PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Rivero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erik Loka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Erik Loka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rivero
vs
Loka

184 cm
23
229 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

190 cm
20
285 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Good elbows
Powerful

Crazy Monkey Nutrition
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rivero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Erik Loka!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivero avoids a punch combination nicely.
Loka misses with a wild body shot.
Rivero throws a series of punches but Loka moves out of range.
Rivero throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Loka moves into the clinch.
Rivero tries to circle away but Loka has him pinned against the cage.
Rivero is trying to force a seperation but Loka has the dominant position.
Nice elbow from Loka.
Loka lands an elbow just above Rivero 's eye.

It looks like John Rivero has been cut.

Rivero escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
John Rivero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Loka tries to close the distance and clinch but Rivero swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Loka takes the fight into the clinch.
Rivero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Loka looking to stall.
Loka prevents Rivero from breaking the clinch.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nice elbow from Loka.
Rivero tries to break the clinch but Loka is controlling the position.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
With the fighters up against the cage, Loka throws an elbow but misses.
Loka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rivero's efforts to push away.
Rivero is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Loka throws an elbow that misses.
Rivero is trying to force a seperation but Loka has the dominant position.
Loka has Rivero pressed against the cage, preventing Rivero from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Loka controlling the action here for a moment.
Rivero blocks the elbow strike.
Rivero wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Loka stalling the fight.
Loka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rivero is trying to force a seperation but Loka has the dominant position.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Loka.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Loka throws an elbow but it misses.
Loka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rivero is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Loka dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Rivero is looking to break free of the clinch but Loka has double underhooks.
Loka crunches a lovely knee into Rivero's ribcage.
Rivero tries to break free but Loka pushes him back against the cage.
Rivero wants to break free but Loka has control.
Rivero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rivero working hard to break the clinch.
Nice elbow from Loka.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Loka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rivero's brow.
Loka lands an elbow inside.
Rivero being controlled against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rivero escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rivero avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rivero misses with a combination

and Loka moves into the clinch.
Loka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rivero as Loka tries to tie him up.
Rivero tries to circle away but Loka has him pinned against the cage.
Knees to the body from Loka.
Loka misses with an elbow strike.
Rivero is trying to break free.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.

Rivero breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rivero keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Loka shoots for a double leg takedown but Rivero sprawls well. He's pushed Loka's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rivero swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Loka counter with a right hand.
Rivero throws a left and a right that both miss

and Loka moves into the clinch.
Loka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rivero is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Loka keeps control of Rivero as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Loka is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rivero gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Loka will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rivero up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Loka.
A frustrated look appears on Rivero's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rivero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rivero avoids the elbow strike from Loka, against the cage.

Rivero breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Loka tries to clinch but Rivero moves out of range.
Loka dodges the punch combination from Rivero.
Rivero throws a combination that misses
and Loka counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rivero throws a series of punches but Loka avoids them all with ease.
Rivero swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Loka counters with a nice body shot.

Loka closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rivero tries to circle away but Loka has him pinned against the cage.
Loka lands an elbow that stopped Rivero in his tracks for a moment.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka is controlling him.
Rivero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Loka lands an elbow just above Rivero 's eye.
Loka stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Loka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rivero is trying to force a seperation but Loka has the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loka lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Loka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Loka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rivero gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Loka.
John Rivero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erik Loka.
Loka lands a damaging elbow.
Loka taking a breather.
A frustrated look appears on Rivero's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Loka will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rivero up against the cage.
Rivero working hard to break the clinch.
Rivero blocks an elbow strike from Loka.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rivero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Loka slows down the pace here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Loka keeps control of Rivero as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Loka throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Loka misses with an elbow strike.
Loka lands a damaging elbow.
Loka lands a damaging elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Loka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Rivero's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Loka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rivero.

Loka moves into the clinch successfully.
Rivero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Loka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rivero's efforts to push away.
Rivero tries to break the clinch but Loka is controlling the position.

Rivero breaks the clinch.
No joy there for Rivero, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rivero misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Loka.
Rivero misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rivero throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Loka counters with a nice uppercut.
Rivero swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Loka counters by moving into the clinch.
Loka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Loka lands an elbow inside.
Rivero tries to break the clinch but Loka is controlling the position.
Loka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rivero tries to break free but Loka pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Rivero's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rivero tries to circle away but Loka has him pinned against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Loka gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Rivero regains guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Loka accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Loka controls from within his opponent's guard.
Loka stops Rivero from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loka content to stall in guard here.
Loka trying to control but Rivero is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivero wants to stand and escape but Loka is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rivero jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A combination from Rivero does no damage.
Loka misses with a body shot.
Rivero ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Loka moves away.
Loka is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rivero rather than just go for the knockout.
Rivero misses with a double jab.
Rivero swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Loka has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Loka there as he acknowledges the shot.
Loka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rivero moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rivero throws a combination. Loka tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Rivero misses with a double jab
and Loka counters with a stiff right hand.

Loka gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rivero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rivero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Loka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Loka lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Loka is trying to stall.
Loka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Loka trying to stall but Rivero improves his position.

Rivero breaks from the clinch.
Rivero misses the body punch
and Loka counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Loka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rivero.
Rivero waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Loka.
Rivero throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Loka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Loka.
Erik Loka seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rivero is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rivero looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Loka lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rivero backwards.
Loka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Loka lands a nice elbow.

Rivero is rocked!
Rivero's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Oh Rivero is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rivero looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nice elbow from Loka.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Loka.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka is controlling him.
Loka is pushing Rivero up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Rivero blocks an elbow strike from Loka.
Rivero avoids a wild elbow strike from Loka.
Rivero seems to have got his legs back now.
Loka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Rivero's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Loka tries to land knees in the clinch but Rivero avoids the damage to the body.
Rivero working hard to break the clinch.
Loka crunches a lovely knee into Rivero's ribcage.
Loka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rivero can't break the clinch.
Loka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rivero's defenses.
Nice elbow from Loka.
Loka lands an elbow inside that Rivero shrugs off.
Come on Loka - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rivero's efforts to push away.
Rivero wants to get back to striking at distance but Loka won't allow it.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Loka lands an elbow inside.
Loka prevents Rivero from breaking the clinch.
Loka is stalling here.
Loka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Loka keeps control of Rivero as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rivero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Loka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Loka lands a left hand.
A frustrated look appears on Rivero's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rivero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rivero takes an elbow to the temple.
Loka lands a damaging elbow.
Rivero takes an elbow to the temple.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Loka lands an elbow that stopped Rivero in his tracks for a moment.
Loka looking for a takedown.
Loka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rivero's defenses.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Loka lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rivero avoids the elbow strike from Loka, against the cage.
Rivero has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Loka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Rivero's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rivero falls off balance throwing a combination

and Loka counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Rivero breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Good shot there by Loka.
Rivero throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rivero slips under a jab from Loka.
Danga de danga de dang - Rivero scores with a four punch combination!
Rivero ducks right into an uppercut from Loka.
Good standup being displayed there by Loka as he connects with a hook.
Rivero throws a combination that misses

and Loka moves into the clinch.
Loka lands a nice elbow.
Rivero has had enough of the clinch but Loka keeps him there for the moment.
Rivero tries to break free but Loka pushes him back against the cage.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Loka is trying to trip Rivero. He has hold of a leg but Rivero is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Loka persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Rivero keeping moving, preventing Loka from controlling successfully.
Loka throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loka prevents Rivero from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Loka working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rivero's head.

Rivero has his feet on Loka's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Rivero tries to bum rush Loka with a series of wild strikes but Loka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rivero throws a shot from downtown. Loka moves away and avoids it.
Rivero swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Loka counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Loka throws a shot to the body.
Rivero avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Loka is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rivero.
Jab by Rivero.

Loka clinches with his opponent.
Loka lands an elbow inside that Rivero shrugs off.
Loka effectively controlling the action here.
Loka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Loka missing with knees to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Loka - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Loka landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Loka lands an elbow inside that Rivero shrugs off.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka is controlling him.
Rivero wants to break free but Loka has control.
Loka drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rivero gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rivero is looking to break free of the clinch but Loka has double underhooks.
Loka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rivero's efforts to push away.
Loka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rivero's defenses.
Rivero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka is controlling him.
Loka lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Rivero breaks from the clinch.
Loka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Loka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivero misses with a double jab
and Loka counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rivero thinking.

Loka clinches up against the cage.
Loka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Loka is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivero breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rivero throws a combination that misses

and Loka moves into the clinch.
Loka lands an elbow just above Rivero 's eye.
Loka lands an elbow inside.
Rivero wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Loka has him pressed against the cage.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rivero is trying to break the clinch but Loka is controlling him.
Rivero can't break the clinch.
Rivero wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Loka has him pressed against the cage.

Rivero's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rivero lands a jab-cross combination.
Rivero ducks under a wild hook from Loka.
Loka swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Rivero.
Loka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rivero throws a shot from downtown. Loka moves away and avoids it.
Rivero throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rivero moves away from the strike by Loka.
A shot to de liver by Loka. Beautiful body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loka misses the shot to the body.
Rivero misses with a combination

and Loka moves into the clinch.
Loka has Rivero pressed against the cage, preventing Rivero from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Loka keeps control of Rivero as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Loka lands an elbow that stopped Rivero in his tracks for a moment.
Rivero can't break the clinch.
Loka has Rivero pressed against the cage, preventing Rivero from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Loka stalling the fight.
Loka throws an elbow that misses.
Rivero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Erik Loka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rivero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Rivero's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rivero is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rivero tries to circle away but Loka has him pinned against the cage.
Rivero tries to circle away but Loka has him pinned against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivero blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Loka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rivero wants to break free but Loka has control.
Loka cracks Rivero with a nice body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erik Loka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Loka 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erik Loka!