PBP Commentary

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

Hills
vs
Rivera

195 cm
20
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

197 cm
19
274 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derek Hills!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mountain Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Hills. No joy for Rivera on that attempt.
Rivera fails to land the takedown.
Rivera shoots for a takedown but Hills saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Derek Hills has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mountain Rivera.
Rivera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Hills drives through and clinches with Rivera against the cage.
Hills trying to land knees to the body.
Rivera lands a good knee to the midsection. Hills won't want to take too many of those.

Hills breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rivera displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hills.
Rivera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hills shoots in looking for a takedown. Rivera tries to sprawl out of it but Hills keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rivera manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hills tries for a takedown but Rivera sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hills changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rivera tries to avoid it but Hills manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rivera to the ground. Rivera escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rivera dives in and grabs Hills's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hills pushes down on Rivera's head and hops out.
Hills misses with a takedown

and Rivera counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera won't allow Hills to get back to his feet.
Hills is breathing heavily.
Rivera controls from within his opponent's guard.

Hills looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rivera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hills's head.
Hills 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 makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hills has momentary wrist control but Rivera slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rivera's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rivera controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Rivera drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Hills manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rivera has Hills in his guard.
Hills stopping the sweep attempt from Rivera.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rivera is on top in guard.
Rivera is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Rivera is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rivera slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Rivera drops back looking for a leg! Hills is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hills manages to kick Rivera off! Rivera jumps back into Hills's guard.
Rivera makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hills tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mountain Rivera dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hills throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rivera misses with a takedown

and Hills counters by clinching up.
Hills wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Hills tightens his grip and picks Rivera up, before dumping him to the ground. Rivera manages to land in guard.
Rivera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hills's guard.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Hills is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hills pulls Rivera in to control the position.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Hills is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hills can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rivera controls the pace.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rivera's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hills will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hills keeping moving, preventing Rivera from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivera postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rivera loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rivera accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Hills is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hills is trying to keep Rivera in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rivera's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rivera tries to stand but Hills is controlling from the bottom.
Rivera sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hills controls Rivera momentarily but Rivera frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivera has gone for a leg lock! Hills slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rivera's guard.
Rivera pulls Hills in close to prevent any damage.

Despite being in the dominant position, Mountain Rivera just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hills as he jumps to the side.
Rivera has his takedown stuffed

and Hills counters by clinching up.
Derek Hills has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mountain Rivera.
Hills stops a takedown attempt from Rivera.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera has Hills pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hills manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hills is trying to stall.
Hills tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rivera smiles and moves away.
No luck for Rivera with that takedown attempt.
Hills gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rivera counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hills won't be happy with that.
Hills is looking for a sweep.
Hills tries to control but Rivera manages to take his back.
Hills tries to roll but Rivera sticks to his back.
Rivera lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Rivera.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mountain Rivera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.
Hills tries for a takedown but Rivera manages to get underhooks.
Rivera tries to pull guard but Hills holds him up against the cage and eventually Rivera drops back down to his feet.
Rivera wants a takedown.

Rivera has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hills uses from the top position.
Rivera trying to keep a closed guard but Hills is proving a slippery customer.
Hills passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Hills decides to stand back up. Hills steps back and let's Rivera get back to his feet.
Rivera doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hills counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Derek Hills has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mountain Rivera.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet but Hills is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hills wants to pass the guard but Rivera is keeping the position.
Hills wants to get up but he can't break Rivera's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Rivera has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hills off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Rivera looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hills is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hills seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Rivera really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hills. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rivera is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Hills throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rivera trying to control but Hills is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivera thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rivera wants to get up but he can't break Hills's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rivera sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rivera wants to control from the top but Hills keeps moving.
Rivera postures up.
Mountain Rivera has got the better of the ground game so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hills displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rivera.
Mountain Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hills swivels and escapes.
Hills shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rivera pinned against the cage. Rivera gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hills shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rivera decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hills's guard.
Hills wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mountain Rivera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rivera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

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