PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Liwa Kursiwa (ranked 1284 p4p, 1830 weight class) and Phil Rivers (ranked 103 p4p, 138 weight class). Rivers has chosen RUNNING IN THE 90’s as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kursiwa
vs
Rivers

165 cm
27
145
10 - 7 - 0

177 cm
31
155
18 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Sakura Style

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

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 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Liwa Kursiwa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phil Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Rivers misses its intended target.
Kursiwa is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Rivers.
Kursiwa staying out of range there.
Rivers scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Kursiwa looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rivers pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rivers throws a big shot that misses.
Kursiwa scores with a body shot.
Rivers misses with an uppercut
and Kursiwa counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kursiwa moves out of range of the strikes.
Rivers catches Kursiwa with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rivers misses with an uppercut.
Kursiwa is looking to counter punch.
Rivers throws a right and a left that Kursiwa avoids nicely.
Rivers throws a right hand that misses
and Kursiwa counters with a nice body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kursiwa steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rivers.
Kursiwa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rivers throws a right and a left that Kursiwa avoids nicely.

Kursiwa drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rivers tries to bench press Kursiwa off him but Kursiwa keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kursiwa lands a few punches from side control.
Rivers tries to bench press Kursiwa off him but Kursiwa keeps the position.
Kursiwa cracks Rivers with a big right hand but Rivers just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Rivers regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivers is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Kursiwa scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kursiwa 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.
Kursiwa is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rivers is not content to let Kursiwa control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kursiwa seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rivers wants to improve his position but Kursiwa is controlling well.
Kursiwa trying to control the action but Rivers is working from the bottom.
Rivers wants to sweep but Kursiwa has passed to side control!
Rivers is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kursiwa seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rivers manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Kursiwa with a nice head shot there.
Kursiwa controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kursiwa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rivers's head.

Rivers has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kursiwa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
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!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rivers has momentary wrist control but Kursiwa slips an elbow through the middle.
Kursiwa trying to control but Rivers is working from the bottom.

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

Rivers is looking for a triangle but Kursiwa pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kursiwa controls the pace.
Kursiwa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rivers swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kursiwa controlling from the top position.

Kursiwa is posturing up here but Rivers has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Kursiwa tries to roll out but it's too tight and Kursiwa has to tap! Slick submission there by Rivers!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:46 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Phil Rivers!
Phil Rivers very nearly forgot to thank The Natural Order amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.