PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Riviera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Silverton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silverton comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Seven kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Riviera
vs
Silverton

165 cm
28
148 lbs
23 - 9 - 0

175 cm
25
152 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jorge Riviera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joey Silverton!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silverton pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Silverton moves away from the strike by Riviera.
Silverton throws a shot from downtown. Riviera moves away and avoids it.
Riviera leaves Silverton with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Silverton throws a poor cross that misses
and Riviera counters with an inside leg kick.
Silverton misses with a body shot.

Silverton drives through with a takedown into Riviera's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Riviera is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Silverton looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Riviera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silverton trying to control the position from guard on top but Riviera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jorge Riviera just wasn't active enough.
Riviera moves into range and connects with a jab.

Silverton looking to score a takedown here. Riviera is defending well but Silverton drives through and ends up in Riviera's guard.
Riviera is pulling down on Silverton's head to control his posture.
Silverton wants to pass the guard but Riviera is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silverton throws a strike but Riviera rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Riviera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silverton is keeping the position for now.
Silverton keeping moving, preventing Riviera from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Jorge Riviera wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Riviera lands a jab to Silverton's midsection.
Riviera uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Silverton has time to react.
Riviera digs a good hook to Silverton's body.
Riviera throws a front kick that sends Silverton stumbling back into the cage.
Silverton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Jorge Riviera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silverton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A jab from Riviera misses.
Riviera looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Silverton uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Riviera.
A jab from Riviera finds it's way through Silverton's defenses.
Silverton cracks Riviera with an open hand slap.
Danga de danga de dang - Silverton scores with a four punch combination!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riviera throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Silverton slips under a jab from Riviera.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A jab from Silverton misses.
Riviera misses with a lunging right hand
and Silverton counters with a nice uppercut.
Silverton just misses with a punch to the body.
Silverton walks into a stiff left hand from Riviera.
Riviera misses with a looping right.
A jab from Silverton misses.
Silverton with a hook.
A jab from Riviera misses.
Riviera gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Silverton misses with a hook. Riviera ducked under it nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silverton uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Riviera.
Silverton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Riviera smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jorge Riviera will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A big right from Silverton misses.
Riviera avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Riviera with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Good exchange - Riviera coming out on top.
A big left from Silverton misses.
Jorge Riviera is winning the standup battle so far.
Silverton misses with a hook.
Riviera slips a straight right by Silverton.
Riviera rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Silverton counter with a right hand.
Silverton throws a jab when Riviera was well out of range.
Silverton steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Riviera.
Riviera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Silverton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Riviera.
Riviera gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sloppy strikes from Silverton. Those never looked like landing.
Silverton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Riviera moves away.
Silverton misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silverton misses with a hook. Riviera ducked under it nicely.
Silverton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silverton just misses with a punch to the body.
Silverton loads up on a big right hand but Riviera slips the punch.
Silverton displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Riviera throws out the jab.
Silverton throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Riviera on the side of the head.
Silverton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Riviera.
Riviera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Riviera is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Riviera misses with a lunging right hand

and Silverton counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Riviera's guard now.
Silverton being controlled here momentarily.
Riviera working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riviera thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silverton won't allow Riviera to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jorge Riviera just wasn't active enough.
Silverton throws a jab when Riviera was well out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silverton. Riviera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silverton ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Riviera waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Silverton.
A big right from Silverton misses.
Silverton connects with the punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riviera takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Jab from Riviera.
Silverton scores with a decent looking hook.
Riviera throws a hook but Silverton blocks it.
Silverton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Silverton displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Riviera throws out the jab.
Silverton takes one to the chin there.
Riviera avoids the body shot from Silverton.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Riviera. Silverton shrugs it off though.
Good exchange - Riviera coming out on top.
The fighters circling - Silverton throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Silverton defending well as Riviera loads up on a big left hand.
Silverton steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Riviera.
Silverton's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Silverton duly obliges.
Nice body punch from Riviera.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silverton misses with a body shot
letting Riviera counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riviera lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Riviera throws a jab when Silverton was well out of range.
Riviera loads up on a big right hand but Silverton slips the punch.
Riviera clobbers Silverton with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Riviera misses the jab.
Silverton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Riviera.
Silverton cracks a nice hook into Riviera's ribs.
Silverton misses with a right hand
and Riviera counters with a straight right hand.
Riviera tests Silverton's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Silverton thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Riviera ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Riviera is looking to clinch but Silverton is avoiding it.
Riviera loads up on a big right hand but Silverton slips the punch.
Silverton misses the shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jorge Riviera will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Riviera swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Riviera dips to his left and cracks Silverton with an uppercut!
Riviera misses with a looping left.
A telegraphed right hand from Riviera misses the target.
Riviera slips under a jab.
Silverton throws a body punch but Riviera moves out of range.
Silverton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Riviera was well out of range. Poor timing from Silverton.
Sloppy strikes from Silverton. Those never looked like landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silverton. Riviera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silverton misses with a looping right.
Riviera throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Riviera jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Riviera takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Silverton moves out of range of the strikes.
Riviera swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Silverton doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silverton. Riviera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Riviera avoids the body shot from Silverton.

Silverton fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Riviera sprawls well initially but Silverton persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Riviera tries to get to full guard but Silverton has control of the leg.
Riviera moves into full guard.
Riviera working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silverton.
Silverton content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silverton wants to pass the guard but Riviera is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silverton postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Riviera throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Silverton slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silverton trying to control the position but Riviera is working away.

Silverton is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Riviera is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Joey Silverton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ground and pound from Silverton seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Jorge Riviera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Silverton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Riviera keeps working.
Riviera is looking to regain half guard here but Silverton keeps moving and retains side control.
Riviera manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silverton misses with a head shot. Riviera uses the momentum to regain guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joey Silverton.
I think Riviera has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joey Silverton!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Joey Silverton waved his t-shirt featuring Rōnin's logo in front of the cameras.