksandr Martynov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lucas Iv gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rivers has a couple of punches blocked by Lucas Iv.
Lucas Iv swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lucas Iv has Rivers pushed against the cage.
I was talking to Rivers's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rivers.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Lucas Iv blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rivers misses with the head strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lucas Iv throws an elbow but misses.
Rivers misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lucas Iv goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rivers prevents it.
A right hook to the body lands for Rivers.
Lucas Iv drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lucas Iv blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rivers misses with the head strike.

Rivers is fighting off a takedown attempt but Lucas Iv is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rivers to the mat. Rivers regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Rivers is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lucas Iv is aware though and is defending well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lucas Iv makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rivers looking for a guillotine here but Lucas Iv defends easily.
Lucas Iv working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lucas Iv trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rivers looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Lucas Iv got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rivers has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lucas Iv has managed to get both his arms back between Rivers's legs - danger averted.
Lucas Iv is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lucas Iv trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Rivers is looking for a triangle but Lucas Iv pushes his legs off easily.
Lucas Iv keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rivers's head.
Lucas Iv trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rivers is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lucas Iv is aware though and is defending well.
Lucas Iv postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Rivers escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lucas Iv gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lucas Iv postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Lucas Iv lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Lucas Iv trying to control but Rivers is working from the bottom.
Lucas Iv working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rivers escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lucas Iv gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lucas Iv landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivers is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lucas Iv is aware though and is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lucas Iv looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Lucas Iv throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rivers works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lucas Iv scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Lucas Iv is in close to Rivers's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lucas Iv trying to control but Rivers is working from the bottom.

Rivers looking for a triangle here. Lucas Iv is fighting it but it looks tight! Rivers pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Lucas Iv is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Phil Rivers!
A very excited looking Phil Rivers made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.