PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paco Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rivera is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Lightning Strikes. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Arona
vs
Rivera

185 cm
18
211 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
206 lbs
1 - 3 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

KING NUTRITION
Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Arona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paco Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera just misses with a punch to the body.
Arona tries to clinch up but Rivera circles away and keeps his distance.
Rivera throws a head kick but Arona moves out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rivera.
The fight stays on the outside here - Arona looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arona tries to clinch there but Rivera circles away.
Arona tries to clinch up.
Arona tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Arona is looking to clinch.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rivera.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rivera looks for a takedown but Arona sprawls well.
Arona fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arona tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Arona avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona wants to clinch.
Arona moves in looking to clinch but Rivera pushes him off.
Arona tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Arona ducks under a wild hook from Rivera.
Rivera throws a leg kick but Arona moved away.
Rivera lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Arona circles away quickly and effectively.
Rivera thows a left - swing and a miss!
Arona fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arona tries to clinch but Rivera moves out of range.
Rivera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rivera is defended easily by Arona.
Paulo Arona has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paco Rivera.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Arona avoids the head kick by Rivera.
Rivera tries for a takedown but Arona sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Arona tries to clinch but Rivera is having none of it.
Rivera keeps the fight on the outside.

Arona tries to keep at a distance but Rivera has taken the fight into the clinch.

Rivera manages to break the clinch.
Rivera takes a swing at Arona's ribcage but misses.
Paulo Arona is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Arona rushes Rivera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rivera obliges.
Arona throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rivera blocks it with crossed arms.
Rivera tries to pull guard but Arona holds him up against the cage and eventually Rivera drops back down to his feet.
Arona prevents a takedown attempt there.

Rivera gets control of Arona's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rivera will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera controlling Arona's posture.
Rivera not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rivera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Arona wants to stand but Rivera is controlling his posture from full guard.

Rivera pushes Arona off and gets back to his feet.
Arona clinches but Rivera breaks the clinch

so Rivera counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona wants to stand up but Rivera is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Arona has his feet on Rivera's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Arona ducks right into an uppercut from Rivera.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rivera moves into the clinch.
Rivera is trying to break the clinch but Arona has him pressed against the cage.

Rivera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Arona tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rivera counters with a one-two to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Rivera moves into range and clinches up with Arona.
Arona tries to land a knee to the head but Rivera blocks with his arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Rivera dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Arona looks to clinch

and Rivera counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rivera.

Rivera breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rivera throws a leg kick but Arona sees it coming and moves out of range.
Arona tries to clinch but Rivera moves away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rivera counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rivera counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rivera.
Rivera managing to block the knees to the body from Arona.
Rivera on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rivera tries to pull guard but Arona won't allow it.
Rivera is looking to break free of the clinch but Arona has double underhooks.

Rivera breaks the clinch.
Arona tries to clinch up
and Rivera counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Arona is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rivera.
Arona tries to clinch but Rivera moves away

and Rivera counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rivera.
Rivera tries to pull guard but Arona won't allow it.
Rivera lands a hook that snaps the head of Arona backwards.
Rivera tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Paulo Arona has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paco Rivera.
Rivera tries to break the clinch but Arona is controlling the position.

Arona is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rivera is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Arona to the mat. Arona regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Rivera wants to stand but Arona is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Arona wants to stand and escape but Rivera is having none of it.
Rivera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Arona is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rivera gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Rivera throws a body punch but Arona moves out of range.
Arona closes the distance but Rivera moves to the side
and Rivera cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
No joy there for Rivera, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Arona tries to clinch up
and Rivera counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rivera swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rivera counters with a body kick.
Arona leaves Rivera with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Arona wants to clinch but Rivera slips to the side

and Rivera counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rivera.
Rivera lands a right hand that snaps the head of Arona backwards.
Arona throws an elbow but it misses.
Rivera tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rivera is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Arona pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Arona unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rivera lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Arona trying to land knees to the body.
Arona is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Arona tries to land a knee to the head but Rivera blocks with his arms.

Rivera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Arona as he avoids it easily.
Rivera misses with a low kick.
Rivera misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Arona.
Arona tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rivera counters with a good, hard body kick but Arona shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rivera counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Arona misses with a knee to the head.
Arona lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rivera takes a knee right on the jaw!
Knees in the clinch landing for Arona.
Rivera stalls.

Rivera pulls guard successfully.
Rivera controls Arona momentarily but Arona frees himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arona tries to stand but Rivera is controlling from the bottom.
Rivera controls Arona momentarily but Arona frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Rivera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Arona tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rivera counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rivera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Arona is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rivera is defending well for now.
Rivera avoiding damage as Arona throws knees to the body.
Rivera managing to block the knees to the body from Arona.
Arona misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rivera.

Rivera jumps guard.
Rivera trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arona wants to stand and escape but instead Rivera has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Rivera is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera stops Arona from standing up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arona keeping moving, preventing Rivera from controlling successfully.

Rivera stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Paulo Arona is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivera tries to score a power double leg takedown but Arona sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rivera somewhat.
Arona wants to clinch
and Rivera counters with a head kick.
Arona looks to clinch

and Rivera counters with a takedown into side control.
Arona is not content to let Rivera control the position.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.
Paco Rivera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arona trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
A lull in the action here.

Rivera decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Paco Rivera seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arona clinches but Rivera breaks the clinch
and Rivera finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rivera.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Arona sprawls well. Arona wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rivera gets slowly back to his feet.
Arona tries to clinch but Rivera moves away
and Rivera counters with a left to the body.
Arona wants to clinch
and Rivera counters with an inside leg kick.
Rivera misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rivera changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Arona tries to avoid it but Rivera manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Arona to the ground. Arona escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Paulo Arona has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paco Rivera.
Arona avoids the head kick by Rivera.
Arona wants to clinch
and Rivera counters with a series of strikes. Arona will be more careful next time no doubt.
Arona wants to clinch

and Rivera counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Paulo Arona has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona tries to land a knee to the head but Rivera blocks with his arms.
Rivera on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Arona tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Arona with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Arona missing with knees to the body.
Arona is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rivera is defending well for now.

Rivera pulls Arona into guard.
Rivera is pulling down on Arona's head to control his posture.
Arona has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Arona trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Arona throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rivera works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rivera is controlling Arona's posture.
Arona throws a strike but Rivera rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paco Rivera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

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