PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between aaron witt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mountain Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

witt
vs
Rivera

182 cm
24
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

197 cm
19
274 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

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, aaron witt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mountain Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rivera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
witt manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rivera working to try and regain half guard.
witt connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Rivera bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
witt wants to sweep but no luck.
Rivera wants to control from the top but witt keeps moving.
witt looking for a sweep. Not yet witt, not yet.
witt punching to the body, from the bottom.
witt looking for a sweep. Not yet witt, not yet.
witt preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
witt throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
witt with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rivera counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rivera in particular looking to stall.
witt knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rivera on the ground.
Rivera prevents witt from improving his position.
Rivera wants to control but witt is keeping him busy.
witt is trying to get back to full guard.
witt is working hard here to advance position.
witt is breathing heavily.
witt wants to get back to full guard but Rivera has mounted him!
Rivera wants to control the pace but witt is squirming around nicely.
Rivera controlling the pace for now.
Rivera with shots to the head and body - witt looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
witt is trying to reverse the position but instead Rivera has taken his back - oops!

Rivera tightening his grip on witt, looking for the choke.
Rivera is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at witt. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Rivera looking to break witt's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. witt remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Rivera will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
witt is in bad spot here.
witt covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Rivera gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
witt breaks Rivera's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rivera is pulling down on witt's head. It's preventing any offense from witt, at least for the moment.
Rivera looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. witt manages to get himself to full guard.
Rivera scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rivera controlling from the top position.
Rivera cracks witt with a solid left hand.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but witt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rivera is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
witt 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 is in close to witt's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rivera is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mountain Rivera.

Rivera feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
witt keeping moving, preventing Rivera from controlling successfully.

Rivera gets to his feet - witt follows without any prompting.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.

Rivera turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Rivera landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mountain Rivera dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rivera shoots in and bounces witt off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rivera wants to control from the top but witt keeps moving.
witt looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rivera is one step ahead there.
Rivera with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rivera is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rivera wants to control from the top but witt keeps moving.
witt bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rivera's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera keeping moving, preventing witt from controlling successfully.
Rivera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as witt accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mountain Rivera has got the better of the ground game so far.
witt preventing the sweep.
witt postures up.
witt has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rivera trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
witt wants to control from the top but Rivera keeps moving.
Rivera striking off his back but it's not causing witt any problems.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Rivera shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rivera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but witt does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
witt tries to get to full guard but Rivera has control of the leg.
Rivera throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rivera wants to take a breather but witt is having none of it.
Rivera thows a huge punch but witt dodges it nicely.
Rivera moves nicely into side control.
witt is not content to let Rivera control the position.

Rivera looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rivera with a poor takedown

and witt counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rivera won't be happy with that.
Rivera is working to avoid the ground and pound but witt connects with a decent elbow.
Rivera has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera sneaks back into half guard.
witt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
witt thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rivera's head.
witt wants to take a breather but Rivera is having none of it.
Rivera makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rivera.

Rivera pushes witt off and gets back to his feet.
Rivera fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but witt avoids it really well and circles away.

Rivera has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rivera turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Rivera manages to end up in side control.
Rivera looking to punish the body of his opponent here but witt is avoiding damage well.
Rivera cracks witt with a big elbow.
Rivera wants to control but witt is keeping him busy.
Rivera misses with the ground and pound.
witt tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rivera wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rivera is looking to take a break and control but witt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
witt tries to improve position but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rivera shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. witt is trying to defend but Rivera finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
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.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rivera fails to land the takedown.
witt has his takedown stuffed

and Rivera holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rivera lands a knee to the head.
witt tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knees to the body from Rivera.

Rivera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rivera has closed the distance and engaged witt in a clinch.
Rivera lands with a light punch inside.
Rivera has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. witt avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

witt has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rivera is trying to keep an underhook but witt manages to get the takedown into half guard.
witt wants to take a breather but Rivera is having none of it.
witt throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Rivera kicks witt off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rivera closes the distance and clinches.
Rivera is trying to work for a single leg takedown but witt pulls him back up using the underhooks.
aaron witt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mountain Rivera.
Rivera stops a takedown attempt from witt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
witt tries for a takedown. No joy.

Rivera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rivera shoots and misses

and witt counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
witt trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rivera can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rivera tries to land a sweep but no joy.
witt trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rivera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in witt's guard.
Rivera controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
witt 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now witt is on top in guard.

Rivera kicks witt off and gets to his feet.

Rivera shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. witt is trying to defend but Rivera finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
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!
witt is refusing to be controlled, as Rivera sits in half guard.
witt wants to get back to full guard but Rivera has mounted him!
Rivera controlling the position easily from mount.
Rivera trying to control but witt is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
witt can't escape the position.

Rivera is going oldschool here, as he tries to force witt to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so witt shrugs it off.
witt is squirming around, avoiding Rivera's attempts to control the action.
witt is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rivera can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as witt is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
witt tries to reverse the position but Rivera maintains control.

Rivera wants to finish this one by submission but witt is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Rivera.
Rivera is landing with some decent strikes but witt is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
aaron witt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
witt is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rivera with good strikes from the mount here!
Rivera fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Mountain Rivera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
witt tries to improve his position but instead Rivera has taken his back!
witt manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rivera's guard. Nice work there by witt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mountain Rivera.
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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

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