PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nick Rivers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mac Davis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Rivers
vs
Davis

180 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
178 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Nick Rivers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mac Davis!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Paul Tew and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivers shoots in for a takedown but Davis shows good takedown defense.
Rivers shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Davis pinned against the cage. Davis gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rivers throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A combination from Rivers does no damage.
Rivers misses with a takedown attempt - Davis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Rivers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivers changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Davis tries to avoid it but Rivers manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Davis to the ground. Davis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rivers throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Davis's waist but Davis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rivers off to one side.
Davis with a poor takedown

and Rivers counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rivers wants to get back to striking at distance but Davis won't allow it.
Rivers is breathing heavily.
Rivers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Davis.
Rivers wants a takedown but no success here.
Davis has Rivers pushed against the cage.
Rivers drops down looking for an ankle pick but Davis pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rivers is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivers with a lazy takedown attempt

and Davis counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rivers!
Rivers reaches up to try and control the position but Davis seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Rivers rolls and tries to escape and now Davis has his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers trying to control the position but Davis manages to sink in the hooks.
Davis controlling well, preventing Rivers from escaping the position.
Rivers is working hard here to advance position.
Davis is not going to allow Rivers to sit and survive in this position.
Davis lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Davis.
Rivers wants to get back to his feet.
Rivers trying to control but not successfully.
Rivers rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Rivers tries to kick Davis off but Davis keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rivers knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Davis on the ground.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Rivers rushes Davis and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rivers has Davis pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Davis manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Davis is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rivers is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Davis to the mat. Davis regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Rivers is looking to stand up but Davis won't let him.
Davis wants to sweep but no luck.
Davis keeping full guard, as Rivers tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Davis has a closed guard, preventing Rivers from standing up.
Davis keeping moving, preventing Rivers from controlling successfully.
Rivers showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rivers wants to get up but he can't break Davis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rivers misses with a head kick.
Rivers with a poor takedown

and Davis counters with a single leg into guard. Rivers didn't expect that.
Davis looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Davis gets to his feet - Rivers follows without any prompting.
Rivers doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Davis counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rivers won't be happy with that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivers wants to control but Davis postures up.
Rivers is trying to work for a sweep but Davis has mounted him!
Rivers is in all sorts of trouble here.
Davis with good strikes from the mount here!
You get the feeling that Rivers really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rivers can't escape the position.
Davis won't let Rivers get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rivers is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rivers is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Davis is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Davis in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Davis content just to control the position here.
Rivers is just holding on here. Davis manages to take his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Davis keeps control of the position easily here as Rivers tries to buck him off.
Davis connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Rivers to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mac Davis dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Davis wants to clinch.
Davis looks to clinch
and Rivers counters with a big head kick but Davis shrugs it off.
Davis misses with a right hand
and Rivers counters with a body kick that stops Davis in his tracks momentarily.
Rivers tries for a takedown but Davis circles away easily

and Davis moves into the clinch.
Davis wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rivers jumps guard but Davis stands there with Rivers around his waist. Rivers gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Davis drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rivers gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Davis leaning against his opponent.
Davis tries to pull guard but Rivers holds him up against the cage and eventually Davis drops back down to his feet.
Rivers drops down looking for an ankle pick but Davis pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Rivers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Davis throws a sloppy head kick and Rivers moves out of range easily.
Rivers pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rivers tries for a takedown but Davis circles away easily

and Davis counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rivers!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Davis controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis avoids the attempt from Rivers to control.
Mac Davis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Davis in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rivers regains half guard.
Davis is thwarting Rivers's attempts to control the position.
Davis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rivers keeps working.
Rivers wants to get back to full guard.
Rivers is trying to stand up here but Davis is controlling him well.
Rivers is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rivers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Davis is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is trying to stand.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rivers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Davis counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Davis.
Rivers is trying to keep Davis in close.
Rivers is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Davis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rivers is proving hard to escape from.
Rivers not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Davis trying to control but Rivers is working from the bottom.
Rivers is trying to control the position but Davis postures up.
Davis controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is pulling down on Davis's head. It's preventing any offense from Davis, at least for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Rivers shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rivers looking to control but Davis is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Davis is trying to stand up.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Davis. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Davis tries to hold on but Rivers postures up.
Davis is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rivers wants to control the pace but Davis is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Davis is looking to improve his position but Rivers isn't that keen on the idea.
Davis slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Davis is refusing to be controlled, as Rivers sits in half guard.
Davis gets back to full guard.
Davis is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rivers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Davis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rivers trying to control the position from guard on top but Davis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mac Davis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rivers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Davis holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Davis goes for a takedown attempt but Rivers pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rivers pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Davis wants to clinch
and Rivers counters with a body kick.

Rivers shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rivers showed some decent athleticism there.
Rivers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Davis keeps working.
Davis keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Davis wants to get back to his feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis punching from the bottom.
Davis is trying to control but can't.
Davis is pressing down on Rivers's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Davis pushes Rivers off and gets back to his feet.
Davis misses with a head kick.
Davis misses with a takedown
and Rivers counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Davis wants to clinch up but Rivers keeps it at a distance.
Rivers fails to land the takedown.

Davis darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rivers is trying to stand back up but Davis is controlling him
Rivers trying to control but Davis postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is trying to stand.
Davis throwing shots but Rivers is blocking nicely.
Davis performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Rivers is trying to stand.
Davis is looking to take a break and control but Rivers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rivers misses with a takedown attempt

and Davis counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Rivers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivers letting Davis take a breather here.
Davis can't break the clinch.
Rivers tries to score a body lock takedown but Davis shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Davis lands a body punch in the clinch.
Davis prevents a takedown attempt there.

Davis decides to pull guard.

Davis looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Davis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rivers is one step ahead there.
Davis is pulling down on Rivers's head. It's preventing any offense from Rivers, at least for the moment.

Davis is looking for a triangle but Rivers pushes his legs off easily.
Rivers not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Davis looking to control.
Rivers controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rivers has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Davis is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davis 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.

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

Rivers stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Rivers throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nick Rivers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Davis looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rivers!
Davis breaks from Rivers's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rivers bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rivers wants to stand but Davis has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rivers 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mac Davis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Davis 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mac Davis!